The Alabama coaching staff had a very successful summer recruiting, rising to No. 2 in Rivals' 2025 Recruiting Team rankings. In addition, the Crimson Tide has already started laying the groundwork for a strong 2026 class, with defensive back duo Dorian Barney and Jamarrion Gordon committing in May. Alabama has reached out to multiple targets in the 2026 class, including Pike Road running back Ja’Michael Jones.

Jones was initially offered by Nick Saban’s staff in 2023 but says the new Crimson Tide regime has been in contact since arriving in Tuscaloosa. The Montgomery native says the new staff reminds him of the old one.

“There's no difference at all; the people on the outside don't know how it is on the inside,” Jones said. “The new staff has them working the way they have always been. I feel like everybody will underestimate them this upcoming season.”

Jones says both head coach Kalen DeBoer and running backs coach Robert Gillespie have forged strong relationships thus far throughout his recruitment process.

“Coach DeBoer is a really good coach,” Jones says. “Everybody thinks he will be different and can't recruit since he's from the West Coast, but he's still doing the same thing as the old coaching staff. My relationship with coach Gillespie has been really good. one of my recent teammates signed with them, Kevin Riley. I've talked to him about it, and he said he loves it”.

Jones transferred to Pike Road High School from Trinity Presbyterian School before the 2024 season. In recent years, Pike Road has established a reputation for producing top-tier running back recruits. Former four-star Quinshion Judkins, who graduated from Pike Road in 2022, has become one of the nation's most renowned running backs at Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State this offseason. Additionally, Anthony Rogers, committed to Alabama's class of 2025, played for Pike Road during his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to IMG Academy.

The four-star says that even though he's only been with Pike Road for a few months, his experience has already prepared him for the next level.

“Pike Road has prepared me a lot, with all the film and the coaches,” Jones said. “The coaches try to coach at practice pretty hard because they just try to ensure you understand the game and are prepared for every Friday night.”

Jones says his recruitment is still wide open and he doesn't have a clear top choice yet; however, he plans on visiting multiple top schools for games this fall. Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Texas are short-listed schools that the Pike Road RB wants to see this fall.