| RECRUIT Recruiting News: The Alabama class of 2017

The commitment

Daniel Wright, four-star safety from Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, announced his flip from FSU to Alabama on Thursday. This does not come as a major surprise given the indications on social media in the last few days. Alabama head coach Nick Saban along with Mario Cristobal and Derrick Ansley visited Wright and his family on Tuesday.

I was told on Monday to expect a flip (likely this week) from Wright as FSU had basically conceded him to Alabama. This is a major pickup. Alabama considers Wright one of the best overall safeties in the country. I've heard some of the staff members considered him the No.1 safety in this class.

Wright will enroll at Alabama in January.

The player

"Athletic kid. Fits the mold of what Bama likes with his versatility speed and ability to impact at numerous positions. They've done very well with players similar to Wright out of high school especially on defense, so I would expect a similar result."- Rivals.com National Recruiter Director Mike Farrell.

"He's long and athletic. Everyone thought he was going to be a corner before he hit a junior year growth spurt. He's as athletic as and safety of his size. Quiet and assuming off the field but likes to talk when he steps on."- Southeast Recruiting Analyst Rob Cassidy

The numbers

Things just keep getting better for the Crimson Tide especially on the defensive front. Wright is a major addition to the Tide's No.1 ranked class. Kyriq McDonald, four-star safety from James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama, is also a solid commitment.

I've said for the last few months to not expect Jhavonte Dean, four-star safety from Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, in this class. I still expect him to flip/decommit at some point. He is taking an official visit to Arizona State this weekend.

Alabama is still seeking to add another safety to the mix. Just one though. Nick Saban and Derrick Ansley are spending time in the Peach State today recruiting Xavier McKinney, Rivals100 safety from Roswell High School, and Deangelo Gibbs, four-star safety from Grayson High School in Loganville. Both are considered takes, and they are happy to get either one. Bama should have a better idea after today which one the best shot to land.

(As mentioned below- Alabama will see JaCoby Stevens on Friday. He remains a strong take for Alabama, but it remains a long shot. Even the staff knows that).

Don't worry about the numbers!

1 Andrew Bone, Today at 3:36 PM
Recruiting - What it means: Daniel Wright | TideSports.com
 
It's cherry picking season and one must assume the position of a cherry picker. The wave of EE is upon us and soon everything goes dark. We simply count our chickens when the lights come back on and we make our push for the home stretch in Feb. It's a game Bama plays better than most.
 
  • Robinson
  • Townsend
  • Shavers
  • Juedy
  • Harris
  • Fletcher
  • McDonald
  • Leatherwood
  • Moses
  • Tagovailoa
  • Brannon
  • Wright
  • Baker
  • Cowan

By my count, those are the EE's already committed. I'd have to sit back and think a bit but I'm wanting to say there's five, perhaps six guys who are "targeted" and are also EE's.

That's the most I can remember and by a large margin. I'm guessing our final count has to be around 30 recruits with all the attrition.
 
For anyone curious about the Recruiting Calendar.

Via NCAA: Recruiting NCAA member schools limit recruiting to certain periods during the year. Recruiting calendars promote the well-being of college-bound student-athletes and ensure fairness among schools by defining certain periods during the year in which recruiting may or may not occur in a particular sport.
  • During a contact period, a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.
  • During an evaluation period, a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.
  • During a quiet period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.
  • During a dead period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.

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Perfect 10 visit
Andrew Bone | Editor

Kyriq McDonald, four-star safety from James Clemens High School in Madison, Alabama, is ready to join the University of Alabama football team when he enrolls January 8. He took his one and only visit to Alabama this weekend.

"It was a great experience," McDonald said. "I really enjoyed it. My family had a good time. It was a 10-of-10. Every thing about the visit was great. It was a great time.

"I got there around 3:00 or 4:00 on Friday. We then went out to dinner and chilled after that. On Saturday, we just did regular visit stuff. We ate breakfast and lunch. We talked football with the coaches. We also had a little free time.

"My host was Nigel Knott. It was good to hang out with him. He is an old friend of mine. I grew up with him in the same neighborhood. He would come live with his dad in the summer in the same neighborhood. We used to hang out. He was just telling me to have a good mind-set and be ready to work.

"The best part of visit was going to Coach Saban's house. We went out to his lake house. We rode four wheelers. We played basketball and shot pool. We ate. All the food throughout the weekend was good."

McDonald received a bump to four-stars in the recent Rivals.com rankings update. Alabama believes in his abilities.

"I hung out with all of the coaches," he said. "I spent an equal amount of time with each one of them even Coach Saban. It was nice. Coach Saban was just asking if I was ready. He believes in me. He believes I can play. They want me to play star, safety and special teams."

Alabama has the No.1 ranked class in the country. McDonald is excited about joining his future teammates in Tuscaloosa. He hopes to add his teammate and Rivals100 defensive end, LaBryan Ray, to the class.

"Our class is full of grown men, savages," McDonald said. "That's all I can really say. This class is going to be special.

