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Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff Writer
A day after officially clinching the SEC West title and a spot in the SEC Championship Game, Alabama‘s future got another boost from close to home.
Four-star defensive end Zion Grady (No. 41 overall in the 2025 ESPN 300), a product of Charles Henderson High School (Alabama), committed to the Crimson Tide on Sunday.
He chose Alabama over in-state rival Auburn, Florida State and Georgia.
“A place that’ll make me feel like I’m home,” Grady told ESPN in May about what he was prioritizing.
Grady becomes the seventh ESPN 300 prospect in the 2025 class for Nick Saban and company and the fourth player residing within the top 50 — following wide receivers Ryan Williams (No. 3 overall), Jaime Ffrench, Jr. (No. 14 overall) and running back Anthony Rogers (No. 50 overall).
In 10 games this season, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Grady has 70 tackles (63 solo) with 21 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
Fast and physical were the two words Grady used to describe his game and what he’ll bring to a Crimson Tide defense that’s third in the SEC in total defense (318.2 yards per game) and second in scoring defense (18.1 points per game).
“My skill set revolves around speed, really being able to beat a lineman, an offensive lineman, off the ball,” he said.
After coming away with ESPN’s top-ranked class in 2023, Alabama’s 2024 class is currently fifth in the rankings.