4-star athlete Derick Smith commits to Alabama: ‘The program is going to stay on top under coach DeBoer’ 

Alabama originally offered Selma (Ala.) Southside four-star athlete Derick Smith before his sophomore year. And the local product has always been high in the Crimson Tide. 

Auburn, Florida State, LSU and Ole Miss were other schools that interested Smith, but new head coach Kalen DeBoer made him feel good about the future in Tuscaloosa. On Monday, he announced his commitment to Alabama. 

“Alabama is Alabama, and it has that standard,” Smith told On3. “They will always go by that standard, no matter what. The program is going to stay on top under coach DeBoer. He knows how to win, he has a good staff and the players are going to play hard for him.” 

Before making his decision official, Smith told defensive line coach Freddie Roach that he was choosing the Crimson Tide on Friday. The 6-foot-0, 185-pounder has visited the SEC program between more than half a dozen times and will be back at Alabama’s campus on March 23. 

Prior to the dead period, the No. 2 player in Alabama made a visit to the Crimson Tide on the weekend of Feb. 3. After seeing that nothing had changed following Nick Saban’s retirement, he started feeling confident about Alabama’s direction under its new head coach. 

“I liked the coaches, the new staff was easy to talk to and they made me feel important,” said Smith, the No. 45 overall prospect and No. 4 athlete in the 2025 On300. “That visit showed me a lot, my feelings were strong and I just kept feeling strong about Alabama.”

Smith has strong relationships with multiple coaches at Alabama

DeBoer came to Alabama after taking Washington to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The Crimson Tide’s new head man played a crucial role in keeping Smith in-state for his college football career. 

“I was one of his top guys,” Smith said. “As soon as he got the job, he came to the school to see me. He made a big impression on me. We talked about food, our hobbies and he wasn’t all about football. He was cool, easy to talk to and I liked him right away. We got to know each other and we are building a good relationship.”

Even though Alabama’s coaches have told Smith that they see him playing safety, they want to let him choose his position. He plays both safety and receiver at the high school level and could project at either spot in Tuscaloosa.

In addition to DeBoer, Roach played a big part in Smith choosing Alabama. He was one of two coaches retained when DeBoer took over the Crimson Tide. 

“We have that kind of relationship,” Smith said. “It goes back a few years and I trust him. We can talk about anything and he is like another father to me. He is just a great person that always checks on me and he made me feel good about my decision.” 

Co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist joined the Crimson Tide in the offseason after serving as the head coach at Buffalo, and the two have hit it off almost immediately.

“When I was there for the Junior Day in February, we talked a lot, we watched film and we are building a great relationship,” Smith said. “He knows a lot about defensive backs, we talk a lot and I like what he is about.”