Alabama Crimson Tide Recruiting Update: 5-Star to Visit for Bama-TAMU

Now that Alabama is heading into the thick of their SEC schedule, recruiting has begun to heat up. With the Early Signing Period (ESP) in December, the recruiting calendar has accelerated and many will take their official visits (OV) for Bama games instead of in January. This can be inconvenient for the coaching staff who do not have time to spend with recruits when they are busy trying to win a ball game.

As you are probably aware, the Class of 2019 is looking strong. That’s the good news. The great news is that it appears that 13 of these commits will be Early Enrollee (EE) and can join the team in December for bowl practice.

• Pierce Quick OL Trussville, AL 6’5”/270 - EE
• Amari Kight OL Alabaster, AL 6’6”/300 - EE
• Antonio Alfano DT Colonia, NJ 6’4”/285 - EE
• Shane Lee LB Baltimore, MD 6’0”/235 - EE
• Justin Eboigbe DE Forest Park, GA 6’5”/261 - EE
• King Mwikuta LB LaGrange, GA 6’4”/220 - EE
• Taulia Tagovailoa QB Alabaster, AL 6’0”/190 - EE
• Paul Tyson QB Trussville, AL 6’4”/210 - EE
• Darrian Dalcourt OL Baltimore, MD 6’3”/290 - EE
• Kevin Harris DE Loganville, GA 6’4”/218 - EE
• DJ Dale DT Pinson, AL 6’3”/320 - EE
• Tanner Bowles OL Glasgow, KY 6’5”/270 - EE
• Will Reichard K Hoover, AL 6’1”/185 - EE

The rest of the class are expected to sign in February:

• Christian Williams DB Daphne, AL 6’1”/175
• DeMarcco Hellams ATH Hyattsville, MD 6’1”/204
• Byron Young DE Laurel, MS 6’5”/280
• Jahleel Billingsley TE Chicago , IL 6’5”/227
• John Metchie WR Hightstown, NJ 6’0”/188
• Brandon Turnage DB Oxford, MS 6’1”/185
• Keilan Robinson RB Washington, DC 5’9”/180
• Rashad Cheney DE Ellenwood, GA 6’3”/263 * - I have long believed this guy doesn’t sign with Bama. Whoever gets him will surely brag about “flipping” a Bama commit. lol

AT THE BAMA-OLE MISS GAME

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

A few high-profile recruits were witness to Alabama’s dismantling of Ole Miss on Saturday:

• Nakobe Dean ILB Horn Lake, MS 6-0/220 - This 5-star is a priority for Alabama. He is believed to be an EE. Although he is from the Magnolia state, neither Ole Miss or MSU appear to be in the running for his signature. He is expected to be back in Tuscaloosa this weekend for an unofficial visit (UV) for the Texas A&M game.
• Nathan Pickering SDE Seminary, MS 6-3.5/286 - I’m not quite sure what this kid’s game is. He had an UV to Tuscaloosa for a Cookout in June and then nine days later committed to Missy State. However, there is no record of him taking any recent visits to Starkville. He returned to Tuscaloosa for the Arkansas State game as an UV and was in Oxford this past weekend for the Ole Miss game. There is belief that he might return to the Capstone one more time for an OV on a game weekend, maybe even this weekend. Interestingly, his hometown is slightly closer to Tuscaloosa than Starkville.
• Brandon Turnage DB Oxford, MS 6-1/185 - For a long time the crootin’ “experts” kept saying this Bama commit would end up somewhere else. They were likely basing this thought on the fact that he was recruited and offered by former Tide DB coach Derrick Ansley (now with the Raiders). In addition, the fact that the 4-star had a foot injury that made him miss most of his junior season could’ve cast doubts. However by all accounts, Turnage is 100% healthy, 100% Crimson Tide and the Bama staff want him on this team. I have seen nothing to make me think he will flip. Meanwhile, Turnage has been having an excellent senior season and is moving up the rankings. He is currently No. 115 overall by 247 and has been selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.
• Byron Young DE Laurel, MS 6’5”/280 - Alabama 4-star commit seems solid to Bama. He is No. 117 overall.
• Jerrion Ealy RB Flowood, MS - The Ole Miss commit/MLB prospect was there too but I don’t think he ends up at Bama.

TEXAS A&M OVs

• Kayvon Thibodeaux DE Westlake Village, CA - 6-4.5 / 239 - This one is huge, folks. Thibodeaux is rated 5-stars and the No. 1 overall player by 247sports Comp Rankings. He has already made two UVs from California on his own dime, once for camp in April and again in June for the Champions Cook-Out. He has already OV’d FSU and has scheduled OVs to Florida and Oregon in October.
• Wandale Robinson APB Frankfort, KY - 5-9.5 / 179 - The Tide is recruiting this 4-star playmaker as a wide receiver, although he rushed for 2,330 yards and 33 TDs as a junior. He had UVs to T-town in both June and July. Both parents will be with him on this trip. Junior Highlight Video.

OTHER UVs THIS WEEKEND:

• The fab four Hewitt-Trussville commits (2019 OT Pierce Quick, 2019 QB Paul Tyson, 2020 WR Dazalin Worsham, 2020 DB Malachi Moore) are expected.
• Thompson teammates Taulia Tagovailoa and Amari Kight (both 2019) should be there too.
• Also, 2020 commits Jayson Jones (Calera, AL), Jackson Bratton (Muscle Shoals, AL), Javier Morton (Stone Mountain, GA) should be in Bryant-Denny this weekend.
• Alabama legacy Reggie Grimes II (2020) is expected. He is the son of former Alabama defensive lineman Reggie Grimes. The 4-star LB/DE lives outside Nashville, TN.
• 4-star WR Milton Wright from Louisville, KY might make it.
• UPDATE: High 4-star receiver and Auburn commit George Pickens is thought to be heading Tuscaloosa’s way on Saturday.

ETC.

• Both Brent and I had a feeling Daxton Hill was not coming to Alabama. He could still flip but I don’t see that happening as of now.
• IMG has a game in California this weekend. It is highly unlikely that any prospects from that factory school make visits to Tuscaloosa this weekend.