Alabama’s 2027 class welcomed its first member on Tuesday morning.
Moments ago, Moody, Alabama, High School recruit Ba’Roc Willis announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide. His choice was reached after attending the program’s Champions Cook-Out event on Sunday. Willis has yet to take a snap as a sophomore, but was a take for Kalen DeBoer and his staff nonetheless.
“Academics and the college feeling like home,” Willis told BamaOnLine of his decision. “I went down there and it just felt great. I was vibing with a whole lot of coaches and prospects. They were also down there with me. It was just a terrific time.
“Great environment,” Willis remarked. “Being close to my mom and my family members. That’s always great. I truly enjoy that coaching staff. That’s a terrific coaching staff to be around, as well as the players.”
Willis, who grew up a fan of the Tide, familiarized himself with DeBoer’s new-look Bama program during the year. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker attended their Feb. 3 junior day, a practice in March, A-Day on April 13, and this past weekend for their end-of-July event.
He received some real one-on-one time with DeBoer during his recent visit.
“Just talking with Coach DeBoer about my future, it was a great conversation that I had with him,” Willis said. “It was about the recruiting process. Some guys act like divas and attempt to make everything pretty. Some guys feel bored during the recruiting process. But I know what I’m looking for in a college and what I want to do, so I wanted to go ahead and get it out of the way so I can get ready for the season.
“It was a relationship thing,” Willis continued. “I knew those guys for the longest and I felt like the time was right. I went ahead and pulled that trigger. Think it was a terrific decision by me.”
Bama hosted Willis for multiple trips last year, including a handful of game days. That all resulted in an offer from the prior staff on Dec. 15. Alabama instantly became of considerable interest for Willis, who knows true freshmen Jaylen Mbakwe, Jeremiah Beaman, and Sterling Dixon from the squad.
“I’ve got a lot of family members that went to Bama,” Willis remarked. “I’ve got friends that play there. My cousin, C.J. Mosley, went there. I’ve been practicing with Beaman since the 7th grade, so he always guides me to the proper area.
“It’s a good feeling. Having family that got there and went to the league, you just have to know they’re doing something right producing at that level,” Willis continued. “That’s just great.”
Willis already has some players in mind that he’ll recruit to Alabama
Although he’s still early on in the process, Willis got plenty of interesting offers. Some of the colleges that have previously offered him include Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and others. Auburn hosted him on a visit this past weekend as well.
Christian Robinson and Freddie Roach have led the way in their chase of Willis. Robinson’s participation comes from Alabama, which is currently recruiting him as an outside linebacker, however, they will continue to assess Willis and his possible position fit over the next couple of seasons.
“He’s a great guy,” Willis said of Robinson. “He’s a very funny dude. I went down there for spring practice. He was just conversing with me, cracking jokes, and making me laugh. I can see myself playing for him. I feel like, given that he played in the SEC, he knows what he’s talking about. We walked into the film room and talked a little bit about video, so it’s always fantastic to know that your coach knows what he’s talking about.”
Ba’Roc Willis alongside Kalen DeBoer, during his Champions Cook-Out visit with the Alabama Crimson Tide
Willis is thrilled about the future of Alabama’s football program, with DeBoer leading the way. He’s still working on his recruiting presentation, but will try to get some additional top in-state sophomores in the fold moving forward.
“It’s going to be a good program under Coach DeBoer,” Willis added. “I see what he’s trying to do. I can’t talk about the 2025 class, but I know I’m going to build around this 2027 class. It means a lot, but it also puts a lot on my back. I’m attempting to get some more big-time recruits, like EJ Crowell and Cam Pritchett, to pledge with me. I’m going to try to acquire [JaBarrius Garror], too. It’s a whole bunch of 2027 recruits.”
Willis is looking to attend the Iron Bowl and possibly extra home games this season, as well as Alabama’s road game at Tennessee on Oct. 19.
As a freshman, Willis posted 79 total tackles during the season, including 14.5 tackles for loss. He also had 9 sacks and a number of forced fumbles in 2023. You may view his freshman season highlights below!.
