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Recruiting - BONE: Monday 10 recruiting thoughts | BamaInsider.com
1. The bye week has come and gone. Alabama went full blitzkrieg on Friday visiting most of its top targets throughout the country. Each assistant coach was on the road. Where was Nick Saban? He was in Tuscaloosa (I assume) studying film. Probably watching tape on LSU. Also watching plenty of high school film on several top players and future targets. Coach Saban hasn't been on a 'season' visit in several years. He also does not go to high school games. Why? Well one of the only times he went to one the key target went elsewhere. Who was it? Jameis Winston. Coach Saban likes to do his visits in December and January.
It really is crazy to look back at all the top players Alabama went to see on Friday. Several were seen at their high school during the day. Others only saw the coaches on the sideline on Friday night. One particular target Alabama saw in action on Friday night is one of the Tide's top commitments.
Antonio Alfano, Rivals100 defensive tackle from Colonia High School in New Jersey, put on a show Friday night in front of Alabama WRs coach, Josh Gattis. Gattis was originally set to attend another game, but was only able to see Alfano. The stat line- 6 sacks, seven tackles for loss, seven tackles, four quarterback hurries and nine pancakes. Yes, the competition was pretty bad, but that's ridiculous regardless of who he was going up against.
I understand the frustration by Alabama fans/subscribers who would like to see Alfano move to a five-star. I agree with you a lot of times on the rankings. I think some players do get overlooked. Sometimes forgotten (Brandon Turnage for example). I do think the guys have a pretty good track record. I appreciate Adam Friedman coming on the board last night to go in-detail as to why Alfano isn't ranked a five-star just yet. Rankings also haven't been updated since the start of the season.
In the grand scheme of things, rankings really don't matter until about 3-4 years down the road. So we can all complain about the three-star who should have been a five-star or a five-star who should have been a two. Someone is really upset about how bad the rankings were when the player was in the top 100? Doesn't make much sense to me.
I'd like to see Alfano moved to a five-star based on all the film I've seen and coaches I've talked to about him as a player. It seems his ranking was based on some off-the-field issues which seem to have been corrected. He is a mid-year player which means he will receive a jump start to his career in Tuscaloosa. Obviously, that's huge for someone many believe will become an instant contributor for Alabama.
There is a method behind the rankings. In a perfect world, it would be nice not to see the guts get trashed because you don't approve or because a player's ranking is better somewhere else. I do look forward to the next round of rankings. We can all complain, but in all seriousness we won't know how accurate it is for a few years.
2. Alabama saw its top remaining offensive line targets on Friday- Darnell Wright, Evan Neal and Clay Webb. Brent Key spent time with Wright around lunch on Friday. The word is the visit went very well. Wright, along with his mother, are tentatively planning to attend the Iron Bowl as an unofficial visit. The official visit will happen in January. A lot depends on his team’s playoff hopes if he can make the trip to Tuscaloosa for the game. Coach Key flew back to Alabama to spend the afternoon with Webb. Coach Key spent time with Webb along with his mom. A decision will happen a little sooner for Webb as he will sign in December. Coach Key also went to Webb’s game against Gardendale on Friday night. His recruitment remains very intriguing as he really isn’t tipping his hand in any direction. I’ve heard one day he is all Alabama, and the next day it will not come as a surprise if he ends up at Hawaii (figure of speech). Just very unpredictable.
Coach Locksley traveled to IMG Academy early Friday morning to spend time with Neal (along with a few others-Trey Sanders, Nolan Smith). Neal, much like Webb and Wright, is also very tight-lipped. I believe Alabama is in the driver’s seat. IMG Academy plays at Hoover on Friday night. The question asked most often: Will Alabama take all three? It’s a much more loaded question than you think. If all decided today to give Alabama a call and say they are ready to commit there probably isn’t an issue. Neal and Webb are expected to announce in December. There is a chance Neal could decide before then. So we will at least know the destinations for both before January. Will you see both on the Alabama commitment board?
