Alabama Lands Four-Star Edge Justin Hill

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Kalen DeBoer continued his incredible recruiting surge today, landing four-star edge rusher Justin Hill. Hill was heavily favored to stay in-state and land with the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, for the second time in less than a week, the Buckeyes have lost a recruit they were thought to have in the fold. The first was Dorian Brew, who chose Oregon over Ohio State on Saturday. Now the Alabama Crimson Tide has snagged Hill.

While Ohio State was the clear front-runner for most of Hill's recruitment, Alabama and Oregon made late pushes for the 6-foot-3 edge rusher. Weighing in at roughly 220 pounds, Hill brings size and speed to the table for the Tide. His commitment comes shortly after the Tide earned a pledge from five-star cornerback Dijon Lee.

About Justin Hill

Justin Hill is a lengthy edge rusher from the Cincinnati area in Ohio. He finished his junior year at Winston Woods High School with 13 sacks. He is a very savvy player, often relying on his field awareness to elevate his level of play. Hill told On3, "Discipline is the biggest thing I've been working on. I have been more focused on what I have to do to make myself the best player I can be. I want to be a leader. So, I do things differently."

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In addition to the 13 sacks, Hill also logged 36 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, and 2 forced fumbles last season. He often finds his way to passers and ball carriers. On3 ranks Hill the No. 48 overall recruit in the 2025 class and the No. 6 edge rusher. He is known to be quite the technician, exhibiting excellent chase-down ability. He will certainly bring various tools to his new defensive line coach.

Impact on Alabama

For Alabama, Hill's commitment bolsters its already elite 2025 class. In particular, Alabama's defense continues to look more and more promising in the coming years. Hill's presence solidifies the defensive line for the Tide in the 2025 class. The Tide's 2025 class currently sits at No.2 overall, and this commitment could push them to No. 1.

While DeBoer could let off the recruiting gas peddle, Alabama is not stopping. The Tide are favored to land at least two more five-star players in the current class—wide receiver Caleb Cunningham and offensive tackle Ty Haywood. As Alabama continues its push to reel in elite defenders, the Tide rolls toward the No. 1 recruiting class for 2025.