📝 December Recruiting- 15 in, three committed, with roughly 8 spots left

Something else I'd like to mention is the grades issue with Anoma and Barmore. Bone swears it's really bad, but he, along with some others are blowing this way out of proportion. From my source on staff, Alabama has laid out plans for both to follow be qualify academically. I fully expect both in the class of 2018.
 
I'm hearing that Quay Walker and Vernon Jackson are the only 2 that may not put their John Henry down during the early signing period. With the TE, Michael Parker, possibly taking a Blueshirt that is half of this year's recruits who are expected to sign during the early period. That leaves 11 recruits to woo in the next 6 weeks. Still, plenty of stress for the "rock star" part of recruiting coming up but this is why I love the early signing period.
 
I'm hearing that Quay Walker and Vernon Jackson are the only 2 that may not put their John Henry down during the early signing period. With the TE, Michael Parker, possibly taking a Blueshirt that is half of this year's recruits who are expected to sign during the early period. That leaves 11 recruits to woo in the next 6 weeks. Still, plenty of stress for the "rock star" part of recruiting coming up but this is why I love the early signing period.
Don't you mean Herbie Handcock?
 
I think the stigma of this being a bad year has made people overlook how good some of the players are. I see a class that should help Alabama continue its stretch of dominance. CNS spent much more time this year evaluating guys to make sure he got it right. Don't be surprised if we have very few misses and this group achieves much more than expected. You would never look at Clemson's previous classes and believe they'd be on the run they are. At the end of the day, it all comes down to development.
 
Also, please remember that most of the information that comes out comes from high school teenage boys, recruiting services who are trying to generate clicks and traffic. We don't know who the staff has truly recruited hard and who they have told to wait, who they are calling all the time and who they have put to the curb in favor of another.

A recruit knows to get more attention that if you put Alabama as one of your favorites and you have an offer of any sort that it will get them much more attention. From other schools, from the media and from the kids in their school. I know of several times where kids had our hat on the table with another school and didn't even have a committable offer from us. Then when they pick the other school they spin it as, this kid picked this school over Alabama.

My thing is we don't know what Saban has planned or who they truly covet so lets not say we are having a down year. The kids we are recruiting se this and it makes us look disappointed in them, like they aren't good enough. It also may prevent a better player from coming because they think we are backsliding some. Words have power, perception is important and we are for the most part just going off very flawed data to get the conversations going which is fine. Lets just not be critical and say this is a down class, that we are having a bad recruiting year, or that this guys is way down our recruiting board and that we missed on who we wanted... First of all because we don't really know and secondly because it's offensive and counterproductive to the guys we are recruiting.. aight
 
If we whiff on Brenton Cox we are going down swinging.



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Penei Sewell,
Rivals100 offensive tackle from Desert Hills High School in St. George, Utah, will announce his college decision next Wednesday. He will also sign his letter of intent. Alabama head coach Nick Saban, offensive line coach Brent Key and area recruiter Tosh Lupoi had an important in-home visit with Sewell and his family on Wednesday.
"I don't even know how to explain it," Sewell's father, Gabriel, said about Nick Saban visiting his son on Wednesday. "In our region in Utah (southern) it was like the President of the United States was coming in town. The cheerleaders put out a banner. I'm sure it was the last thing he wanted, but you are not going to keep it a secret that Coach Saban is coming in town.
"We loved the visit with Coach Saban, Coach Tosh (Lupoi) and Coach Key. It was a blessing and honor to have them in our home. I don't think years ago when I started helping kids get recruited I could have dreamed this big. To have this happen to my own kids has been great.
"We love Tosh. He's been here a few times. He is a great individual. We are very comfortable around Tosh. I think he (Penei) talks to Tosh more than he talks to me. Even around us he is just a great guy. My family loves Tosh.
"This was Coach Key's third time coming out here. He visited during the spring. He was here last week and again this week. It's another great relationship. Tosh has been more than Key, but we have spent a lot of time with him. He (Penei) really likes Coach Key as well."
Sewell is one of Alabama's top offensive targets. He participated in Alabama's camp in June and returned for an official visit in October. Nick Saban gave a final in-person recruiting pitch to Sewell and his family prior to his scheduled announcement on Wednesday.