Wright is definitely a high-priority target, but he plans on waiting to announce until February. Forget about the other OL in the class. Think of other positions. It is not in the hands of Brent Key to make the decision. The choice is only by Nick Saban if they will take another OL instead of another DT, LB, etc..if Alabama has Neal and Webb on board. Or what if they strike out on key targets at other positions? What if Amari Kight gives serious consideration to another school (I highly doubt he goes elsewhere), but there are a lot of what ifs.
Kind of like last year. Alabama signs who they can in December. Then the recruiting board and final numbers get organized for the final run in January up until the first Wednesday in February. A lot of people think they know what’s going to happen. A lot of people are “guessing”. Alabama doesn’t know how its going to shake out. Yes, they feel good about where things stand, but at the same time there is a sliver of doubt. There is uncertainty. These players also don’t know. If you think Webb is a private commitment- you are wrong. I know a lot want me to give my prediction. I’m not going to change it 10 times between now and December. It’s a toss up as to what a lot of recruits will do especially Webb IMO. This is where things stand at the moment.
3. Wandale Robinson will announce his college decision on Thursday. I know he has become a fan favorite on this board and for good reason. Alabama QBs coach Dan Enos went to see him play on Friday night after visiting Tide commitment Tanner Bowles. Robinson put on another spectacular show. I said a few days ago that Alabama will probably take Robinson if he wants to commit even though he does not have a definite position at the next level. Alabama isn’t recruiting him as a receiver. Just as an athlete. I believe the fact other schools are pushing very hard for him vs. Alabama who will just ‘accept’ a commitment will help another school land his signature. I can’t answer for sure where he will commit on Thursday, but I feel pretty strong that it is not Alabama.
4. Marcus Banks, three-star cornerback from Dekaney High School in Spring, Texas, recently de-comitted from LSU. Banks has taken official visits this season to Alabama and Texas A&M. He is also expected to return to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl. Banks announced on Monday January 5 at the All-American Bowl. Will a spot still be available? Banks has a spot right now. However, pressure will certainly be applied on a few others between now and early January.
Noa Pola-Gates and Jeffery Carter are expected to attend the Iron Bowl. So Alabama will have at least three of its top DB targets on campus for the game. Alabama also hopes it can have Jordan Battle and Akeem Dent in town. The Crimson Tide hopes to add at least one more DB to the class. Very possible we might see two.
Alabama is in the driver's seat for Pola-Gates. It will not surprise me at all if he goes ahead with a decision during his official visit instead of waiting until mid-January to announce at the Polynesian Bowl. Honestly, it would not surprise me to see Alabama add Pola-Gates along with Banks or Carter. Battle is certainly interesting given how the Crimson Tide have a commitment from one of his teammates, his plans to visit and of course the rocky year going on at Ohio State.
I know there has been a lot of speculation about a possible flip from Dent to Alabama. I've said for a while I think we are still a ways away from that happening. He is not above the other guys mentioned on the recruiting board. So lets see what happens. The Iron Bowl is certainly shaping up to be a very intriguing weekend on the recruiting front.
5. I've been saying for several months there is so much uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball. It’s best to just see how it all plays out. Braylen Ingraham was an addition many probably didn't think was going to happen until recently. Alabama remains in the hunt for a lot of defensive players, and the spots are starting to get tight. Alabama saw several key defensive targets on Friday.
Jeff Banks went to see Kayvon Thibodeaux. I haven't really heard much about the conversation between the two. We are still working on it. However, Alabama remains in the hunt for him despite some thinking Oregon is in the driver's seat. Did anyone see the egg the Ducks laid against Arizona? Yikes. Coach Banks also went to the Mater Dei game. Bru McCoy is a five-star athlete who has been on the Tide's radar for a while. I know there has been some discussion regarding his future position. Alabama is strictly looking at him on the defensive side. Zero interest in him playing offense (at least for Alabama). McCoy plans on taking an official visit to Alabama, but I highly doubt he is part of this class.
