| RECRUIT Everything you need to know position-by-posiiton

Per Andrew Bone:
Recruiting - BONE: Insider Report | BamaInsider.com
Let me bring everyone up to speed....

I am going to give a run down at each position rather than it real choppy with comments about the cook-out, camps, official visitors. I'm just going to tell you everything you need to know position-by-posiiton.

QBs
-All is still good on this front regarding the two Bama commitments (Tagovailoa, Tyson). Both attended the Champions Cook-Out on Friday. Yes, Quad Brown (Calera HS) claimed an offer from Alabama last week. There isn’t much to think about here. Alabama has its two QB commitments. Alabama did not offer Brown. Does Brown possibly have a spot down the road if one of the QBs decides to go elsewhere? Maybe, but Alabama doesn’t expect for it to get to that point. Brown did do really well at camp. He met with Nick Saban, but does not have an offer.

RB
-Alabama is hoping to find the right mix at running back. The hope is still for two, but it’s possible Alabama only gets one. Trey Sanders remains a major target. His brother, Umstead Sanders, will enroll at Florida as a preferred walk-on. I know most assume Sanders will follow his brother. I’m not ruling out Alabama. There has been some positive buzz lately in Alabama’s favor, but it seems a lot of people are not sure what he will do. This is also coming from people who cover Florida. I’ll see Sanders in ATL this week at the Five-Star Challenge. I’ll provide more once I speak to him. Alabama remains very high on scat-back players like Keilan Robinson and Eric Gray. We will see some other guys visit in the fall like Deondrick Glass, Tyrion Davis, Jerrion Ealy, etc.

WR
-Alabama had several of its top WR targets on campus in the last month. Guys like Milton Wright, John Metchie, George Pickens,Jameson Williams just to name a few. Metchie is likely to jump on board very soon. Wright could also join this class. Alabama will continue to push for Pickens. He will take official visits. He has visited Alabama several times since his commitment to Auburn including the spring game and visit earlier this month. Williams visited for a few days last week prior to his official visit to Ohio State. The Buckeyes remain the favorite.

So where does Alabama go from here? I haven’t heard anything to indicate Alabama will take more than three receivers.Demaryion Houston is also a big target who will take an official visit in the fall. Wandale Robinson earned an offer from Alabama. There were Jaylen Waddle comparisons following his camp performance. Alabama has not decided if it will take two slot guys (Metchie is considered a slot). So Alabama may decide to wait a little while to see what happens with some of the bigger receivers like Wright, Pickens and Houston. However, I was told Methcie and Robinson were the two best performers at camp. It was those two....then everyone else. Jameson Williams can also still take an official visit to Alabama.

TE
-Alabama is the heavy favorite for Jahleel Billingsley. A decision is likely to happen within the next few weeks. The original plan was for two tight ends. Maybe it will happen. I don’t think Alabama will rush into adding another TE if Billingsley jumps on board, but can definitely consider/re-visit down the road. Garmon Randolph did really well at Alabama’s camp a few weeks ago.Cormontae Hamilton received an offer from Alabama last week. So there are definitely some options out there. Keon Zipperer is still in contention for a spot, but I don’t see him as a part of this class.

OL
-There isn’t much change here. Alabama has three OL commitments. No one is taking visits. At least not at this time. Clay Webbreturned for the cook-out last Friday. I know most are ready to see him jump on board, but he still wants to enjoy the process. He wants to take visits in the fall. Alabama is clearly in the driver’s seat, but it’s not going to cause them to look elsewhere because he is going to wait. Darnell Wright also remains a top priority target for the Tide. His plan for the summer was to take several trips in June. I expect he will make another trip to Alabama prior to the start of the season. Everything remains very positive on both sides. Alabama is keeping in touch with several other OL targets in case plans change. Kamaar Bell did really well at Alabama’s camp earlier this month. He is ready to commit to Alabama. Just does not have the green light.

DL
-I really like what Alabama is doing so far on the defensive front- Antonio Alfano, Justin Eboigbe and DJ Dale. I think all have a tremendous amount of upside. Alabama landed an elite DL in Alfano. One who can play inside or out. Eboigbe is raw, but has a ton of athleticism and speed off the edge. Dale is exactly who Alabama was looking for as a true nose tackle. He is very strong and in better shape from the looks of pictures from the cook-out.

So what happens next? Alabama has a fourth DL commitment in Rashad Cheney. Cheney did not attend the Champions Cook-Out. He was in Tuscaloosa for camp earlier in the week. I think we will begin to see him take visits in the fall.

Keep a very close eye on DeMarvin Leal. The Texas A&M commitment has high interest in Alabama. The Crimson Tide will not mind luring one away from the Aggies after losing Bobby Brown on signing day. There has been some strong rumblings in Alabama’s favor since his official visit. We’ll see what happens…

For the sake of it let’s just say Bama gets Leal on board and loses Cheney. It will give Alabama four DL commitments. The plan is five. Is six a possibility? Maybe, but you always have to factor in other positions. You want one less DB? One less OL? One less LB?