"It's a proven track record," his father said. "The proof is in the pudding. That was the main message they were giving to him. Alabama is where you need to be if you want to do it at the highest level. You can become a better version of you on-and-off the field.
"They've done continually. They were really just reiterating and hitting home all the facts. There was no fluff. It was all just real talk."
The plan is for Sewell to sign his letter of intent on Wednesday. He will not enroll at the school of his choice until the summer. He has taken official visits to Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, USC and Utah.
"I think he is considering the five schools he visited," his father said. "I can sense with him it's probably two or three. He won't even let me know. National Signing Day is on Wednesday. He intends on signing then unless something turns it upside down.
"He could possible extend it until February. I don't see it happening though. I think he has an idea of where he wants to go, but I don't think he is 100-percent. His brothers will be home from college this weekend. He will talk to them. He talks to them more than me."
Gabriel Sewell was asked if distance from home will play a factor in his son's decision.
"I'm sure it plays a role," he said. "Two of my sons play in Reno. It's a seven hour drive from here. The first year they were homesick a little. You get a little homesick when you go away for the first time. You can then get into your groove and just keep going."
He shared some final thoughts on the Crimson Tide.
"First off, you have to be in awe of the all the hardware," Sewell said. "You look around and see the vast amount of resources not only in the football facility but in academics and after football. The network of alumni to help catapult your career. It's all right there and all real."

BamaInsider.com - Sewell family welcomes Saban and company in-home
 
THE STORYLINE
Eyabi Anoma
is still learning the intricacies of his position, but he’s a physical specimen and moved to five-star status in the latest rankings release because he has the potential to be special in the coming years.
But which school is going to land him?
The Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances standout has liked Alabama, Maryland and Michigan the most and the Crimson Tide have had success recruiting that part of the country.
Could Anoma be the next superstar from the Mid-Atlantic to head to Tuscaloosa? Is there a chance Maryland could convince him to stay home? Do Jim Harbaugh’s NFL ties help the Wolverines?

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24
NATIONAL
1
STATE
4
POSITION
EYABIANOMA
RANK
6.1
6'5" | 235 LBS | WDE
ST. FRANCES
BALTIMORE, MD
CLASS OF 2018
UNDECIDED
FIRST TAKE: ADAM FRIEDMAN, RIVALS.COM MID-ATLANTIC ANALYST
“Anoma is a special player with an attitude that makes him a terror on the field. His speed and explosiveness off the edge give offensive tackles fits and quarterbacks know he will be all over them almost instantly. Anoma’s hand techniques have improved but his motor and tireless pursuit of the ball have a huge impact on the game.
“Maryland was considered the leader early in Anoma’s recruitment but offers started flowing in, and Alabama and Michigan have emerged from a long list of offers as two top contenders. Anoma hasn’t officially ruled out any schools, but it seems like Alabama will land his commitment during the early signing period.” – Friedman
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“Alabama will get him. There is a lot of talk about how high he is on its list of pass rushers. Alabama has done a good job recruiting the state of Maryland when it really wanted a kid, and not only Maryland but the DMV area. There seems to be a lot of whispers that he’s going to end up at Alabama.
“He’s raw but he’s physically gifted. He’s the type of kid that a couple years from now is when we’re going to see his best football. We made him a five-star based on potential and his desire to be great. He’ll come after you, he will not stop. He’s relentless and he has the physical skills to be great. He just has to put it together with technique and coaching, and that’s what he’ll get at the college level.”

Rivals.com - Take Two: Who will land five-star Anoma?
 
When it comes to Waddle there's one thing I don't like: Fisher hiring Dameyune Craig. I can't help but think of his MO when it comes to recruiting--specifically how he "played" Winston's father. He was scheduled to announce next Wednesday but as of last night is delaying his announcement until "he felt comfortable with his choice."

I do like Bama's chances on signing Waddle based on the long relationship he's had with the staff. I also think it's a story worth watching.
 
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