Alabama also went to see top targets Henry To'oto'o and Khris Bogle (I'll talk about a few more defenders below). I've said for a little while Alabama is in good shape with To'oto'o. Tosh Lupoi saw him on Friday. Huge to get the DC and ace recruiter back to De La Salle (where he was also an All-Star performer). Still up in the air when To'oto'o will visit. It may have to be after the season. Joe Pannunzio went to see Khris Bogle. Alabama is very high on the elite edge rusher. They will gladly accept him or Thibodeaux. May see Bogle in Tuscaloosa for an official visit for the Mississippi State game.
6. Recruiting in Mississippi has always been difficult for one reason or another. Alabama has been able to land a few very good players, but not many. Alabama has a pair of commitments from Mississippi- Brandon Turnage and Byron Young. It is also recruiting a few other elite prospects- Nakobe Dean, Nathan Pickering, etc…. Alabama is battling to hold on to Turnage (lives a few miles away from Ole Miss). I expect him to stick. Alabama wouldn’t mind flipping Pickering. A tall task, but he is going to take an official visit. Coach Golding attended Dean’s game on Friday night. Dean has already taken his official visit to Alabama. So Alabama is having to tackle that obstacle. Another obstacle Alabama is facing is rumor and hearsay.
This is Alabama’s DL class-: Antonio Alfano, Justin Eboigbe, Byron Young, Braylen Ingraham and DJ Dale
This what Alabama’s DL class looks like to outsiders: Alfano, Eboigbe, Young, Ingraham, Dale, Kevin Harris, Rashad Cheney
I believe most are aware Cheney will not be a part of this class. Not removed from the commitment list until he actually says he is no longer committed.
Kevin Harris is recruited by Alabama more as an outside linebacker/edge rusher. He is not an Alabama defensive lineman.
So Alabama really only has five DL commitments (as we all know).
D-Line was also Alabama’s biggest position of need. There has been a major drop off in the last two recruiting cycles as most Alabama fans are fully aware. Five defensive linemen was pretty much a must. Then there was talk about possibly taking six and now even seven.
I had an analyst ask me last week if Alabama was going to drop Byron Young. This came shortly after Ingraham announced his commitment to Alabama. Apparently the rumor is going around in the state of Mississippi. The rumor definitely didn’t originate in Tuscaloosa because it’s 100-percent false. Alabama sent Coach Golding and Coach Kuligowski to Young’s school on Friday to make him fully aware how important he is to this class. There isn’t a single DL in the class who Alabama wants to drop or let them end up elsewhere. Alabama is battling like crazy to hang on to Young and Eboigbe. I imagine Alabama will have to still hold off Miami in the end for Ingraham. They won’t go away. I’m not too concerned with Alfano or Dale. Both very solid.
So is this a situation that can backfire on other programs? Tell a recruit Alabama is going to drop him/make him think he’s not good enough? I gave a story last week about how Daron Payne was told by a few other SEC schools he would not see the field at Alabama until at least his junior season. That’s why he should go to their school(s) instead. He took the motivation. Stuck with his commitment and was an All-American and first round draft pick.
7. D-Line is certainly getting interesting because of the numbers. I reached out to a few people after Ingraham committed last week to see exactly who still has a spot if they want to commit. Ishmael Sopsher definitely has a spot. Bama vs. LSU. Game won’t end until February. Nathan Pickering has a spot. Difficult flip from Mississippi State. He will likely return to Tuscaloosa a few more times before completely shutting down his recruitment. Jaquaze Sorrells still has an opportunity to commit. Alabama remains very high on him. Will the numbers cause him to become a little hesitant? Still looks like a Bama-South Carolina battle. Ty Robinson is also high on Bama’s board. He is expected to take an official visit for the Iron Bowl.
I know some are still predicting Siaki Ika to join the class. Maybe he has Alabama as his leader. He is expected to visit for the Iron Bowl. Some think he is visiting to commit. I don’t expect that to happen. We’ve mentioned players like DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M commitment) and Bill Norton (Georgia commitment). Those players are not flipping. So will Alabama add two more DL? It’s possible. The big names to know- Sopsher, Pickering, Sorrells, Robinson. Alabama is also working to hang on to its current commitments.
