Akylin Dear is presently on an official visit to the University of Alabama, and the Crimson Tide are hoping to get into the mix to potentially flip the Ole Miss commitment.
Mississippi 4-Star RB Akylin Dear @akylin3 returns to Alabama this weekend for an official visit. pic.twitter.com/uCvZ3anH43
— Touchdown Alabama Recruiting (@TDARecruiting) June 14, 2024
Dear is the focus of attention this weekend for a multitude of reasons. One is that he is from Quitman, Mississippi, which is somewhat less than two hours from Tuscaloosa. This has resulted in several visits from Dear to Alabama. He also has a fantastic relationship with Alabama’s running back coach, Robert Gillespie, whom he has stated is a major reason he is still considering Alabama after Nick Saban’s retirement.
“They still at the top of my board because coach (Robert) Gillespie is still there,” Dear told Touchdown Alabama. “I like Coach DeBoer. I’ve got to get there and meet the coaching staff.”
Gillespie paid a visit to Dear’s home in April, as the four-star has remained a key Alabama target despite his commitment to Ole Miss.
thanks for stopping by ‼️@BAMACoachG #RollTide 🐘 pic.twitter.com/GIj3JI5tEY
— ᴀᴋʏʟɪɴ(AK)ᴅᴇᴀʀ⭐️ (@akylin3) April 22, 2024
Dear is intrigued by Alabama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer, after seeing how he used a fellow Mississippi native at Washington last season.
“I like how Kalen DeBoer used Dillon Johnson last year,” Dear stated. “He is from Mississippi, so I feel like he is going to give me the football.”
Deer was a tenacious runner with a powerful burst as a junior. The four-star completed the 2023 football season with 2,016 running yards and 27 rushing touchdowns.
