Alabama football is a 4-star in-state CB prospect for 2026.
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As the world of college football focuses heavily on the Transfer Portal, recruiting remains a key battleground for top schools. One notable development in the recruiting scene comes from Alabama, where head coach Nick Saban and his staff, along with Kalen DeBoer and Courtney Morgan, are working hard to secure the top talent in Alabama for the 2026 recruiting cycle. This follows a less-than-ideal showing in-state for the 2025 cycle, where Alabama struggled to sign many of the state’s elite prospects.
In particular, 4-star cornerback Zyan Gibson from Gadsden, Alabama, has recently included Alabama among his top four school choices, alongside Auburn, Miami, and Tennessee. On Monday morning, recruiting insiders began to shift their predictions toward Alabama. Both Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports and Joseph Hastings of On3 submitted FutureCast and Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) picks, signaling that Gibson is likely to commit to the Crimson Tide.
Gibson is ranked as a consensus Top-100 recruit in the 2026 class, holding the No. 67 overall spot in the 247Sports composite rankings. He is the eighth-best cornerback in the nation and the fourth-best player in Alabama. His commitment would mark a significant win for Alabama as they work to build a strong 2026 class, especially after their inability to sign any of the top 10 players from Alabama in the 2025 cycle.
Currently, Alabama has a lone commitment for the 2026 class from defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland, ranked No. 6 in the state. Adding Gibson to the fold would not only strengthen Alabama’s recruiting efforts but would also signify a renewed focus on securing in-state talent. With Cleveland already locked in, Gibson could be the first major piece of a potentially dominant 2026 class. Alabama is expected to intensify its efforts to recruit high-level prospects in the coming months, and Gibson’s eventual commitment may well serve as the catalyst for other key signings.
