Alabama Football News

Illinois head coach names Alabama freshman tight end as the recruit who got away

by
Justin Smith
September 2, 2026

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was asked who was the recruit that got away by CBS Sports, and he answered with Alabama freshman, Mack Sutter.

Sutter is a freshman tight end at Alabama, and he is native of Dunlap, Illinois. The freshman is a former four-star, and he picked the Tide over the Fighting Illini and others.

After he named Sutter as the player who got away, Bielema was asked was it a story behind it, and the head coach said it was not.

“He went to Alabama, and I wanted him to go to Illinois,” Bielema said. “That’s it. I think he’s gonna be a really good player.”

Sutter is expected to be an impressive tight end for Alabama in the future. It is unclear how much he will play this fall as a freshman for the Crimson Tide with multiple older tight ends expected to lead Alabama’s tight end room this fall.

Justin Smith( Managing Editor, Director of Recruiting )

Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.

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