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Eli Lederman
Four-star offensive tackle Sam Utu has committed to Alabama, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Utu, No. 77 in the 2026 ESPN 300, is a 6-foot-5, 295-pound lineman from California’s Orange Lutheran High School. He lands with the Crimson Tide over the likes of SMU, Tennessee, Texas and Washington and joins as program’s fourth top 100 pledge in the 2026 recruiting class.
Utu’s commitment, which follows his official visit to Alabama this past weekend, marks the Crimson Tide’s first addition from within the 2026 ESPN 300 in nearly two-and-a-half months, dating back to the March 26 pledge of four-star cornerback Jorden Edmonds (No. 37 overall). Utu now stands as the third-ranked member of Alabama’s incoming class and the program’s second offensive line commit in the cycle alongside three-star offensive guard Chris Booker.
A positionally versatile blocker, Utu is ESPN’s No. 12 offensive tackle recruit and will leave Orange Lutheran as a four-year starter following his senior season this year. Utu’s fluid movement on the offensive line — one of his sharpest tools as a prospect — is owed in part to his background with Orange Lutheran’s volleyball program, where Utu has been a member of the varsity team since his freshman year.
While Utu arrives as Alabama’s first major addition on the trail since late March, his pledge should only be the start for the Crimson Tide this summer. A year after Alabama secured 13 class of 2025 commitments June 1 to July 25, the Crimson Tide appear similarly poised to fill out their incoming class with elite talents in the busy recruiting months ahead.
Alongside Utu, Alabama hosted more than a dozen other prospects on official visits this past weekend, including five-star tight end Kaiden Prothro (No. 19 overall) and top 30 defenders Xavier Griffin (No. 28) and Jireh Edwards (No. 29).
Four-star safety Jett Washington (No. 22) marked another priority visitor on the weekend of May 30, and the Crimson Tide are set to host top targets, including five-star athlete Brandon Arrington (No. 14) and in-state four-stars Anthony Jones (No. 25), Ezavier Crowell (No. 30), and Cederian Morgan (No. 47) in the coming weeks as the temperature turns up on the 2026 recruiting cycle.
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