Alabama football made a splash on the recruiting trail Monday night as Top50 athlete Drew Sanders flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to Alabama following an official visit to Tuscaloosa.

The visit marked Sanders' second trip to Tuscaloosa this month after touring campus on an unofficial visit earlier in April. On top of the trips to the Capstone, Sanders used official visits to both LSU and Oklahoma.

The 6-foot-5, 222-pounder from Denton (Texas) Ryan is recruited as an outside linebacker by the Tide. Defensive backs coach Karl Scott led the charge on the dynamic prospect.

Sanders is rated the No. 3 athlete and the No. 36 overall player in the country, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite Rankings. He had been committed to the Sooners since 2017.

Sanders is commitment No. 16 for Alabama, vaulting the Tide back atop the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings, after a few days away from pole position.

Here is 247Sports' eval on the new UA commit:

Big-framed jumbo athlete who could play high-major football on either side of the line of scrimmage in multiple spots. Owns outstanding height and frame length with a ton of space to add bulk. Physical profile fits edge defender and tight end. Playing experience at QB, tight end, receiver, and multiple spots on defense. Possesses size and athleticism to play traditional in-line tight end or a predominantly flex role. Shows good body control as a receiver. Adjusts well to the ball when needed. Encouraging consistency as a hands catcher. Owns a large catch radius. Motor runs high and physical style suggests high ceiling as a blocker. Will face adjustment to playing one position full-time after multiple roles in high school. Honing route-running precision and overall technique as a receiver will be keys in college. Great frame but must fill it out with proper bulk and strength. Can improve pad level and leverage consistency. Should become an impact Power 5 starter with the potential to reach an early-round NFL Draft projection.

This isn't the first time the Tide has dipped into the state of Texas and flipped an elite prospect. Last December, Alabama flipped Top100 defensive back Jeffery Carter -- a one-time Sooners pledge -- from Texas A&M. Bama also landed four-star cornerback Marcus Banks from the Lone Star State in the 2019 cycle, and while it wasn't an outright flip, Banks had spent time as an LSU commit before reopening his recruitment in October, ultimately opting for Alabama in the Early Signing Period.

The Tide is currently duking it out with LSU and Clemson as to who claims the top spot in the recruiting rankings, all three of which have spent times atop the standing in recent weeks.

Stay tuned to BamaOnLine for more details on this breaking story.