Alabama Flips 2026 OT From ACC School

Alabama Flips 2026 OT From ACC School originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Alabama Crimson Tide secured a commitment from a Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets recruit on Friday.

Three-star offensive tackle Bear Fretwell, who was previously committed to the Yellow Jackets, told On3's Hayes Fawcett that he flipped his commitment to the Crimson Tide. Fretwell had been committed to the Yellow Jackets since June 15.

This is Alabama's 21st recruit of the 2026 recruiting class. The Tide now have the fourth-best recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports.

Fretwell is a three-star tackle and the 78th-best prospect in his home state (Georgia), per 247Sports composite rankings. He is from Brooklet, Georgia, and is the 61st-best offensive tackle recruit in the nation.

This commitment comes a day after five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin confirmed that he was closing his commitment after committing to Alabama on June 29. Griffin is the top linebacker recruit in the country and the eighth-best overall recruit in the 2026 class, per 247Sports.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is on a major recruiting heater and wants to keep that momentum heading into August. The Tide finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record and want to return to the College Football Playoff this upcoming season.

Related: Nation's No. 1 LB Reveals Crucial Update on His Recruitment

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.