Wes Baumhower was born in Tuscaloosa.
He's been watching Alabama play football since he was a child.
Now the Fairhope High senior - and AL.com Coastal Alabama Defensive Player of the Year - will follow in his father's footsteps and play for the Crimson Tide.
"It's just unbelievable," he said. "I'm on Cloud 9."
Wes is the son of former Alabama defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, a two-time All-SEC selection and five-time Pro Bowl selection for the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
Wes will be a preferred walk-on for the defending national champion Crimson Tide.
He turned down a scholarship offer from Delta State and heavy interest from other schools, including Samford and Florida Atlantic, for the chance to play at Alabama.
"Wes has really worked hard for two years," Bob Baumhower said. "This last year was just over the top for him. They (Alabama) contacted him out of the blue. They really made him feel good about things. He is doing this 100 percent for him and 100 percent on his own. I'm excited he's happy and doing something he wants to do."
Ironically, Bob Baumhower didn't encourage either of his sons, Wes or older brother Spencer, to play football at Alabama or to play at all.
"I'm more of a nervous Nellie type as a father so it would be fine with me if they did not play," he said. "Obviously, coach (Bear) Bryant and Alabama had a huge impact on my life. I know Wes will have a similar experience there.
"I tell people all the time that I'm the luckiest guy on the planet. All four of my children have done a really good job setting their sights on really high standards and going for it in a big way. It's definitely going to be fun watching Wes, and I knew he's worked his butt off to get there."
After playing his junior year at defensive end because of injuries to several key teammates, Wes Baumhower (6-1, 220) moved back to linebacker for Fairhope as a senior and excelled. He finished with 113 tackles, including a whopping 30 for a loss. He also had two sacks and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.
He was a first-team Class 7A All-State selection.
"His statistics were impressive, but what struck me was his ability to play at such a high level in his first year at the position," Fairhope coach Tim Carter said. "He and Brett Howell and Noah May were kind of the leaders over there. At Wes' position, the mike, you have to lead. He did that and he really studied the game."
Carter said Baumhower is the type of player who can make an impact for Alabama down the road.
"He's going to go up there and practice hard and give it 100 percent every day," Carter said. "He also may hit a late growth spurt. That has kind of happened in his family. He may get a couple of inches taller. He's also very instinctive. I think those things give him a chance to get on the field at some point."
The Baumhowers visited Alabama this past weekend, and Wes liked what he saw and heard from coach Nick Saban and others.
"I know what is ahead of me," he said. "I know coach Saban is a perfectionist. I have to go up there and work my butt off to make an impact. I need to go outwork everyone else or at least try my hardest to outwork them."