We saw a few DL jump off the board last week. Nathan Pickering committed to Mississippi State and Jaren Handy to Auburn. Both are likely to still take visits down the road. Alabama will likely host both again.

Ishmael Sospher remains a highly recruited target. I know some believe he ends up at Alabama. I’ll believe it when I see it. I still think LSU is the team to beat. Faatui Tuitele was in Tuscaloosa with his family this past weekend. It was his second trip from Honolulu to Tuscaloosa this year. I’ve heard a few mixed remarks regarding his work out, but he still seems likely to end up in this class.

So who are some other DL targets still available? Alabama is still trying to bring in guys like Ty Robinson and Etinosa Reuben for visits. They possibly will come in down the road. Stephon Wright received an offer from Alabama at camp a few weeks ago. Wright has family in Alabama. We will see him return for an official visit. Byron Young is still available. Alabama recently offered Cavon Butler and JuCo DL Jahkeem Green (South Carolina commitment)

LB
-Alabama has some very good options available at the linebacker position. Kayvon Thibodeaux and Nakobe Dean remain Alabama’s top two LB targets. Thibodeaux spent the weekend in Tuscaloosa. It was also his last visit before the summer dead period hit. Alabama wants to get Thibodeaux on board prior to the start of the season, but it’s unlikely to happen. He will likely take all of his visits in the fall before making a decision. Alabama is on the short list, and I believe in the driver’s seat. The same can be said for Dean. Alabama is going all out for Dean including using Dean Karr (Engineering) to help assist in the recruiting efforts. Dean took his official visit to Alabama two weeks ago. He then returned for 7-on-7 on Saturday. The worry from Alabama’s stand point is his remaining official visits including one to UGA (toughest competition) and LSU.

Christian Harris named his top four this week- Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M. Harris has been heavily recruited by Alabama for several months, but with three LB commitments to go along with Dean and Thidbodeaux still in play it may be tough for Alabama to accept another LB commitment at this time. Kane Patterson is also highly regarded by the Crimson Tide. Patterson was in Tuscaloosa for camp earlier this month and returned for the cook-out. There are options at the position. Khris Bogle and Kalen Deloach were also on campus this past weekend.

DB
-Alabama has three DB commitments. One of which I assumed would have decommitted by now. Brandon Turnage committed to Derrick Ansley. We saw the same thing happen with Brendan Gant. Gant re-opened his recruitment after A-Day. Turnage has visited Alabama a few times this summer and attended the cook-out. A year ago, we kind of expected Xavier Williams to fall out of the class. The more he visited the more the Tide liked him and held on to his commitment. Is this happening with Turnage? I believe he will still take visits. Alabama will take other DBs. Maybe he will decide he wants to go elsewhere that doesn’t have a big DB class. Maybe he will decide to stick. Let’s see how this plays out, but Turnage has a better chance of staying than originally thought.

Will Alabama add multiple DBs soon? Two of the Tide’s top targets were on campus this past weekend. Noa Pola-Gates and Jeffery Carter. Both recruited as cornerbacks by the Crimson Tide. It will surprise me if Pola-Gates goes elsewhere. He is probably on commitment watch. Jeffery Carter is high on Alabama. Still a long way to go especially with A&M pushing hard to land him. I know he had a great visit to Alabama this past weekend. I believe Carter will commit to Alabama. Tyrique Stevenson was also in Tuscaloosa this past weekend. Stevenson had a great visit. We will get a chance to see him later this week in Atlanta.

Alabama is the favorite for Dax Hill, IMO. We had a great interview with Hill last week after his official visit. The problem for Alabama is Hill is not announcing until down the road. He has yet to take any of his other visits. That’s the uphill battle Alabama will have to face moving forward. Other schools will still receive officials like Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan and Oklahoma State. Long way to go here, but Alabama is in a very strong position.

Alabama extended a few new offers this past weekend- DJ Daniel, a JuCo transfer, and DJ James, a Mississippi State commitment. It seems like both are back-up options for now. Alabama really likes both after putting each through a private work-out. The numbers are just extremely tight and things look really good for some other targets at this time.

I’m not really sure what Alabama will end up doing with Devonta Lee. Lee seems very high on Alabama, but what position does he play? Most believe he plays safety at the next level. I think Alabama will only take one more safety with hopes of Dax Hill. The heat could turn up on Lee down the road. Alabama is not looking at him as a receiver. Jaylen McCollough is another guy who has been considered an Alabama lean. Just not sure how things will work out numbers wise for him.

That's about all I have for today. I am in Atlanta tomorrow for the Rivals Five-Star Challenge media day. Plenty of stories and content ahead. Yes, I may have overlooked someone. So if you notice someone absent let me know. This all came straight off the top of my head.
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