8. Alabama saw one of its top defensive back targets on Friday- Noa Pola-Gates. Make no mistake- Pola-Gates remains a very highly regarded target by Alabama. Alabama DBs coach Karl Scott had the opportunity to see Pola-Gates play against another Tide target, Ty Robinson, on Friday night. Pola-Gates had a tremendous performance which included a 65-yard touchdown reception and an interception. I did not catch Robinson’s stats on the night. Pola-Gatess is set for his official visit to Alabama for the Iron Bowl. I know he wants to wait to announce his decision at the Polynesian Bowl in January. Maybe he will go ahead and decide during his visit. I think there is some pressure on making a decision just based on the overall numbers and Alabama still at the top of his list.
"I loved having him there," Pola-Gates said of Coach Scott watching him play on Friday night. "I wish we would have been able to spend time together, but it's cool since my official visit is in a few weeks. I am so excited about the visit. I am so comfortable there."
Yes, I still very much like Alabama's chances here.
9. John Emery, Rivals100 running back from Destrehan High School in Louisiana, announced his de-commitment from Georgia last week. Remember that time Georgia was getting every player it wanted and leaving everyone else behind? It has certainly lost some of its top recruits in the last month. No, I don’t know the exact reasoning for a few top players jumping ship. Alabama sure would like to capitalize on a few Dawg commitments-Nolan Smith (don’t expect that to happen).
Is Emery a possible option for Alabama? He is definitely high on the recruiting board and has been for a long time. He didn’t really give Alabama much consideration when he originally committed to UGA. Alabama did not stop recruiting him after his commitment. He mentioned Alabama as one of the few schools he will visit. I definitely think the odds strongly favor LSU. I think everyone does. The fact he is going to visit Alabama may finally put a little pressure on Trey Sanders. Sanders keeps playing the waiting game. Alabama is certainly ready for him to jump on board, but it also doesn’t want to be left without a power runner in this class. We’ll see Deondrick Glass come in for an official visit next weekend. Jerrion Ealy may also take an official visit. I believe everyone expects Sanders to eventually jump on board, but Alabama will have a very tough time turning down Emery. He has always been a very wanted recruit by the Tide. He’ll visit, but that’s about it.
10. “Is Alabama in danger of losing Taulia Tagovailoa?” It’s weird how often I hear this question. Not just from Alabama fans, but from people in the Birmingham community. Seems a hot ‘rumor’ and has been for a while. LSU coach Ed Orgeron was in attendance for the Thompson vs. Hewitt-Trussville game. Thompson won 63-49 behind an epic come from behind performance by Taulia.
The hit topic: Taulia wants to go somewhere and start as a true freshman and create his own legacy. In case you missed it- Georgia extended an offer to Taulia last week. Yes, we all look at it as a 'waste of time'. 'No way he will visit especially the school who his brother beat in the national championship game.' Keep in mind former Georgia Bulldog, Jake Ganus, is an assistant coach at Thompson. Maybe Georgia asked him if Taulia will consider if offered. Maybe…. I know I probably would if I was coaching at Georgia.
The Tagovailoas are a very close family. It’s very hard to imagine Taulia going elsewhere especially with Tua having at least another season in Tuscaloosa. I don’t think anyone expects Tua to stay all four years. Some already project him as the No. 1 draft pick in 2020, but what if he decided to return for his senior season? There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ we can throw out there, but not going to say things people hope never happen. I do think Taulia would have gone elsewhere if Jalen was the starter bc Tua probably would have transferred. So it’s tough for anyone to get him to flip, but at the same time he is still talking to other programs. He still plans on taking official visits. It’s something you can’t just ignore because he is Tua’s younger brother. You also have the Paul Tyson factor. Do I think Taulia flips? No. Will he actually give a few other schools a serious look? Probably- especially some of these programs who are telling him he will start from day one. Still a long way to go, but can you imagine if Tua wins the Heisman and Taulia wins Mr. Football in Alabama? Both are in the driver’s seat.
