Matt, I'll save you the time this morning. You don't have to jump over to the AJC to see their "butthurt" reactions/tone to this report.
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Tyren Jones, who is ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect at RB by some, committed to Alabama on Tuesday night.
The 5-foot-8, 192-pound junior from Walton High School picked Alabama over UGA and Clemson.
It was yet another huge recruiting victory for Alabama in the state of Georgia. The Crimson Tide only offered Jones a football scholarship last Saturday at Alabama’s “Junior Day” — three days ago.
Nick Saban is off to another blistering start with raiding elite Georgia talent for 2013 (AP)
“Yes, it was a quick turnaround,” Walton coach
Rocky Hidalgo told the the AJC. “I don’t think he went over to Junior Day with the idea that if they offered, he was going to commit. He just went there and was really impressed. They’re the national champions, man. It is what it is. It’s a great opportunity for Tyren. You go to Alabama and play in front of some of the most passionate fans in the country, and you potentially have the chance to play for national championships during your 4-5 years there. He’s a great kid and going to do really well there.”
Nick Saban won over Tyren and his family last Saturday during the unofficial visit. Saban led Alabama to a mythical national championship in the recruiting rankings with his 2012 class, which was largely made up of elite talent raided from the state of Georgia.
“He was very impressed with the Junior Day visit,” said Derrik Allen, Tyren’s AAU track coach. “Alabama laid out what they liked about him. They told him about the academic programs, and the support for the athletes. He just felt like in his heart, Alabama was the place for him.”
Why did Jones commit on Tuesday? “He felt like he just wanted to go ahead and end the process,” Allen said. “It was getting crazy. He found a program for him, and he wanted to calm down the recruiting craziness.”
Saban is considered unequaled with his ability to evaluate high school talent. What did Saban like about Jones? “Saban really liked that he’s a dynamic playmaker,” Hidalgo said. “[Saban] not only likes his ability to run the ball, but to run with power and have breakaway speed. All of those things, along with his ability to block and catch the ball as a wide receiver. He’s an exceptional wide receiver. And I think that was the thing that really set him apart from everybody else … he can do so many things offensively.”
This past season as a junior, Jones led Walton to an appearance in the Class AAAAA state championship, rushing for 2,375 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Click here to watch’s Tyren’s highlight film
RB Tyren Jones committed to Alabama over UGA and Clemson only THREE DAYS after being offered by the Crimson Tide (AJC)
For the second year in a row, Saban is off to a dominating start with raiding the state of Georgia for elite prospects. Grayson DE
Robert Nkemdiche is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect for 2013. There are
never-ending rumors that Nkemdiche is “secretly committed” to Alabama (as recently as this week), but he denies it. However, Nkemdiche, who often wears Alabama gear to school, has the Crimson Tide in his Top 5.
Meanwhile, the state’s consensus No. 2-ranked player, Troup LB
Reuben Foster, committed to Alabama over UGA last summer. Jones is a candidate to be the state’s No. 1 prospect at RB, along with North Cobb’s
Quentin James, Elbert County’s
Tyshon Dye and Norcross High’s
Alvin Kamara (who got
105 letters in one day from Saban last week). Saban also has his eyes on perhaps the state’s No. 1 prospect at QB, Camden County’s
Brice Ramsey, who
committed to UGA last summer but was recently offered by Alabama. Ramsey plans to make an unofficial visit to Alabama in the near future.
