Alabama has one commit in the Class of 2026 heading into the fall in four-star cornerback Dorian Barney. But a slew of 2026 targets will join the blue-chip CB for the Crimson Tide’s season opener against Western Kentucky on Saturday.
Barney will return to Tuscaloosa for the first time since he attended a camp on June 15. Barney originally pledged to the Tide back in May and is looking forward to his first opportunity to experience the atmosphere of Bryant-Denny Stadium as a committed prospect.
“Really [looking forward to] the fans, see how the fans, the environment and how the atmosphere is there,” Barney told Tide Illustrated. “Because I went to a game, but it was when the old staff was there. I can’t really remember much about the game because it was cold and I kept going in and out. But now I'm just looking for the atmosphere.”
Barney’s early pledge to the Crimson Tide is the result of multiple efforts by Alabama coaches at their previous stops. He was pursued by the old staff under Nick Saban, recruited by Tide Director of Recruiting Jatavis Sanders when he was at N.C. State and targeted by Courtney Morgan at Washington. Morgan put Barney on the radar of Kalen DeBoer when the pair were with the Huskies.
“Some of the staff that came from Washington, I was talking to them,” Barney said. “They were trying to get me there and I just never got the chance to get down there because Washington so far for me. So then when they came to Bama, I was talking to them, communicating and everything with them. I made the trip down there a couple of times. I was down there twice before I committed and it just felt the most comfortable.”
The collection of coaches coming together closer to home made it a much easier decision for Barney to choose the Crimson Tide. Morgan’s presence in particular was a big factor in his decision.
“I just like how he's around football,” Barney said. “He's not a coach, but he’s always around the football players, and he cares about him. That’s what I can see from him.”
While Alabama’s recruiting staff played a big role in landing Barney, he’s also established connections with the on-field coaches. Barney is being recruited at cornerback and has a good relationship with defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist, who Barney was able to watch coach his unit firsthand during a visit in March.
“I talk to him [often],” Barney said. “Just how he gets out there during drills, he demonstrates it. He does it. He doesn't just talk through it. He does it with them and shows them how it's done.”
Barney is also a fan of Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 defensive setup, which is the same formation that Barney plays in at Carrollton. The formation calls for more DBs to be on the field at once, which Barney said will lead to more opportunities for him to see playing time as a freshman when he arrives in Tuscaloosa.
Barney is also a fan of Wommack’s coaching style.
“He's a high-energy coach,” Wommack said. “I need somebody to just be on me all the time, give me some energy. When I’m feeling — not gonna say feeling down — but when I just need some energy, need an extra boost and to come out of me.”
While Barney will get to see his future team play on the biggest stage Saturday, the four-star is getting some experience in the spotlight himself. Carrollton played its season opener against Woodward Academy on ESPN2 and will be featured on the network again later this season when it faces Birmingham Paker on Sept. 20.
“That was big for me,” Barney said. “I never played on ESPN. I played on TV, but I never played on ESPN before. So just had go out there and make a name for myself or keep the name for myself and live up to it.”
Two of Barney’s teammates, offensive lineman Zykie Helton and wide receiver Ryan Mosley will join him in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Barney said he’s working to recruit both players, along with fellow defensive back prospect Zelus Hicks.
Barney is planning on taking visits to several other Power Five programs this fall. The blue-chip safety doesn’t currently have any dates set, but said he wants to get to Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State and some others.
While other schools will continue to pursue Barney aggressively, Alabama’s collection of new coaches, along with a culture that was established under Saban and carried on by the new staff has him firmly pledged to the Tide as his junior season gets underway.
“I see it's a player-led team there,” Barney said. “The players got to stick up and everything. Of course, the coaches are going to do their job, but this is a player-led team. And When Nick Saban was there, he had a high standard, and I think it's gonna stay like that because it's a player-led team.”