1. The bye week has come and gone. Alabama went full blitzkrieg on Friday visiting most of its top targets throughout the country. Each assistant coach was on the road. Where was Nick Saban? He was in Tuscaloosa (I assume) studying film. Probably watching tape on LSU. Also watching plenty of high school film on several top players and future targets. Coach Saban hasn't been on a 'season' visit in several years. He also does not go to high school games. Why? Well one of the only times he went to one the key target went elsewhere. Who was it? Jameis Winston. Coach Saban likes to do his visits in December and January.
It really is crazy to look back at all the top players Alabama went to see on Friday. Several were seen at their high school during the day. Others only saw the coaches on the sideline on Friday night. One particular target Alabama saw in action on Friday night is one of the Tide's top commitments.
Antonio Alfano, Rivals100 defensive tackle from Colonia High School in New Jersey, put on a show Friday night in front of Alabama WRs coach, Josh Gattis. Gattis was originally set to attend another game, but was only able to see Alfano. The stat line- 6 sacks, seven tackles for loss, seven tackles, four quarterback hurries and nine pancakes. Yes, the competition was pretty bad, but that's ridiculous regardless of who he was going up against.
I understand the frustration by Alabama fans/subscribers who would like to see Alfano move to a five-star. I agree with you a lot of times on the rankings. I think some players do get overlooked. Sometimes forgotten (Brandon Turnage for example). I do think the guys have a pretty good track record. I appreciate Adam Friedman coming on the board last night to go in-detail as to why Alfano isn't ranked a five-star just yet. Rankings also haven't been updated since the start of the season.
In the grand scheme of things, rankings really don't matter until about 3-4 years down the road. So we can all complain about the three-star who should have been a five-star or a five-star who should have been a two. Someone is really upset about how bad the rankings were when the player was in the top 100? Doesn't make much sense to me.
I'd like to see Alfano moved to a five-star based on all the film I've seen and coaches I've talked to about him as a player. It seems his ranking was based on some off-the-field issues which seem to have been corrected. He is a mid-year player which means he will receive a jump start to his career in Tuscaloosa. Obviously, that's huge for someone many believe will become an instant contributor for Alabama.
There is a method behind the rankings. In a perfect world, it would be nice not to see the guts get trashed because you don't approve or because a player's ranking is better somewhere else. I do look forward to the next round of rankings. We can all complain, but in all seriousness we won't know how accurate it is for a few years.
2. Alabama saw its top remaining offensive line targets on Friday- Darnell Wright, Evan Neal and Clay Webb. Brent Key spent time with Wright around lunch on Friday. The word is the visit went very well. Wright, along with his mother, are tentatively planning to attend the Iron Bowl as an unofficial visit. The official visit will happen in January. A lot depends on his team’s playoff hopes if he can make the trip to Tuscaloosa for the game. Coach Key flew back to Alabama to spend the afternoon with Webb. Coach Key spent time with Webb along with his mom. A decision will happen a little sooner for Webb as he will sign in December. Coach Key also went to Webb’s game against Gardendale on Friday night. His recruitment remains very intriguing as he really isn’t tipping his hand in any direction. I’ve heard one day he is all Alabama, and the next day it will not come as a surprise if he ends up at Hawaii (figure of speech). Just very unpredictable.
Coach Locksley traveled to IMG Academy early Friday morning to spend time with Neal (along with a few others-Trey Sanders, Nolan Smith). Neal, much like Webb and Wright, is also very tight-lipped. I believe Alabama is in the driver’s seat. IMG Academy plays at Hoover on Friday night. The question asked most often: Will Alabama take all three? It’s a much more loaded question than you think. If all decided today to give Alabama a call and say they are ready to commit there probably isn’t an issue. Neal and Webb are expected to announce in December. There is a chance Neal could decide before then. So we will at least know the destinations for both before January. Will you see both on the Alabama commitment board?
