BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Jalen Hurts won't be the highest-ranked recruit in Alabama's 2016 class, but he'll be the one talked about the most.
That's the life of a quarterback. Hurts, a four-star dual-threat passer from Channelview, Texas,announced his commitment to Alabama late Friday night after rumors of a pledge came Friday afternoon.
Hurts is one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He's competing at the Elite 11 semifinals in Los Angeles this weekend. He had offers from Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Kansas State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
But he's another player in the mold of what Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffinwants the most. He is Kiffin's second quarterback commitment at Alabama, joining five-star recruitBlake Barnett from last year. Kiffin turned dual-threat Blake Sims into a record-breaking passer his senior season despite Sims taking very limited snaps in his first three years.
The quarterbacks drawing the most rave reviews from spring - maybe mostly off potential - are the youngster Barnett and redshirt freshman David Cornwell, who can also take off and run as evidenced by 755 rushing yards as a high school junior.
Cornwell was recruited as a pro style passer while Barnett and Hurts were listed as dual-threats, but rest assured you'd better be an efficient runner if you're playing for Kiffin in this offense.
The other quarterbacks listed as prime Alabama targets were Columbus, Ga., standoutJawon Pass and Woody Barrett of Orlando. Barrett committed to Auburn earlier this week and many thought Pass would fall to Alabama before Hurts' commitment.
This reminds me of last summer, when Anaheim, Calif., dual-threat standout Travis Waller was getting all the attention before Barnett's name surfaced following his decommitment from Notre Dame and he committed to Alabama in June following a visit. Waller signed with Oregon and has since legally changed his name to Travis Jonsen.
Pass set a decision date for July 13, with Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia Tech as his finalists. That was before Alabama and Auburn got quarterback commitments. Maybe Alabama presses for a second quarterback signee if guys transfer, but it's looking initially like Pass will pledge elsewhere.
But get used to seeing Alabama sign quarterbacks like Barnett and Hurts.
Hurts' commitment gives Alabama 11 for the class of 2016. The Crimson Tide's classnow ranks No. 7 in the 247Sports composite rankings and it's poised to climb higher with 5-stars Ben Davis (linebacker, Gordo) and Lyndell Wilson (linebacker, Montgomery) among several targets with high ratings.
Hurts became the second player to choose Alabama on Friday, following junior college standout offensive tackle Charles Baldwin. Watch out for a third this weekend if O'Fallon, Ill., kicker Tucker McCann pulls the trigger while visiting Tuscaloosa. McCann, rated as the country's No. 6 kicker in the 247Sports composite, has an Alabama offer.
Continue reading...
That's the life of a quarterback. Hurts, a four-star dual-threat passer from Channelview, Texas,announced his commitment to Alabama late Friday night after rumors of a pledge came Friday afternoon.
Hurts is one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He's competing at the Elite 11 semifinals in Los Angeles this weekend. He had offers from Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Kansas State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
But he's another player in the mold of what Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffinwants the most. He is Kiffin's second quarterback commitment at Alabama, joining five-star recruitBlake Barnett from last year. Kiffin turned dual-threat Blake Sims into a record-breaking passer his senior season despite Sims taking very limited snaps in his first three years.
The quarterbacks drawing the most rave reviews from spring - maybe mostly off potential - are the youngster Barnett and redshirt freshman David Cornwell, who can also take off and run as evidenced by 755 rushing yards as a high school junior.
Cornwell was recruited as a pro style passer while Barnett and Hurts were listed as dual-threats, but rest assured you'd better be an efficient runner if you're playing for Kiffin in this offense.
The other quarterbacks listed as prime Alabama targets were Columbus, Ga., standoutJawon Pass and Woody Barrett of Orlando. Barrett committed to Auburn earlier this week and many thought Pass would fall to Alabama before Hurts' commitment.
This reminds me of last summer, when Anaheim, Calif., dual-threat standout Travis Waller was getting all the attention before Barnett's name surfaced following his decommitment from Notre Dame and he committed to Alabama in June following a visit. Waller signed with Oregon and has since legally changed his name to Travis Jonsen.
Pass set a decision date for July 13, with Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia Tech as his finalists. That was before Alabama and Auburn got quarterback commitments. Maybe Alabama presses for a second quarterback signee if guys transfer, but it's looking initially like Pass will pledge elsewhere.
But get used to seeing Alabama sign quarterbacks like Barnett and Hurts.
Hurts' commitment gives Alabama 11 for the class of 2016. The Crimson Tide's classnow ranks No. 7 in the 247Sports composite rankings and it's poised to climb higher with 5-stars Ben Davis (linebacker, Gordo) and Lyndell Wilson (linebacker, Montgomery) among several targets with high ratings.
Hurts became the second player to choose Alabama on Friday, following junior college standout offensive tackle Charles Baldwin. Watch out for a third this weekend if O'Fallon, Ill., kicker Tucker McCann pulls the trigger while visiting Tuscaloosa. McCann, rated as the country's No. 6 kicker in the 247Sports composite, has an Alabama offer.
Continue reading...
