Alabama football recruiting: Nick Saban sends message to Georgia, Kirby Smart

Nick Saban and the Alabama football sent a message to Kirby Smart and Georgia by flipping a big-time 4-star recruit. 

The No. 1-ranked 2024 college football recruiting class for the Georgia Bulldogs just got a bit weaker. And that blow came courtesy of arguably their biggest rival in the current landscape of the SEC and the sport: Nick Saban and the Alabama Cirmson Tide.

On Tuesday, Alabama football was able to flip Georgia commit Peyton Woodyard, a 4-star safety from St. Johns Bosco in California, and get the talented defensive back on his way to Tuscaloosa for his college football career.

Woodyard announced his flip and new commitment on his social media account.

Alabama football recruiting: Nick Saban flips 4-star Peyton Woodyard from Georgia

Woodyard was complimentary of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs staff but, speaking with Greg Biggins of 247Sports, spoke of Saban’s history and close work done with Alabama football defensive backs.

“Coach Saban was personally involved in my recruitment and we talk all the time,” Woodyard said. “He’s not just a great coach but a great man and someone I’m very excited to play for.”

He also noted the high draft pedigree of guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Landon Collins, and others as other reasons for why he, the No. 6 safety in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and No. 81 overall recruit, rescinded his January commitment to the Dawgs in order to attend Alabama.

As for Georgia, fresh off of two straight national championships, they still have the top-ranked class in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Alabama sits at No. 5 in the early rankings. However, the Dawgs do have some questions at safety in the class with Woodyard flipping and missing out on 5-star KJ Bolden over the weekend, who committed to Florida State.

That leaves the Dawgs with, ostensibly, no safety commits as they plan to use 4-star Demello Jones at cornerback when he arries in Athens. That undoubtedly becomes something to monitor, especially with the success that Smart and his staff have had developing and recruiting safeties in their rise to power in the college football world.

Their loss, again, is Alabama’s gain, though. Now, Woodyard will pair with 2023 5-star Caleb Downs, a player who may be a starter right away for the Crimson Tide, to potentially form one of the best safety duos in the country starting next season.