| RECRUIT 2023 Recruiting Class

[BamaMD]

This class is shaping up nicely and spots are filling up fast! So, who do you guys think we close with by December signing day? I've included my wish list! So, who do you have on your list?

Kelby Collins - SDE
James Smith - DT
Edric Hill - DT
Jalen Hale - WR
Keon Keeley - WDE
Cormani McClain - CB
Suntarine Perkins - LB or Jaquavious Russaw - WDE
Raymond Pulido - OT

 

[TerryP]

This is how I see this list shaking out this morning ...

Kelby Collins - SDE

Saturday announcement, Florida.

James Smith - DT ... or Jaquavious Russaw - WDE

These two are likely a package deal; inseparable on and off the field. It's a "who the hell knows" with both...they're playing this really close to the vest. If we heard a commitment today I doubt it would be Bama.

Edric Hill - DT
Raymond Pulido - OT

Bama.

Jalen Hale - WR

He was one of the invitees to the Champions Cookout—a high priority target. He's named his top three (TX, UGA, and UA) and Texas is the school considered his favorite. Folks in Texas are worried about Bama making a strong push here.

Keon Keeley - WDE

Another "Cookout" guy and like Hale here we have Notre Dame worried about Bama's push—good possibility we'll see a flip to the Tide.

Cormani McClain - CB

Travaris Robinson. While McClain is still uncommitted you have to love Bama's chances with T-Rob as his primary.

Suntarine Perkins - LB

Like Keeley, another player where there's a good possibility to see a flip to Bama. I don't know how long but I do know he's been committed to Ole Miss a long time. On the same note I've been hearing for a long time to watch for a flip.

 

[bama alum]

@TerryP everything I've seen leads me to think you're 100% on these picks.

 

[BamaFan334]

This class is shaping up nicely and spots are filling up fast! So, who do you guys think we close with by December signing day? I've included my wish list! So, who do you have on your list?

Kelby Collins - SDE
James Smith - DT
Edric Hill - DT
Jalen Hale - WR
Keon Keeley - WDE
Cormani McClain - CB
Suntarine Perkins - LB or Jaquavious Russaw - WDE
Raymond Pulido - OT

Cormani and Keon are the two I have wanted for a while. They were my big gets in this class to go along with Richard Young. I wasn't sure we had what it took to snake Caleb Downs and Justice Haynes a year ago, but they were definitely guys I wanted too. Hoping we can snag McClain and flip Keeley. Would be nice.

 

[Davestwin]

This is how I see this list shaking out this morning ...


Saturday announcement, Florida.



These two are likely a package deal; inseparable on and off the field. It's a "who the hell knows" with both...they're playing this really close to the vest. If we heard a commitment today I doubt it would be Bama.



Bama.



He was one of the invitees to the Champions Cookout—a high priority target. He's named his top three (TX, UGA, and UA) and Texas is the school considered his favorite. Folks in Texas are worried about Bama making a strong push here.



Another "Cookout" guy and like Hale here we have Notre Dame worried about Bama's push—good possibility we'll see a flip to the Tide.



Travaris Robinson. While McClain is still uncommitted you have to love Bama's chances with T-Rob as his primary.



Like Keeley, another player where there's a good possibility to see a flip to Bama. I don't know how long but I do know he's been committed to Ole Miss a long time. On the same note I've been hearing for a long time to watch for a flip.

If Bama misses out on both Collins and Smith that would be a shame. I don’t ever recall a high school class in Alabama having this many elite players. In fact, I bet there wouldn’t be many consecutive two year classes that would compare. If Bama signed the top 24 players in the state they’d have one of the highest scoring 247 composite classes they’ve ever signed. Remarkable. Again, what a shame if Clemson, Florida and Georgia get as much or more of this talent laden group as the Tide. The top 11 players in the state are in the top 100 composite with 7 of them ranked as 5 Stars … and there’s a very good chance Bama only signs 3 of them! I can already see/hear the “Saban didn’t really want them” mantra from a number of my fellow Tide fans but that’s simply not universally true. He wouldn’t have offered them scholarships if he didn’t want them. Now, to me a real head scratcher is the fact they didn’t pursue the QB, Vizzina, out of Birmingham. I’ve been hearing a lot a great things about him on sports talk radio and I’ve read great things about him on several online sites. Vizzina and Formby aside, this is a great defensive class as 9 of the top 11 play on that side of the ball and 6 of them are 5 stars! Of course, Bama will end up with a top rated class but I’m old school and I believe you should dominate recruiting in your home state first. Plus the fact, it would have been so much fun slamming the cow patty u tigger fans with it for a year or so! Do any of you remember how much fun we had with tigger fans after Bama signed 9 of the top 10 players in the 2009 class? And that class wasn’t even close to being as highly ranked as this class is. I would have had the tigger fans in my office twitching uncontrollably at the mention of recruiting if Bama could have signed 9 out of 10 of this year’s class!

 

[Justneedme81]

Few things to point out... If Collins commits to Florida, it's not over. His heart is with bama, but he's wanting to go to Florida because of NIL deal. We won't stop pursing Peter Wood.. It's long way until December.

Smith/Russaw- They visited Georgia already, so I think if Bama can get the last visit with them, We're in good shape.

Name to watch out for Rubuen Bain, Jordan Renaud, and Hobbs.

Then we have this: Per Tim Watts, McVay has had a friendship with James Smith from camps and Collins has been in communication the last couple of days with Bama.

