2027 4-star athlete Alexander Ward decommits from Alabama

Alabama boasts one of the nation’s top recruiting classes early in the 2027 cycle, but the Crimson Tide took a hit Monday.

Four-star athlete Alexander Ward, who had been committed to Kalen DeBoer and Co. since November 2024, has backed off his pledge and is reopening his recruitment, according to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. Ward was one of five early commits for the Tide, who came into the day with the No. 2 class in the 2027 Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Ward, originally from Marietta (Ga.), transferred to national powerhouse IMG Academy (Fla.) ahead of his junior season. According to MaxPreps, he has totaled five tackles across five games for the Ascenders this season.

As a sophomore at Marietta Walton, Ward caught nine passes for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns on offense. Defensively, he tallied 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and two interceptions. He is the younger brother of current Colorado 2026 commit Christian Ward, who also plays at IMG. Christian committed to the Buffaloes last month over the likes of Arizona State, Michigan and Alabama.

Alexander picked up an offer from the Buffaloes in August, and they’re expected to be among a long list of suitors after him following his decommitment.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder is the No. 216 overall prospect in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. He also ranks as the nation’s No. 10 athlete and the No. 22 recruit in the Sunshine State.