Alabama Football Recruiting Update: Tide is ROLL1N9

If you have not been paying attention, Nick Saban & Co. are absolutely killing it on the recruiting trail. That may sound like a cliche but there is really something incredible going on in Tuscaloosa. This class could be one to rival and perhaps eclipse ones of years past.

The Crimson Tide already has the highest rated 2019 class and continues to build on their lead. Alabama has 16 commitments and none of them appear to be flipping anytime soon.

2019 COMMIT LIST

• Pierce Quick OL Trussville, AL 6’5” 270 - Solid as solid can be.
• Shane Lee LB Baltimore, MD 6’0” 235 - Lee is a former teammate of 2018 Bama 5-star Eyabi Anoma. He has shut down his recruitment and does not plan to take any more visits anywhere else. He could be something special at the Capstone.
• Amari Kight OL Maylene, AL 6’6” 300 - Solid commit; teammate of Taulia Tagovailoa, already friends with fellow commits.
• Antonio Alfano DT Colonia, NJ 6’4” 285 - Despite the distance from home, I think he sticks. He could see a fifth star added to side of his name this fall.
• Justin Eboigbe DE Forest Park, GA 6’5” 261 - The newest commit gave his pledge on June 18.
• King Mwikuta Jack-LB LaGrange, GA 6’4” 220 - Has a very close relationship with defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. He even jokingly refers to him as his “pops”, as in him being a father figure.
• Christian Williams DB Daphne, AL 6’1” 175 - Lifelong Tide fan, prototypical Saban corner.
• DeMarcco Hellams S Hyattsville, MD 6’1” 204 - One of the most recent to commit does not give much reason to think he will flip.
• Kevin Harris DE Loganville, GA 6’4” 218 - Was back on campus last weekend. Solid commit.
• Paul Tyson QB Trussville, AL 6’4” 210 - Alabama royalty.
• Brandon Turnage S Oxford, MS 6’1” 185 - There has been some talk that he is wavering and he has shown up on the Ole Miss campus of his hometown several times this spring. However, he sent out some recent reactions that would make you feel differently.
• Taulia Tagovailoa QB Alabaster, AL 6’0” 190 - It would seem he is pretty solid with the Tide. He wants to play with his brother and be close to his family who lives in Alabaster just south of Birmingham. However, the QB depth chart is filling up, and after Riley Ridley flipped to UGA a couple of years ago, it has me skittish... I would say 90% sure he comes to Alabama.
• DJ Dale DT Pinson, AL 6’3” 320 - Bama needs interior linemen. There is not much reason to think he won’t end up in crimson and white.
• Rashad Cheney DE Ellenwood, GA 6’3” 263 - Unless someone(s) markedly better comes along, Bama should take him.
• Tanner Bowles OL Glasgow, KY 6’5” 270 - I was/am a bit surprised at this offer and commitment. It could stick, but the Tide is after many other higher rated OL.
• Will Reichard K Hoover, AL 6’1” 185 - Ironically enough, the lowest rated player and only 3-star of the bunch is this kicker who is the best at his position, ranked No. 1 in the nation. Only three 2019 kickers have been ranked with 3-stars.

2020 COMMIT LIST

All three of these commits look solid to the Tide.

• Jackson Bratton 4-star ILB, Muscle Shoals, AL
• Javier Morton 4-star CB, Stone Mountain GA (Stephenson)
• Dazalin Worsham 4-star WR, Trussville, AL (Hewitt-Trussville)

CHAMPIONS COOKOUT

Alabama had their annual invite-only BBQ cookout this past weekend. The attendees were a veritable who’s who of recruits. Of the 16 committed for the Bama Class of 2019, 12 were on campus. The only ones who could not make it were Maryland natives Shane Lee and DeMarcco Hellams, New Jerseyan Antonio Alfano, and Rashad Cheney of Ellenwood, GA.

All three of the 2020 commits (listed above) were on hand as well. Javier Morton brought along his high school teammate 2021 4-star ATH recruit Kamar Wilcoxson who received an offer from the Tide a week prior.

5 STARS

Maybe the best news of the weekend were return visits from some high profile 5-stars, some who came a long way to be there.

