BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
The addition of Quinnen Williams toAlabama's 2016 recruiting class on Wednesday gave it another big and talented body across the defensive line.
Alabama has commitments from impact players here, and with the projected loss of several starters and rotation players from the 2015 team, the recruiting won't stop at this position.
So far, here's what Alabama has:
* Raekwon Davis (6-foot-7, 315 pounds), Meridian, Miss. - Davis quietly committed to Alabama last summer and his stock blew up this year and in the offseason, when he dominated the Louisiana regional and qualified for The Opening. He's still a 3-star on the 247Sports composite, but the 247Sports individual rankings have Davis as a 4-star. His profile will improve, but Alabama will have to hold off the likes of LSU and Mississippi State.
* Kendell Jones (6-foot-4, 351 pounds), Killeen, Texas - 'Hulk' committed to Alabama in late May. As the 65th-ranked prospect in the country, Jones is currently Alabama's No. 3 ranked high school commitment. Alabama has to hold off Texas, but has had good recruiting success in that state lately.
Here's Jones on the left with Davis at a recent Alabama prospect camp.
* Khalid Kareem (6-foot-4, 260), Farmington, Mi., - Kareem may have been a surprise commitment to Alabama last week, but the defensive end/JACK linebacker chose the Crimson Tide after two good visits to the school over home-state Michigan and Jim Harbaugh.
* Quinnen Williams (6-foot-4, 265), Birmingham - The Wenonah product is a 3-star on the composite, but a 4-star on the 247Sports individual rankings. He says he'll start out as an end after committing on Tuesday. His recruiting stock could rise going forward with a good season after all sites update their rankings.
And here are targets left on the board, with the thought that the Crimson Tide coaches will add more than one defensive lineman to the class and remembering that other prospects emerge late. On the 2015 team, Jarran Reed, Darren Lake and D.J. Pettway are seniors, while Jonathan Allen and A'Shawn Robinson could go pro a year early.
* Rashan Gary (6-foot-4, 311), Paramus, N.J. - The nation's No. 1 prospect in the 247Sports composite is being heavily pursued by Mario Cristobal and Alabama. He has visited Alabama in the past and will be back. The 247Sports crystal ball has Gary leaning to Alabama, though Michigan, Auburn and Ohio State loom large in the race for the defensive tackle.
* Rashard Lawrence (6-foot-3, 305), Monroe, La. - Also a 5-star like Gary, the defensive tackle went to Alabama's camp last month. The nation's No. 16-ranked prospect figures to be an LSU lean, but likes Alabama. The battle will likely come down to those two schools.
* Marlon Davidson (6-foot-4, 260), Greenville, Ala. - Davidson is considered an Auburn lean because of family ties, but Alabama is after the 5-star aggressively. Davidson profiles as an end.
* Xavier Kelly (6-foot-5, 255), Wichita, Kan. - A darkhorse here is Kelly, a four-star rated as the top prospect in Kansas. The athletic end has Alabama in his top eight and said he figures he will make a return trip to Tuscaloosa.
* Jeffery Simmons (6-foot-4, 262), Macon, Miss. - The 4-star end visited Alabama last month and this spring, but Alabama hasn't had much success with top Mississippi prospects. Could that change with Simmons (and Raekwon Davis?)
This is already a very good defensive line class and should get even better.
Continue reading...
Alabama has commitments from impact players here, and with the projected loss of several starters and rotation players from the 2015 team, the recruiting won't stop at this position.
So far, here's what Alabama has:
* Raekwon Davis (6-foot-7, 315 pounds), Meridian, Miss. - Davis quietly committed to Alabama last summer and his stock blew up this year and in the offseason, when he dominated the Louisiana regional and qualified for The Opening. He's still a 3-star on the 247Sports composite, but the 247Sports individual rankings have Davis as a 4-star. His profile will improve, but Alabama will have to hold off the likes of LSU and Mississippi State.
* Kendell Jones (6-foot-4, 351 pounds), Killeen, Texas - 'Hulk' committed to Alabama in late May. As the 65th-ranked prospect in the country, Jones is currently Alabama's No. 3 ranked high school commitment. Alabama has to hold off Texas, but has had good recruiting success in that state lately.
Here's Jones on the left with Davis at a recent Alabama prospect camp.
* Khalid Kareem (6-foot-4, 260), Farmington, Mi., - Kareem may have been a surprise commitment to Alabama last week, but the defensive end/JACK linebacker chose the Crimson Tide after two good visits to the school over home-state Michigan and Jim Harbaugh.
* Quinnen Williams (6-foot-4, 265), Birmingham - The Wenonah product is a 3-star on the composite, but a 4-star on the 247Sports individual rankings. He says he'll start out as an end after committing on Tuesday. His recruiting stock could rise going forward with a good season after all sites update their rankings.
And here are targets left on the board, with the thought that the Crimson Tide coaches will add more than one defensive lineman to the class and remembering that other prospects emerge late. On the 2015 team, Jarran Reed, Darren Lake and D.J. Pettway are seniors, while Jonathan Allen and A'Shawn Robinson could go pro a year early.
* Rashan Gary (6-foot-4, 311), Paramus, N.J. - The nation's No. 1 prospect in the 247Sports composite is being heavily pursued by Mario Cristobal and Alabama. He has visited Alabama in the past and will be back. The 247Sports crystal ball has Gary leaning to Alabama, though Michigan, Auburn and Ohio State loom large in the race for the defensive tackle.
* Rashard Lawrence (6-foot-3, 305), Monroe, La. - Also a 5-star like Gary, the defensive tackle went to Alabama's camp last month. The nation's No. 16-ranked prospect figures to be an LSU lean, but likes Alabama. The battle will likely come down to those two schools.
* Marlon Davidson (6-foot-4, 260), Greenville, Ala. - Davidson is considered an Auburn lean because of family ties, but Alabama is after the 5-star aggressively. Davidson profiles as an end.
* Xavier Kelly (6-foot-5, 255), Wichita, Kan. - A darkhorse here is Kelly, a four-star rated as the top prospect in Kansas. The athletic end has Alabama in his top eight and said he figures he will make a return trip to Tuscaloosa.
* Jeffery Simmons (6-foot-4, 262), Macon, Miss. - The 4-star end visited Alabama last month and this spring, but Alabama hasn't had much success with top Mississippi prospects. Could that change with Simmons (and Raekwon Davis?)
This is already a very good defensive line class and should get even better.
Continue reading...