 

[TerryP]

If Bama misses out on both Collins and Smith that would be a shame.

Asking "how did that happen" is a legitimate question. I'm sure it's one Saban has already wondered about.

What's odd is how well Roach is doing on the recruiting trail and as their primary recruiter he has missed (so far) on both.

Now, to me a real head scratcher is the fact they didn’t pursue the QB, Vizzina, out of Birmingham.

Holstein and Lonergan are both higher on Alabama's board than Vinzzina. Both showed more to the staff in camps than they saw from Vizzina (who didn't attend any Bama camps.) At best, he was fourth on the list—if that.

Vinzzina looks to have all the tools to be a good P5 QB: he'd be a good addition to any roster.

 

[crimson_cabil]

Maybe it had nothing to do with recruitment. You're asking kids to look at a situation logically like adults versus emotionally like kids.

 

[SoCalPatrick]

Maybe it had nothing to do with recruitment.

What do you mean?

 

[UAgrad93]

While a commit from Collins to UF be disappointing to us as fans, maybe the staff doesn’t view him quite as high on their board as those handing out the stars. I’ve read that the staff likes Hill more than Collins, because Collins seems to be “stiffer” in his hips and doesn’t change direction as well. I’d love to have all of the highly ranked “instate” kids, but sometimes, they just want to blaze their on trail.

 

[Davestwin]

While a commit from Collins to UF be disappointing to us as fans, maybe the staff doesn’t view him quite as high on their board as those handing out the stars. I’ve read that the staff likes Hill more than Collins, because Collins seems to be “stiffer” in his hips and doesn’t change direction as well. I’d love to have all of the highly ranked “instate” kids, but sometimes, they just want to blaze their on trail.

It’s official with Collins … and I understand about kids wanting to blaze their own trail. My point is it’s extremely rare for the state to have this many elite players … and it’s never happened in the recruiter ranking era. To have Bama only get 1/3 or possibly a bit less of the top 11 players who all are in the top 100 composite is a shame to me. And anyone who thinks this development doesn’t bother Saban is deluding themselves. Homesickness is a big issue with a number of kids coming out of high school and instate guys eliminate that issue. I hear people say all the time that Saban doesn’t look at a player’s ratings and I absolutely believe that but recruiting sites are getting better at evaluating players every year. And for Bama to consistently end up with either the top class or a top five class at worst, means they must agree on a lot of their evaluations.

 

[TerryP]

@Davestwin at the same time Alabama has three of the top five out of Georgia. LSU may retain four of their top ten in state.

I don't disagree with questioning how they've missed. I'm sure Saban has.

However, this isn't something happening in the state of Alabama alone. We're seeing moves like these across the board.

 

[mando]

I stopped following recruiting at the micro level when it was obvious Saban is always going to get the best talent in Tuscalloosa. So I really did not know much other than this years class in state was reportably a really strong class. I just assumed Saban would bring most of them to T-Town. No idea why that is not happening but there has to be a story here. If these guys are elite you know Saban wanted them in T-Town. Would love to know the real story.

 

[Justneedme81]

Asking "how did that happen" is a legitimate question. I'm sure it's one Saban has already wondered about.

What's odd is how well Roach is doing on the recruiting trail and as their primary recruiter he has missed (so far) on both.



Holstein and Lonergan are both higher on Alabama's board than Vinzzina. Both showed more to the staff in camps than they saw from Vizzina (who didn't attend any Bama camps.) At best, he was fourth on the list—if that.

Vinzzina looks to have all the tools to be a good P5 QB: he'd be a good addition to any roster.

Is Charles Kelly his main recuiter? Lot of people have put that on Roach, when really it wasn't him. I would think going forward, I think they put Roach on Wood/Collins for rest of the fall, and I think we get 1 flips out of both.

 

[BamaMD]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the information and dialogue. I get the feeling Smith and Russaw are extreme priorities at this point. I would love to see more interest in Matayo Uiagalelei at SDE especially after missing on Collins. I believe we could sell him on being a two way player and he would be a huge asset on short yardage situations and goal line formations. Plus, his dad really respects Saban and seems to like the culture at BAMA. Couple that with Keeley and Hill and we would be in excellent shape along the defensive front for this class.

 

[BamaFan334]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the information and dialogue. I get the feeling Smith and Russaw are extreme priorities at this point. I would love to see more interest in Matayo Uiagalelei at SDE especially after missing on Collins. I believe we could sell him on being a two way player and he would be a huge asset on short yardage situations and goal line formations. Plus, his dad really respects Saban and seems to like the culture at BAMA. Couple that with Keeley and Hill and we would be in excellent shape along the defensive front for this class.

I haven't been as sold on Matayo due to his injuries and inability to play. I believe this year he'll finally be able to show if he's developed. He's a big ole boy and clearly comes from a football family, so those are positives. I haven't seen as much smoke coming from him about Alabama in a good while though.

 

[Justneedme81]

Supposedly huge news are supposed to drop for Bama this week on recruiting. Sounds like Keely news.... not sure.

 

[BamaFan334]

Supposedly huge news are supposed to drop for Bama this week on recruiting. Sounds like Keely news.... not sure.

I had no clue we were making a run at Malachi Nelson.

 

[Justneedme81]

I knew we were going after him but I thought we were only taking 2 qbs..

 

[bama alum]

Richard Young is doing his best Pete Golding here. I hope Young is referring to Keeley.