Wright is definitely a high-priority target, but he plans on waiting to announce until February. Forget about the other OL in the class. Think of other positions. It is not in the hands of Brent Key to make the decision. The choice is only by Nick Saban if they will take another OL instead of another DT, LB, etc..if Alabama has Neal and Webb on board. Or what if they strike out on key targets at other positions? What if Amari Kight gives serious consideration to another school (I highly doubt he goes elsewhere), but there are a lot of what ifs.
Kind of like last year. Alabama signs who they can in December. Then the recruiting board and final numbers get organized for the final run in January up until the first Wednesday in February. A lot of people think they know what’s going to happen. A lot of people are “guessing”. Alabama doesn’t know how its going to shake out. Yes, they feel good about where things stand, but at the same time there is a sliver of doubt. There is uncertainty. These players also don’t know. If you think Webb is a private commitment- you are wrong. I know a lot want me to give my prediction. I’m not going to change it 10 times between now and December. It’s a toss up as to what a lot of recruits will do especially Webb IMO. This is where things stand at the moment.
3. Wandale Robinson will announce his college decision on Thursday. I know he has become a fan favorite on this board and for good reason. Alabama QBs coach Dan Enos went to see him play on Friday night after visiting Tide commitment Tanner Bowles. Robinson put on another spectacular show. I said a few days ago that Alabama will probably take Robinson if he wants to commit even though he does not have a definite position at the next level. Alabama isn’t recruiting him as a receiver. Just as an athlete. I believe the fact other schools are pushing very hard for him vs. Alabama who will just ‘accept’ a commitment will help another school land his signature. I can’t answer for sure where he will commit on Thursday, but I feel pretty strong that it is not Alabama.
4. Marcus Banks, three-star cornerback from Dekaney High School in Spring, Texas, recently de-comitted from LSU. Banks has taken official visits this season to Alabama and Texas A&M. He is also expected to return to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl. Banks announced on Monday January 5 at the All-American Bowl. Will a spot still be available? Banks has a spot right now. However, pressure will certainly be applied on a few others between now and early January.
Noa Pola-Gates and Jeffery Carter are expected to attend the Iron Bowl. So Alabama will have at least three of its top DB targets on campus for the game. Alabama also hopes it can have Jordan Battle and Akeem Dent in town. The Crimson Tide hopes to add at least one more DB to the class. Very possible we might see two.
Alabama is in the driver's seat for Pola-Gates. It will not surprise me at all if he goes ahead with a decision during his official visit instead of waiting until mid-January to announce at the Polynesian Bowl. Honestly, it would not surprise me to see Alabama add Pola-Gates along with Banks or Carter. Battle is certainly interesting given how the Crimson Tide have a commitment from one of his teammates, his plans to visit and of course the rocky year going on at Ohio State.
I know there has been a lot of speculation about a possible flip from Dent to Alabama. I've said for a while I think we are still a ways away from that happening. He is not above the other guys mentioned on the recruiting board. So lets see what happens. The Iron Bowl is certainly shaping up to be a very intriguing weekend on the recruiting front.
5. I've been saying for several months there is so much uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball. It’s best to just see how it all plays out. Braylen Ingraham was an addition many probably didn't think was going to happen until recently. Alabama remains in the hunt for a lot of defensive players, and the spots are starting to get tight. Alabama saw several key defensive targets on Friday.
Jeff Banks went to see Kayvon Thibodeaux. I haven't really heard much about the conversation between the two. We are still working on it. However, Alabama remains in the hunt for him despite some thinking Oregon is in the driver's seat. Did anyone see the egg the Ducks laid against Arizona? Yikes. Coach Banks also went to the Mater Dei game. Bru McCoy is a five-star athlete who has been on the Tide's radar for a while. I know there has been some discussion regarding his future position. Alabama is strictly looking at him on the defensive side. Zero interest in him playing offense (at least for Alabama). McCoy plans on taking an official visit to Alabama, but I highly doubt he is part of this class.