2019 5-Stars

• Kayvon Thibodeaux DE/Edge Rusher, Thousand Oaks, CA - The nation’s top ranked overall player was back in T-town for a second unofficial visit all the way from the west coast. His last visit was a multi-day stay back in April. He plans to make an official visit for the Iron Bowl.
• Clay Webb OC, Oxford, AL - 11th rated player was back again! He is the one holding the Big Beer Tap Trophy in the photo above. Notice how he is surrounded by Bama players who have already committed. He has yet to make a commitment, but you have to like the Tide’s chances of landing him.
• Nakobe Dean ILB, Horn Lake, MS - Back on campus for the second time in consecutive weekends. He is ranked No. 20 in the nation and plans to enroll early.
• Faatui Tuitele DT, Honolulu, HI - No. 22 overall player attends the same high school (St. Louis) that Tua Tagovailoa graduated from and is a distant cousin. He was last at the Capstone in April. It is believed he will announce his commitment before he begins his senior year.

2020 5-Stars

Four of the top seven 2020 overall ranked recruits were scheduled to be on campus:

• Sav’ell Smalls OLB, 6-3/227 Seattle, WA - Third-ranked prospect camped at Alabama last summer as well. He Tweeted on Saturday “Enjoyed the visit.. I’ll be back”.
• Zachary Evans RB, 5-11/200 Houston, TX (North Shore) - The nation’s No. 5 overall had 1,483 rushing yards and 27 TDs as a sophomore.
• Arik Gilbert ATH, Marietta, GA - Another recruit making visits on consecutive weekends. Bama may have to wrestle him away from UGA.
• Justin Flowe OLB/ILB, 6-2/225 Upland, CA - It is unconfirmed if the No. 2 prospect made the trip from the Los Angeles suburb, but he was scheduled.

OTHER UNCOMMITTED 2019 ON CAMPUS

Below in no particular order, those believed to have been in Tuscaloosa this past weekend, among others.

• Jeffery Carter, 4-star CB, 6-0/180 Mansfield, TX - A second visit from the nation’s No. 95 overall. Shaping up as a battle with TAMU.
• Maninoa Tufono, 4-star ILB, 6-3/225 Honolulu, HI, No. 96 - Tua’s success with Alabama has really opened the eyes of Hawaiian prospects to the idea that they don’t need to regulate themselves to Hawaii or schools on the west coast. This was an unofficial visit. Look for him to make a possible return official trip in the fall.
• Kane Patterson, 4-star OLB, 6-1/225 Nashville, TN - Second visit this month.
• Rian Davis, 4-star OLB, Apopkia, FL - No. 75 was in T-town but went to Aubie on Sunday. Possible sight-seer.
• Noa Pola-Gates, 4-star S, Gilbert, AZ - Named the Tide his leader on Junior Day back in February.
• Kalen DeLoach, 4-star OLB/ILB, Savannah, GA - His second visit to Alabama, but the Tide has not had great luck with Savannah-area prospects.
• Khris Bogle, 4-star DE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - No. 81 looking like a Miami lean.
• Cornelious Brown 3-star QB, Calera, AL - He has a conditional offer. Basically, it’s if Tyson or Taulia flip.
• DJ Daniel, 4-star Juco CB, Griffin, GA - Received an offer this weekend. He is is on track to graduate from Georgia Military College in December.

AMITE YOU AT THE QUARTERBACK

5-star defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher (Amite, LA) was a ‘maybe’ for the Cookout but did not make it in the end. He previously visited in April. This looks like another classic Alabama-LSU recruiting battle for the nation’s No. 3 for the Class of 2019.

4-star ATH Devonta Lee is a teammate of Sopsher, but still a desired prospect in his own right. He was in Tuscaloosa June 15. Alabama would likely play him at safety. He is No. 89 in the nation.

Current Tide WR Devonta Smith is an Amite grad. CB Shyheim Carter attended nearby Kentwood.

OTHER NEWS

• In a bit of a surprise, 4-star DE Nathan Pickering made an earlier-than-expected commitment to Mississippi State. He is the No. 47 player for the Class of 2019.
• After an official visit last weekend, 4-star TE Jahleel Billingsley (6-4/216) out of Chicago, IL named Alabama his leader. This came two weeks after an OV to Penn State. He is also believed to have Florida among his top three with Bama and PSU.
• 4-star SDE Byron Young of Laurel, Mississippi has also named Alabama his favorite. The Tide may have to fend off home-state Ole Miss and Miss State for his signature. He is No. 121 in the nation.
• The Tide has two unrelated Williamses out of St. Louis, MO on their radar: 4-star WR Jameson Williams (6-2/160) who was in T-town the week before and 4-star safety Jalani Williams. Coach Craig Kuligowski’s Missouri connections are opening inroads to the Show Me State.
• Jaylen McCollough, 4-star safety (6-0/190) from Powder Springs, GA goes to Kenyan Drake’s alma mater Hillgrove. He is believed to have the Tide in his top three with Tennessee and South Carolina.