Alabama beats SEC rivals Georgia, Ole Miss for 4-star LB

Alabama football is pivoting back to past Nick Saban tactics for defense. That does include head coach Kalen DeBoer winning over blue chip defensive recruits. And DeBoer reeled in a talented four-star linebacker in Kenneth Simon II Monday over Southeastern Conference rivals Ole Miss and Georgia.

Simon confirmed his decision to join the Crimson Tide Monday with Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals. Bama also beat out fellow SEC rival Tennessee for the long defender, who happens to be from the Volunteers’ neighboring home of Brentwood.

DeBoer and the Tide reel in the state of Tennessee’s No. 6 overall talent, plus nation’s No. 13 ‘backer. Inside linebackers coach Chuck Morrell ran point of Simon’s recruitment to Tuscaloosa.

While the Tide defeat the 2025 College Football Playoff representatives Georgia and Ole Miss here, Simon is a Volunteers legacy. His father played for Tennessee and grew up watching games in Knoxville.

But he told On3/Rivals’ Chad Simmons: ““I talked to God… and he told me I needed to go to Bama.”

Simon adds interacting with players and coaches on his Alabama visit sold him about the Tide.

“The Alabama culture sealed it for me. The standard they hold you to is different. When you think of Alabama, you think of winning and working hard. I want to be held to that standard,” Simon told Simmons.

Alabama maintains full confidence in DeBoer after signing him to a new extension this spring. He catapulted the Tide back to the College Football Playoffs; defeating Oklahoma but getting rolled by eventual national champion Indiana.

DeBoer is aware, though, that Alabama comes with a title-or-bust attitude. Saban set the tone on the College Football Recruiting trail including grabbing NFL-caliber defenders. Simon enters as a new intriguing commit.

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