Alabama also went to see top targets Henry To'oto'o and Khris Bogle (I'll talk about a few more defenders below). I've said for a little while Alabama is in good shape with To'oto'o. Tosh Lupoi saw him on Friday. Huge to get the DC and ace recruiter back to De La Salle (where he was also an All-Star performer). Still up in the air when To'oto'o will visit. It may have to be after the season. Joe Pannunzio went to see Khris Bogle. Alabama is very high on the elite edge rusher. They will gladly accept him or Thibodeaux. May see Bogle in Tuscaloosa for an official visit for the Mississippi State game.
6. Recruiting in Mississippi has always been difficult for one reason or another. Alabama has been able to land a few very good players, but not many. Alabama has a pair of commitments from Mississippi- Brandon Turnage and Byron Young. It is also recruiting a few other elite prospects- Nakobe Dean, Nathan Pickering, etc…. Alabama is battling to hold on to Turnage (lives a few miles away from Ole Miss). I expect him to stick. Alabama wouldn’t mind flipping Pickering. A tall task, but he is going to take an official visit. Coach Golding attended Dean’s game on Friday night. Dean has already taken his official visit to Alabama. So Alabama is having to tackle that obstacle. Another obstacle Alabama is facing is rumor and hearsay.
This is Alabama’s DL class-: Antonio Alfano, Justin Eboigbe, Byron Young, Braylen Ingraham and DJ Dale
This what Alabama’s DL class looks like to outsiders: Alfano, Eboigbe, Young, Ingraham, Dale, Kevin Harris, Rashad Cheney
I believe most are aware Cheney will not be a part of this class. Not removed from the commitment list until he actually says he is no longer committed.
Kevin Harris is recruited by Alabama more as an outside linebacker/edge rusher. He is not an Alabama defensive lineman.
So Alabama really only has five DL commitments (as we all know).
D-Line was also Alabama’s biggest position of need. There has been a major drop off in the last two recruiting cycles as most Alabama fans are fully aware. Five defensive linemen was pretty much a must. Then there was talk about possibly taking six and now even seven.
I had an analyst ask me last week if Alabama was going to drop Byron Young. This came shortly after Ingraham announced his commitment to Alabama. Apparently the rumor is going around in the state of Mississippi. The rumor definitely didn’t originate in Tuscaloosa because it’s 100-percent false. Alabama sent Coach Golding and Coach Kuligowski to Young’s school on Friday to make him fully aware how important he is to this class. There isn’t a single DL in the class who Alabama wants to drop or let them end up elsewhere. Alabama is battling like crazy to hang on to Young and Eboigbe. I imagine Alabama will have to still hold off Miami in the end for Ingraham. They won’t go away. I’m not too concerned with Alfano or Dale. Both very solid.
So is this a situation that can backfire on other programs? Tell a recruit Alabama is going to drop him/make him think he’s not good enough? I gave a story last week about how Daron Payne was told by a few other SEC schools he would not see the field at Alabama until at least his junior season. That’s why he should go to their school(s) instead. He took the motivation. Stuck with his commitment and was an All-American and first round draft pick.
7. D-Line is certainly getting interesting because of the numbers. I reached out to a few people after Ingraham committed last week to see exactly who still has a spot if they want to commit. Ishmael Sopsher definitely has a spot. Bama vs. LSU. Game won’t end until February. Nathan Pickering has a spot. Difficult flip from Mississippi State. He will likely return to Tuscaloosa a few more times before completely shutting down his recruitment. Jaquaze Sorrells still has an opportunity to commit. Alabama remains very high on him. Will the numbers cause him to become a little hesitant? Still looks like a Bama-South Carolina battle. Ty Robinson is also high on Bama’s board. He is expected to take an official visit for the Iron Bowl.
I know some are still predicting Siaki Ika to join the class. Maybe he has Alabama as his leader. He is expected to visit for the Iron Bowl. Some think he is visiting to commit. I don’t expect that to happen. We’ve mentioned players like DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M commitment) and Bill Norton (Georgia commitment). Those players are not flipping. So will Alabama add two more DL? It’s possible. The big names to know- Sopsher, Pickering, Sorrells, Robinson. Alabama is also working to hang on to its current commitments.
