For the second-straight year, Dan Lanning has come into the state of Alabama and plucked the top recruit out for his Ducks. Tank Jones’s commitment to Oregon, which he announced Thursday afternoon on the Pat McAfee show, is a significant (though potentially impermanent) blow to Kalen DeBoer’s second full recruiting class in Tuscaloosa.
The five-star edge rusher’s decision could also be career-altering for another 2026 five-star, Alabama commit Xavier Griffin.
Alabama’s plan for five-star commit Xavier Griffin
Upon his eventual arrival in Tuscaloosa, Griffin, the 17th-ranked recruit in the country according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, is expected to play both edge rusher and off-ball linebacker.