The fax machines have cooled down, and the final rankings are in. For the Alabama Crimson Tide, National Signing Day was exactly what Kalen DeBoer wanted: boringly elite. For the Auburn Tigers, it was a reminder that hope is not a strategy.
Alabama: The Art of No Surprises
Alabama signed 27 players, securing the No. 2 class in the nation (per 247Sports), just behind Georgia. There were no last-minute decommitments, no hats tossed across the room, and no drama.
The class is headlined by Ezavier Crowell (RB) and Xavier Griffin (Edge), both 5-star prospects who are already enrolled. Coach DeBoer praised the group's "business-like" approach, noting that 20 of the signees are already on campus for winter workouts.
Auburn: The Gamble That Didn't Pay Off
Alex Golesh swung for the fences, but on Wednesday, he struck out. The two massive flip targets Auburn chased late—Immanuel Iheanacho (Oregon) and Zion Elee (Maryland)—stuck with their original commitments.
Iheanacho signed with the Ducks early in the morning, ending Auburn's hope of landing a franchise left tackle at the buzzer. Elee followed suit shortly after, sending his NLI to Maryland.
Auburn's class finishes ranked No. 35 heavily, a respectable transition class but far from the elite haul fans were hoping for to close the gap with Alabama.
The Verdict
Score this Signing Day as a decisive victory for stability. While Auburn is still selling a vision of the future, Alabama is selling the reality of the present. And in the world of recruiting, reality usually wins.