When Valdosta High School head football coach Shelton Felton first saw Corey Howard, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound newcomer instantly caught his attention. Felton, a former outside linebackers coach at Tennessee, immediately saw potential — not as a finished player, but as a blank canvas ready to be shaped into something extraordinary.
That canvas has now found its collegiate home. On October 19, 2025, Howard — a three-star defensive end from Georgia in the class of 2026 — officially flipped his commitment from the University of Georgia to the University of Alabama, joining a recruiting class already overflowing with elite defensive line talent.
And it was that same “blank canvas” idea that became the heart of Alabama’s recruiting pitch — a promise to turn Howard’s raw ability into refined greatness.
> “Is he a finished product? Not at all,” Felton told The Tuscaloosa News. “But his best football is still ahead of him. He’s eager, teachable, and hungry to improve. When you get a kid who’s 6-6, 265 pounds and still growing — that’s something you can’t just find anywhere.”
Howard himself fully agrees with that assessment. He doesn’t see himself as a star yet, but as a developing player who’s determined to close the gap between potential and performance.
> “I know I’m not where I need to be yet,” Howard said. “But I truly believe I can get there if I keep putting in the work.”
A versatile, physical force for Alabama
The player Alabama is getting, according to Felton, is a strong, physical defender who thrives on contact. Howard is already a powerful run stopper, a developing pass rusher, and a multi-positional athlete who can line up at outside linebacker, defensive end, or even slide inside as a three-technique.
But that versatility wasn’t built overnight. When Howard arrived at Valdosta, he wasn’t yet the physical presence he is today. His transformation came under Felton’s guidance — and through an unexpected passion: basketball.
Felton often used basketball metaphors to teach Howard leverage and balance.
> “You fight pressure with pressure,” Felton said. “When you’re posting up and you feel the defender leaning one way, you drop-step the other way and finish strong. It’s the same in football — when you overpower an offensive lineman and take him down, that’s your version of a dunk. A bull rush is just a dunk on the field.”
Howard’s basketball instincts — his ability to move fluidly, run the floor, and finish inside — became crucial to his football development. Over two seasons and 17 games at Valdosta, Howard totaled 64 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, according to MaxPreps. That production quickly caught college recruiters’ attention.
He earned a Georgia offer in May 2025 and committed the following month. Yet only a few months later, Alabama came calling, and everything began to change.
Alabama’s pursuit: persistent and personal
It started with Courtney Morgan, Alabama’s general manager, who reached out to Howard daily. By late August, Alabama had officially extended an offer, and the coaching staff made sure Howard knew he was a top priority.
Howard soon visited Tuscaloosa, first for the Crimson Tide’s matchup with Louisiana-Monroe, and later for his official visit during Alabama’s 37–20 victory over Tennessee — a game that left a lasting impression.
> “They give you everything you need to become the best version of yourself,” Howard explained. “They put a big emphasis on developing young players. You only fail there if you stop taking it seriously. If you go in with focus, you succeed.”
Watching Alabama’s defensive linemen dominate Tennessee, Howard noticed something that struck a chord. He saw players who reminded him of himself — former under-the-radar recruits, not all five-star prodigies, yet thriving in one of college football’s most demanding systems.
> “Seeing guys like London Simmons — he was a three-star too — just showed me that I can play here as well,” Howard said. “A lot of those D-linemen weren’t the highest-ranked recruits, but they’re out there making plays. That made me realize I could do the same thing.”
Within a day of that realization, Howard made the leap. In front of head coach Kalen DeBoer and defensive line coach Freddie Roach, he announced his flip to Alabama, officially joining the Tide’s elite 2026 class.
> “It just changed my life,” Howard said with emotion.
A new chapter begins
Howard’s decision adds another major defensive piece to a recruiting class already ranked No. 3 nationally, featuring five five-star prospects. Yet, unlike some of those polished blue-chip recruits, Howard’s story is built on growth, determination, and the belief that his ceiling is sky-high.
For Felton, the transformation from a raw, lanky teenager to a 6-foot-6 defensive lineman bound for Alabama is both a coaching success story and a testament to Howard’s work ethic.
Felton has no doubts about what comes next.
> “Once he gets to Tuscaloosa, it’s business mode,” Felton said. “That’s when the real work begins. Alabama’s getting a kid who’s still growing, still learning — but who has everything you want in a future star. His best football is in front of him.”
Howard plans to enroll early in December, a move that will allow him to join Alabama’s offseason training program immediately and get a head start before spring practice. For a player still sharpening his technique and building his frame, that early arrival could be crucial.
And Felton knows exactly what Alabama’s coaches will see when Howard walks onto the practice field for the first time — the same traits that convinced him, years ago, that the kid from Georgia could become special.
> “When I look at him now,” Felton said, “I still see that blank canvas — just taller, stronger, and hungrier. He’s not done yet, and that’s what makes him so exciting. Alabama’s getting a 6-foot-6 athlete with his best football still ahead of him.”
From Valdosta to Tuscaloosa
Corey Howard’s journey is one defined by development over stardom. He didn’t enter the recruiting cycle with hype or headlines, but through consistent growth, athletic versatility, and relentless effort, he’s earned his place among the nation’s best.
In a program that values toughness, adaptability, and discipline, Howard appears to fit the Alabama mold perfectly — a player who embraces hard coaching, strives to improve daily, and believes in the power of patience and persistence.
His story isn’t about instant success; it’s about trusting the process. And as Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class continues to grow, Howard stands as a reminder that greatness often begins with a simple idea — a blank canvas waiting for the right team to bring the masterpiece to life.
