Back to the NCAA Newsfeed

4-Star DE Khalid Kareem Opens Up on Why He's Leaving Michigan for Alabama

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Standing with an ear-to-ear grin, and flanked by a pair of satisfied parents, Farmington Hills Harrison senior-to-be Khalid Kareem just knew; it was a surprising move, but he knew that he had just made the correct choice.

Widely considered a Michigan lean throughout his recruiting process, the 6’4”, 260-pound, 4-star defensive end threw everyone for a loop Wednesday by committing to Alabama—and not Michigan—in front of friends, family, teammates and local media on the football field at Harrison High School.

For weeks, 247Sports’ Crystal Ball had given the Crimson Tide less than a 10 percent chance of landing Kareem, the No.