Tide Lands First (and Second, Apparently) Five Star Recruit, Sort Of

by Todd on Oct 14, 2008 7:57 PM CDT in Football Comment 14 comments

Quick recruiting update: DJ Fluker, the DT/OT prospect from Foley that committed to the Tide way back in November of last year, has earned a fifth star from Rivals.com:

Going into this Rivals100 revision, there were 26 five-star recruits. Two more five-star prospects have emerged in Booker T. Washington (Atlanta) cornerback Branden Smith and Foley (Ala.) offensive tackle D.J. Fluker

"Fluker is a prototypical NFL first-round choice as an offensive tackle. He's a 6-foot-7, 325-pound giant who can really move his feet, and that alone makes him special. He also has long arms and superior lateral movement, which will help him be a great pass blocker. And he plays with a nasty streak."

Djflukerfivestarbump_medium
He's got a five star scowl, anyway...

UPDATE: As OTS points out, Trent Richardson is also rated a five star prospect by Rivals.com, giving the Tide two five star commits so far.

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Not trying...

… to rain on the parade here, but Fluker actually becomes our second five star prospect according to Rivals.com. A few weeks back, Trent Richardson was also elevated to five-star status by Rivals.

And fortunately, we’re probably not done on that front either. Dre Kirkpatrick notwithstanding, Nico Johnson is only two spots away from getting his fifth star with Rivals, and he should probably make it.

Moreover, a couple of other moves should be noted. Rod Woodson, the safety commitment, was moved to four-star status, and almost cracked the national top 100. Moreover, Kevin Norwood, a wide receiver prospect out of Mississippi that most feel will ultimately commit to the Tide, was given a fourth star as well. Previously, both players had been listed as three-stars.

As of right now, according to Rivals.com, we have two five-star commitments (Fluker and Richardson) and six four-star commitments (Johnson, McCarron, Bowman, Ming, Sentimore, and Woodson). We currently have eight three-star commitments, and there is a good chance that four of them could move up to four-star status (Dial, Orr, Steen, and Warmack).

by outsidethesidelines on Oct 14, 2008 8:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

d'oh

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Oct 14, 2008 8:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

More on Fluker...

The Birmingham News had a good article a few weeks back on Fluker. Long story short, he’s a Katrina evacuee who has bounced around the Gulf Coast a good bit lately, and he’s been thrown a lot.

He’s actually from New Orleans, and as such LSU has started to come onto him really strong as of late. He always had an offer from them even in his junior year, but they have really been going hard after him the past few months. Even so, fortunately, no one really expects that they will be able to turn him.

One way or the other, Fluker is clearly an elite prospect.

by outsidethesidelines on Oct 14, 2008 8:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I read somewhere...

…in reference to some concern over Trent Richardson that the next verbal committment Nick Saban loses will be his first. Any idea if this is true? I don’t remember anyone leaving the fold last year and I’m sure they weren’t counting any of the “you shop, we shop” recruits of 2007, e.g. Robert Marve. Those guys really committed to Shula. I don’t know about his records at LSU or MSU. I can’t believe he’s never had anyone decommit. But if you told me there was one coach who had never lost a verbal, he would be my first guess.

by Nick's Hat Band on Oct 14, 2008 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We lost a guy to the MLB draft if that counts

If I had a steamboat I could make it to London in 60,000 minutes.

by crimsonpride19 on Oct 15, 2008 2:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I

hear from some Florida people who follow recruiting pretty hardcore that Richardson isn’t going anywhere, he’s solid to Alabama.

by Bens4vcobra on Oct 15, 2008 6:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

try

running next year with him and cody next to one another…..the legend will grow

Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!

by comer4tide on Oct 14, 2008 10:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Fluker...

Will play OT, I believe. He was originally a DT recruit, but I think Coach Saban wants him to play OT now.

by CaliforniaTide on Oct 14, 2008 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cody...

might be playing on sundays next year.

by BAMA.13 on Oct 16, 2008 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is this the guy

at Foley who is allegedly Julio’s cousin? I heard about a 6’7" junoir who is Julio’s cousin who is committed to Bama. Is that ans urban legend?

marycontrary

by adeleswims on Oct 14, 2008 10:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think so...

I haven’t read anything about Fluker being a cousin of Julio. I suppose it is a possibility given the relative proximity of Foley and New Orleans, but if they are I imagine it is several times removed.

Oddly enough, Fluker actually committed to Alabama about three months before Julio did. When Fluker committed, he was actually living in Mississippi going to school in Biloxi. It was only after he committed to Alabama and we had inked our 2008 signing class did he decide to transfer to Foley.

by outsidethesidelines on Oct 14, 2008 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I

want Dre Kirkpatrick baaaaad. I love big physcial secondary guys, he could play in multiple spots. His teammate Kendall Kelly would be a nice addition too.

by Bens4vcobra on Oct 15, 2008 6:03 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

is the reason CNS wants him as OT because he knows Smitty will leave early?
I like to keep Andre for another year but I suspect that if we win the SEC and certainly any other championships he has nothing left to accomplish…

by bamainexile on Oct 15, 2008 11:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really...

There really isn’t a linkage there between Andre Smith and D.J. Fluker.

To be sure, most do expect that Andre will turn pro after this season, and justifiably so. He has the potential to be a high-end first round pick, and no one should ever turn that down.

However, don’t assume that we are wanting Fluker as an offensive tackle to replace smith. Right now, we are clearly grooming Tyler Love — a five-star in his own right — to be the heir apparent to Smith at left tackle, and that will likely be the case. We like Fluker at tackle not so much because of depth concerns there, but simply because he has good foot work and a truly massive wingspan. Those two things combine to give him the physical potential to be a truly dominant left tackle. Again, that is what is motivating the possibility of him moving to offensive tackle, not the likely departure of Andre Smith.

And, to be sure, it’s by no means a given that he will play offensive tackle. Pendry likes him as an offensive tackle, but on the other hand Saban likes him as a nose guard (and perhaps even an occasional end) on the defensive side of the ball. Nothing is settled just yet.

by outsidethesidelines on Oct 15, 2008 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs