Four-Star Linebacker Includes Tide in Final Four

Linebackers had a heavy presence in the Tide's 2025 recruiting class, with the Crimson Tide signing three inside linebackers from the high school ranks and another via the transfer portal - Nikhai Hill-Green.

Get our free mobile app

Alabama's linebacker room is one of the deepest on the roster, but that isn't stopping the Tide from pursuing more in the 2026 recruiting class.

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports, four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse has included the Crimson Tide in his final four schools.

Rouse, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker from Marietta, Georgia, included Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee alongside the Crimson Tide in his list of final four schools.

While Alabama's linebacker room is deep this season, the Tide will need depth in 2026. The top three players at the position - Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Nikhai Hill-Green - will exhaust their eligibility at the end of the 2025 season. Behind them, the Tide is talented but young, with sophomore Cayden Jones and redshirt freshman QB Reese leading the way for the Tide's reserve unit.

Brayden Rouse plays for Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia, where he is ranked as a four-star prospect according to On3 Sports. He's a top-100 prospect, ranked as the No. 6 linebacker in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 10 player in the state of Georgia. Alabama inside linebackers coach Chuck Morrell is his primary recruiter.

Of the finalists Rouse listed, he has visited Alabama the most, with two visits to the Capstone and an official visit scheduled for the end of May. Rouse also has official visits scheduled to Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee. The Tide will get the first visit from May 30 to June 1.

Rouse has also visited Georgia Tech twice (he lives 15 miles from the Yellowjackets campus), Clemson, Tennessee, Ohio State, and Georgia once.

In his junior campaign, Rouse totaled 105 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and five pass breakups. He also played on offense, catching 25 passes for 378 yards and eight touchdowns.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.