Alabama lands No. 5 CB Taylor after Michigan flip
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Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Alabama completed the flip of four-star Michigan pledge Ivan Taylor on Monday night, sealing a key defensive commitment in the closing stages of the 2025 cycle.
Taylor, a 6-foot, 175-pound defensive back from Winter Garden, Florida, is ESPN’s No. 5 cornerback in the 2025 class and No. 50 in the 2025 ESPN 300. He lands with the Crimson Tide as the sixth-ranked member of Kalen DeBoer’s inaugural class, which now includes pledges from three ESPN 300 cornerback prospects.
Taylor became the second-ranked member of Michigan’s 2025 class when he flipped his pledge to the Wolverines from Notre Dame in July. However, Taylor remained in touch with Alabama through the fall, including a visit to the Crimson Tide on Sept. 28, and he now stands as the 14th top-300 pledge in the nation’s top-ranked class.
“Happy to announce my commitment to the University of Alabama,” Taylor wrote in a social media post Monday night. “I’m blessed for the opportunity, and I look forward to playing for Coach DeBoer and his staff. Roll tide!”
With his pledge, Taylor joins four-star defenders Dijon Lee Jr. (No. 32 in the ESPN 300) and Chuck McDonald III as the third top-15 cornerback commit in Alabama’s incoming class.
His commitment comes in the wake of a week of recruiting losses that saw the Crimson Tide lose ESPN 300 pledges from wide receiver Caleb Cunningham (Ole Miss flip), running back Anthony Rogers (uncommitted) and linebacker Dawson Merritt (Nebraska flip).
Alabama visits Oklahoma in Week 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