"I think the recruiting efforts in LaBryan are going good. I don't know where he is going. I think I have an idea. I am going to let him reveal on his own. I think we have a good shot."

McDonald has enjoyed watching the Crimson Tide play this fall. He hopes to see Alabama continue to roll in the college football playoff.

"Nothing, but Roll Tide!," he said. "That's really all you can say. When Alabama has won four of the last seven national championships it's just normal in Tuscaloosa. I feel confident going into the playoff. We need to go take care of business. We should be good."
TideSports.com - Perfect 10 visit
 
Was thinking last night about our RB situation... Have to expect someone to transfer out, or we may have a record #.

1. Harris (jr)
2. Scarbrough (jr)
3. Clark (jr)
4. Gore (jr)
5. Jacobs (soph)
6. Emmons (soph)
7. Najee Harris (freshman)
8. Brian Robinson (frehsman)
 
Was thinking last night about our RB situation... Have to expect someone to transfer out, or we may have a record #.

1. Harris (jr)
2. Scarbrough (jr)
3. Clark (jr)
4. Gore (jr)
5. Jacobs (soph)
6. Emmons (soph)
7. Najee Harris (freshman)
8. Brian Robinson (frehsman)

My thoughts too. Plus, I'm thinking we lose maybe 2 of our interior OL. We seem to have more than we need at that spot. So glad we are getting so many high quality OT prospects. Best OT class in recent memory.
 
Was thinking last night about our RB situation... Have to expect someone to transfer out, or we may have a record #.

1. Harris (jr)
2. Scarbrough (jr)
3. Clark (jr)
4. Gore (jr)
5. Jacobs (soph)
6. Emmons (soph)
7. Najee Harris (freshman)
8. Brian Robinson (frehsman)

Ronnie Clark is a kid that has really had some tough luck since he arrived on The Capstone. I want to say that he has either suffered a ruptured Achilles to the same leg or one to each leg. I could see him falling by the wayside and then Gore being a casualty/non-casualty. We would lose depth but not lose a scholarship if he were to leave. You would then have to think that Harris and/or Bo could possibly leave after next season for the NFL even without the HUGE numbers. The career expectancy for a RB in the NFL is 3-4 years tops, so you had better get in while you can.
 
My thoughts too. Plus, I'm thinking we lose maybe 2 of our interior OL. We seem to have more than we need at that spot. So glad we are getting so many high quality OT prospects. Best OT class in recent memory.
1. Harris (jr) 5 star former #1 RB 2015 (#8 national rivals recruit)
2. Scarbrough (jr) 5 star former #2 RB 2014 (#16 national rivals recruit) enrolled in Jan 2015, limited by injury and suspensions
3. Clark (R-jr) 4 star # 3 ATH 2014 (started as DB/S moved to RB, not seen a complete season due to injuries (both Achilles Tendons)
4. Gore (R-jr) NR 2014 invited walk-on from CC (missed Fr yr because of injury) most PT on Special Teams

5. Jacobs (soph) 3 star NR RB lightly recruited but a top performer and surprise great change of pace and tough runner
6. Emmons (soph) 4 star #1 RB 2016 (#33 national rivals recruit) lost to foot injury before 1st complete season (since aTm game 7)
7. Najee Harris (freshman) 5 star #1 RB 2017
8. Brian Robinson (freshman) 4 star #6 RB 2017 (Red Shirt or ST)?

Of these 8, I would think that Clark would be subject to transfer (esp if he can graduate soon) but most likely to a FCS or trier 3 school? since he has not really logged any PT and only if he can finish his practice time without injury
Also, if the backfield is crowded, this may mean that Gore would be last in the line up?
This could be like the Henry, Tenpenny, Jones, Kamara recruiting year??
 
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Maybe lose some dead weight at WR too to make room for Nico Collins. By my count we stand to lose half of our WRs after next season, so we need quality youth to step up after the mass exodus.
 
Ronnie Clark is a kid that has really had some tough luck since he arrived on The Capstone. I want to say that he has either suffered a ruptured Achilles to the same leg or one to each leg. I could see him falling by the wayside and then Gore being a casualty/non-casualty. We would lose depth but not lose a scholarship if he were to leave. You would then have to think that Harris and/or Bo could possibly leave after next season for the NFL even without the HUGE numbers. The career expectancy for a RB in the NFL is 3-4 years tops, so you had better get in while you can.

Yep, Clark has had terrible luck. I was disappointed when he got moved to RB because that was a long shot for him. Thought he could've made a great safety or even coverage LB.

I could see Emmons being a possible casualty. Aside from Clark IMO he's most likely to bounce. With the emergence of Jacobs (who's probably been our best back this season) and the Harris/Scarbrough combo, there doesn't appear to be many carries for him next season. Throw in the #1 RB in the nation and Robinson looks the part, someone is getting squeezed. Emmons was my fav back of the bunch, but it doesn't always work out.
 
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