8. Alabama saw one of its top defensive back targets on Friday- Noa Pola-Gates. Make no mistake- Pola-Gates remains a very highly regarded target by Alabama. Alabama DBs coach Karl Scott had the opportunity to see Pola-Gates play against another Tide target, Ty Robinson, on Friday night. Pola-Gates had a tremendous performance which included a 65-yard touchdown reception and an interception. I did not catch Robinson’s stats on the night. Pola-Gatess is set for his official visit to Alabama for the Iron Bowl. I know he wants to wait to announce his decision at the Polynesian Bowl in January. Maybe he will go ahead and decide during his visit. I think there is some pressure on making a decision just based on the overall numbers and Alabama still at the top of his list.
"I loved having him there," Pola-Gates said of Coach Scott watching him play on Friday night. "I wish we would have been able to spend time together, but it's cool since my official visit is in a few weeks. I am so excited about the visit. I am so comfortable there."
Yes, I still very much like Alabama's chances here.
9. John Emery, Rivals100 running back from Destrehan High School in Louisiana, announced his de-commitment from Georgia last week. Remember that time Georgia was getting every player it wanted and leaving everyone else behind? It has certainly lost some of its top recruits in the last month. No, I don’t know the exact reasoning for a few top players jumping ship. Alabama sure would like to capitalize on a few Dawg commitments-Nolan Smith (don’t expect that to happen).
Is Emery a possible option for Alabama? He is definitely high on the recruiting board and has been for a long time. He didn’t really give Alabama much consideration when he originally committed to UGA. Alabama did not stop recruiting him after his commitment. He mentioned Alabama as one of the few schools he will visit. I definitely think the odds strongly favor LSU. I think everyone does. The fact he is going to visit Alabama may finally put a little pressure on Trey Sanders. Sanders keeps playing the waiting game. Alabama is certainly ready for him to jump on board, but it also doesn’t want to be left without a power runner in this class. We’ll see Deondrick Glass come in for an official visit next weekend. Jerrion Ealy may also take an official visit. I believe everyone expects Sanders to eventually jump on board, but Alabama will have a very tough time turning down Emery. He has always been a very wanted recruit by the Tide. He’ll visit, but that’s about it.
10. “Is Alabama in danger of losing Taulia Tagovailoa?” It’s weird how often I hear this question. Not just from Alabama fans, but from people in the Birmingham community. Seems a hot ‘rumor’ and has been for a while. LSU coach Ed Orgeron was in attendance for the Thompson vs. Hewitt-Trussville game. Thompson won 63-49 behind an epic come from behind performance by Taulia.
The hit topic: Taulia wants to go somewhere and start as a true freshman and create his own legacy. In case you missed it- Georgia extended an offer to Taulia last week. Yes, we all look at it as a 'waste of time'. 'No way he will visit especially the school who his brother beat in the national championship game.' Keep in mind former Georgia Bulldog, Jake Ganus, is an assistant coach at Thompson. Maybe Georgia asked him if Taulia will consider if offered. Maybe…. I know I probably would if I was coaching at Georgia.
The Tagovailoas are a very close family. It’s very hard to imagine Taulia going elsewhere especially with Tua having at least another season in Tuscaloosa. I don’t think anyone expects Tua to stay all four years. Some already project him as the No. 1 draft pick in 2020, but what if he decided to return for his senior season? There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ we can throw out there, but not going to say things people hope never happen. I do think Taulia would have gone elsewhere if Jalen was the starter bc Tua probably would have transferred. So it’s tough for anyone to get him to flip, but at the same time he is still talking to other programs. He still plans on taking official visits. It’s something you can’t just ignore because he is Tua’s younger brother. You also have the Paul Tyson factor. Do I think Taulia flips? No. Will he actually give a few other schools a serious look? Probably- especially some of these programs who are telling him he will start from day one. Still a long way to go, but can you imagine if Tua wins the Heisman and Taulia wins Mr. Football in Alabama? Both are in the driver’s seat.
