Saban retires: Which 2024 prospects are critical for Alabama to keep?
It's true, Alabama fans. The G.O.A.T. has elected to hang up his whistle and the post Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa is officially upon the college football world.
The Transfer Portal window is opening for 30 days and the No. 2-ranked Alabama class of 2024, with many recruits already on campus, will also be under the microscope as each weighs his collegiate future.
Here are five incoming prospects the new Crimson Tide staff must work to hold onto.
MORE ON SABAN'S RETIREMENT: Which coaches should Bama be calling soon? | Which 2024 prospects will be critical for the next Bama coach to keep? | Five-stars that did and didn't live up to expectations under Saban at Bama | Who's next at Alabama? | Legend retires | Tough shoes to fill on and off field | Hidden gems of Saban's recruiting classes
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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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The game's most important position has been a banner one under Saban at Alabama, especially in the last decade of the run in Tuscaloosa. Sayin, the No. 2 quarterback in the class, has already enrolled on campus and practiced with the program before the College Football Playoff.
As a longtime target of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, the California native could also potentially be the bridge between Saban and the new coaching staff depending on how it shakes out.
A mature passer known for accuracy and timing, he carries a bravado off the field that has helped the Tide build out this elite class. Holding onto him could be key in influencing his 2024 peers.
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The top in-state recruit on board with the program following the sudden departure of Ryan Williams, Mbakwe is an elite defensive back and overall athlete in five-star range as he arrives in Tuscaloosa. The projected defensive back is fresh off of a state championship win over Williams' Saraland High School squad and strong week representing the program at the Under Armour All-America Game earlier this month.
The legacy of cornerback development paired with Mbakwe's immense natural talent out of the Birmingham metro area all profiles well for UA keeping him in the fold.
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Another elite talent already on campus, Odom had been building some buzz in practices last month ahead of his freshman season. A Georgia native and coveted talent, UA had to hold off many suitors for both before and after his initial commitment to the program.
Odom's frame (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and overall game as a modern tight end and wide receiver hybrid could become extremely targeted elsewhere. The state of Georgia is always critical in how Alabama builds its top classes, too, so there is added value in holding onto one of the top recruits in the Peach State.
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When it comes to perception and talent locally, Riley is the prospect Alabama fans have clamored for all cycle long. The local running back had been committed to Miami from mid-June through National Signing Day in December, when he flipped to the hometown program following a final visit to campus the weekend before the NLI was to be signed.
UA has dealt with many departures at the position since the end of the season, and many are looking Riley's way within the class of 2024 when it comes to potential contributors in the fall.
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Far from the highest-ranked prospect to be on board with 'Bama this cycle, the name says a lot when it comes to Saban's legacy at the school and in the secondary simultaneously. The legacy talent became the first son of a Saban player at Alabama to jump on board with the program, so a change of heart from Kirkpatrick would hit that much differently for the program and fanbase alike.
The in-state star worked his way to landing the offer, too, with the extension coming just a few weeks before Kirkpatrick Jr. committed to UA in the summer.