Dijon Lee commits to Alabama; Mission Viejo High School CB is California's No. 2 football recruit
The line of top California high school football recruits to make it big for the Alabama Crimson Tide is long, including Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Najee Harris, the school's all-time leading rusher.
Mission Viejo senior cornerback Dijon Lee hopes to be another.
California's No. 2 overall recruit from the Class of 2025 just announced Friday that he committed to Alabama over 21 others that made him offers, including Texas, Georgia, Texas A&M and Washington, all of which he made official visits.
He's the No. 40 overall recruit in the country, and the No. 4 cornerback, according to 247Sports.
The long, rangy and physical 6-foot-4, 190-pound four-star standout made it well known he loved everything about Tuscaloosa and will join a class that currently ranks No. 2 nationally just behind Ohio State. Lee is the Crimson Tide's 15th 4-star recruit to commit, joining the Crimson Tide's only 5-star recruit, linebacker Darrell Johnson of Dodge County (Eastman, Ga.).
Lee helped lead Mission Viejo to a CIF Division 1-AA football championship in 2023 with a unique skill set that could easily help him transition to safety in college.
A track and field athlete who used his long stride and leaping ability to long- and triple jump along with hurdle, Lee had 55 tackles last season in 16 games with two interceptions and 13 pass deflections.
According to Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, Lee is one of the longest corners in the country.
"He can smother an opposing receiver at the line of scrimmage and is very good in press coverage," Biggins wrote.
"He has good feet and change of direction for a tall corner and is rarely beaten over the top and can get in and out of his breaks and gets his hands on a lot of balls. Is physical in run support and isn’t afraid to get downhill and lay a big hit on a running back."
He's not just physical.
"He's a smart, heady player as well," Biggins wrote. "(He) understands the game and has the positional versatility to be an impact player at multiple spots in the secondary, which gives him even more value."
Besides Young, a Mater Dei (Santa Ana) graduate and the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, and Harris, of Antioch, the school's all-time leader rusher, other recent Californians to head to Alabama were Carlsbad 5-star quarterback Julian Sayin and Mater Dei cornerback Zabien Brown.
Sayin ultimately transferred to Ohio State after legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban retired in January and was replaced by Kalen DeBoer. The change at the top didn't sway Lee from his choice.
MITCH STEPHENS