New York 6-foot-7 TE tells why he canceled all other official visits after committing to Alabama

Liverpool, N.Y. — Oakley Keegan’s recruitment ended the moment he stepped off Alabama’s campus. Less than a month after the 6-foot-7 tight end accepted the Crimson Tide’s summer offer, the 2027 prospect quietly canceled every remaining official visit, locking his calendar onto Tuscaloosa and nowhere else.

“I always wanted to play in the SEC,” Keegan said in an interview with Touchdown Alabama. “Getting closer down to family — we have family that lives in Georgia — and the discipline that they have, the coaching staff … the connection I have with them already has just been incredible.”

Keegan, who attends Liverpool High School in central New York, collected offers from Syracuse, Vanderbilt and several other programs before Alabama entered the picture. The Tide extended the scholarship after an offseason camp in which Keegan believes he delivered the best performance of his circuit tour.

“We went to a bunch of camps, and I think throughout all these camps I got progressively better,” he said. “Alabama, I think that was the best camp I’ve had. Coach Owens went over my film and he loved it.”

An injury cost Keegan much of the 2025 season, but Alabama’s staff maintained steady contact throughout his rehab — a gesture that resonated with the prospect and his family.

“They were super supportive,” Keegan said. “That meant a lot.”

On the field, Keegan sees himself as a classic every-down tight end. “I enjoy running out for routes and getting in the pass game as well and run game as well,” he said. “I’m willing to work my tail off to help out the team.”

That versatility aligns with Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s 2025 scheme, which featured multiple tight ends in a variety of personnel groupings. Keegan said he has already studied the usage and plans to sit down with coach Owens during A-Day on April 11, his lone official visit, to discuss how the role will evolve by the time he arrives.

For now, Keegan is content to shut the door on the rest of his suitors. No more visits, no more what-ifs — just Alabama.

“I love Alabama,” he said. “I think it’s the right choice.”