Just a day after reports emerged that five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington told Alabama they’d be “hard not to pick,” the Crimson Tide have officially been cut from his list of top schools. Now, the race for the elite California recruit is down to Oregon and Texas A&M.

Ranked among the top 10 prospects nationally, Arrington would’ve been a major boost for Kalen DeBoer’s defense. However, Alabama’s pitch—focused on early playing time and player development—didn’t quite hit the mark. Arrington recently said, “Alabama is one of my top schools because I believe I can get developed there and have a big role in the defense early. After this visit, I would say Alabama is one of the schools that is going to be hard not to pick.” But with young talents like Zabien Brown, Domani Jackson, Dijon Lee, and Chuck McDonald already on the roster, the path to immediate playing time may have seemed crowded. Though he appreciated Alabama’s strong California ties that made it “feel like home,” it ultimately wasn’t enough.

Texas A&M is currently projected as the frontrunner to land Arrington, with Oregon still in serious contention to keep him on the West Coast. “It’s the people at A&M,” Arrington told On3’s Chad Simmons. “They’ve been consistent since the beginning—recruiting me hard, building relationships, and staying steady throughout.”

Meanwhile, Justin Hopkins of Scoop Duck notes that the race isn’t over just yet. Still, this marks a significant recruiting loss for Alabama. After missing out on Justice Fitzpatrick as well, the Tide’s 2026 class remains strong overall, but the defensive backfield could use more top-tier talent to bridge the gap between the current group and future classes.