TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's early June recruiting spree continued Saturday as four-star cornerback Chuck McDonald announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide. The Santa Ana, Calif., native is the No. 9 cornerback and No. 76 overall player in the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
McDonald, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect, took his official visit to Alabama the weekend of May 31-June 2 and made such an impression that he committed to visit ahead of a planned visit to Georgia this weekend and trips to Oregon and USC later this month. He was the second player to commit on that weekend's official visit, joining four-star quarterback Kieron Russell, showing the importance of hosting as soon as possible and the work the new coaching staff is doing in their first official visit cycle.
McDonald's commitment continues a strong recruiting pipeline at Mater Dei High School, a top-ranked high school in the state of Alabama. McDonald's teammate, linebacker Abdual Sanders Jr., is already a member of the 2025 class, and current team members cornerbacks Domani Jackson and Xavien Brown are alumni, as is former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
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What does McDonald's bring to the table for Tide?
McDonald is a versatile, polished player who has experience playing against some of the best high school teams in the country for Alabama. He began his career as a sophomore at Mater Dei High School in 2022, recording 28 tackles, six pass breakups, one forced fumble and two blocked punts. In 2023, he improved on those numbers with 34 tackles, seven pass breakups and one interception.
He's a two-sport athlete who helped the Mater Dei track and field team win state championships as a sprinter in the 100 and 200. That speed also translates to the football field, where McDonald can play outside cornerback or in the slot, and in the middle of the field against taller receivers and shorter, more agile opponents.
Going deeper
Alabama acquires top 50 QB Kieron Russell from SMU
Alabama signed a stellar defensive back class of five players in 2024, including three five-star prospects, Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe and Zay Mincey. Through the transfer portal, the Tide added Jackson, Keyon Sabu, Da'Shawn Jones, Kameron Howard and King Mac. Now, position coaches Maurice Linguist and Collin Hitchler have added a highly-touted prospect in 2025 to continue rebuilding depth at a position that was hit hardest by offseason attrition. McDonald is the second defensive back addition in the class, joining four-star Zimmer Smith.
Alabama currently has 12 players on its Class of 2025 roster, five of whom are ranked inside the top 100 nationally. Prior to his planned enrollment, the class was ranked No. 8 in the nation, according to 247Sports.
(Photo: Tim Heitman/USA Today)
