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Craig Haubert's expectation entering Wednesday was that Khalid Kareem was going to commit to hometown Michigan.
Kareem, a four-star Class of 2016 defensive end, instead chose to verbally commit to Alabama, announcing his commitment Wednesday afternoon.
"To honest with you, I was actually a little bit surprised," Haubert, a National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN, said during a phone interview. "I really thought it was going to be Michigan. I don't know if you do this [as a reporter]. But sometimes when someone's getting ready to commit, you kind of plan it out in your head, and my train of thought was very much Michigan, and I had to shift gears a little bit there at the last second and kind of restructure it for Alabama."
A Michigan native, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Kareem is ranked by ESPN as the 18th-best defensive end and 127th overall prospect in the Class of 2016.
Kareem verbally committed to Michigan State in February before decommitting shortly later.
"I think this was an impressive pick-up for Alabama because I really think it was Michigan," Haubert said. "From what I've heard, it was Michigan up until last night but ultimately that it was Khalid that really wanted to go to Alabama, and I think they sold him on how they can develop him and use him, and ultimately that won out."
Kareem's skill set reminds Haubert of Tennessee's Kyle Phillips, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound freshman whom Rivals ranked as a five-star recruit, the third-best defensive end and the 32nd-best overall prospect in this year's recruiting class.
"They're going to be asked to do a little bit of different things, and I think Phillips is a little bit bigger, but similar type of build, guys who really can get off the football and get upfield and get after the passer," Haubert said. "And I think they also kind of were both guys that showed flashes but really seemed like they had only begun to scratch the surface of what they could be.
"I'd like to give you a guy maybe a little bit more established, but he's a guy who — as I was watching [Kareem] this morning — I kept thinking about."
Kareem would be the first recruit from Michigan to sign with Alabama since eventual Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in 2008.
"I even went this morning, when I knew he was going to commit, I went back and watched him again, and I think he's a guy with a lot of upside in his frame," Haubert said. "And I think especially with what they're going to ask him to do, I think it really fits in his wheelhouse in the sense that he's got a nice frame to develop, he's got a quick first step, and I think he can really be a disruptive and pretty well-rounded pass rusher."
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Kareem, a four-star Class of 2016 defensive end, instead chose to verbally commit to Alabama, announcing his commitment Wednesday afternoon.
"To honest with you, I was actually a little bit surprised," Haubert, a National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN, said during a phone interview. "I really thought it was going to be Michigan. I don't know if you do this [as a reporter]. But sometimes when someone's getting ready to commit, you kind of plan it out in your head, and my train of thought was very much Michigan, and I had to shift gears a little bit there at the last second and kind of restructure it for Alabama."
A Michigan native, the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Kareem is ranked by ESPN as the 18th-best defensive end and 127th overall prospect in the Class of 2016.
Kareem verbally committed to Michigan State in February before decommitting shortly later.
"I think this was an impressive pick-up for Alabama because I really think it was Michigan," Haubert said. "From what I've heard, it was Michigan up until last night but ultimately that it was Khalid that really wanted to go to Alabama, and I think they sold him on how they can develop him and use him, and ultimately that won out."
Kareem's skill set reminds Haubert of Tennessee's Kyle Phillips, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound freshman whom Rivals ranked as a five-star recruit, the third-best defensive end and the 32nd-best overall prospect in this year's recruiting class.
"They're going to be asked to do a little bit of different things, and I think Phillips is a little bit bigger, but similar type of build, guys who really can get off the football and get upfield and get after the passer," Haubert said. "And I think they also kind of were both guys that showed flashes but really seemed like they had only begun to scratch the surface of what they could be.
"I'd like to give you a guy maybe a little bit more established, but he's a guy who — as I was watching [Kareem] this morning — I kept thinking about."
Kareem would be the first recruit from Michigan to sign with Alabama since eventual Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in 2008.
"I even went this morning, when I knew he was going to commit, I went back and watched him again, and I think he's a guy with a lot of upside in his frame," Haubert said. "And I think especially with what they're going to ask him to do, I think it really fits in his wheelhouse in the sense that he's got a nice frame to develop, he's got a quick first step, and I think he can really be a disruptive and pretty well-rounded pass rusher."
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