re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition

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Posted by UMRealist on 9/20/16 at 11:53 pm to ABearsFanNMS
Asked about him on the Bama board (yeesh they aren't the sharpest bunch amirite?). According to them he was not an SEC LB.

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Jedrick Wills' head coach, Eric Shaw, told BamaOnLine on Tuesday a decision could come by, "Maybe the end of October."

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Alabama is in hot pursuit of the nation’s No. 1 defensive end in the 2018 class, Xavier Thomas.

The Florence (S.C.) Wilson product currently has a Top 3 of Clemson, Georgia and South Carolina, in no specific order, but it’s the Crimson Tide that could be in that mix soon.

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“I’m sure that Alabama will definitely move their way up,” Thomas told 247Sports’ Kipp Adams as a guest on the SEC Recruiting Buzz Podcast w/ Keith and Kipp. “’Cause I haven’t visited their school yet. Of course you have to have Alabama in your top schools with that program. It’s a great program for NFL prospects and national championships with Nick Saban there. Once I visit them, I’m sure they will move up my list.”

Thomas’ primary recruiter is co-defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. The five-star prospect talked about his thoughts on the Tide assistant and first year DC Jeremy Pruitt, as well as the UA defense.

“I think very much of it,” Thomas said of the Alabama defense. “It’s his first year and they have a very good defensive team. [Pruitt] was telling me how they would play me as like an outside linebacker and pass rusher. Sometimes I’d be dropping back in pass coverage also.”

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Thomas has no plans to visit Alabama in the near future, but hopefully for Tide fans he does as a decision could be coming soon.

“At the end of my junior season or before my senior year before the season starts,” Thomas said of a commitment timeline.

At 6-foot-3, 250-pounds, Thomas is rated the No. 1 strong-side defensive end and the No. 2 overall player in the country, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He’s currently trending to Clemson at 44 percent on the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

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Jeudy, once again, gets compared to Ridley

South Carolina cornerback commit Jamyest Williams was on the wrong side of a Vine back in July at The Opening. During a cat-and-mouse drill at the elite high school competition, Alabama wide receiver commit Jerry Jeudy hit Williams with a devastating juke move. Technically, Williams did touch him, signifying he won, but everyone in attendance was just in awe with Jeudy’s amazing crossover.

Flash forward two months to the Deerfield Beach vs. Grayson game this past Friday with the two elite recruits were matched up 1-on-1 once again. This time, there was no doubt Jeudy had won.

Jeudy, in what has really become a signature move for him at this point, hit Williams with a killer juke move for the easy score. Williams, who is South Carolina’s top-rated recruit, spoke with SEC Country after that game and was very quick to dish out praise for the future Crimson Tide wide receiver.

“I think he’s going to do his thing at Alabama,” Williams said of Jeudy. “He reminds me a little of Calvin Ridley. They both have really quick footwork.”

Williams isn’t the only person to think Jeudy is akin to Ridley, but Deerfield Beach coach Jevon Glenn took it a step further with his praise. Glenn said not only is Jeudy’s game similar to Ridley’s but also to one of Alabama’s greatest wide receivers.

“He’s a football junkie,” Glenn said. “He’ll watch Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley, who are some of his favorites. When you see him play, you can see a lot of those guys’ game in Jerry’s game. He’s the kind of guy that if you go to a camp and there are like 500 kids there, he’ll get 50 to 60 reps because he’s that competitive.”

Jeudy and Ridley actually are good friends. Shortly after Jeudy announced he committed to Alabama, he FaceTimed with Ridley. The two were teammates during Jeudy’s freshman year when he attended Monarch High School. One of the main reasons why he ultimately chose Alabama was because of his friendship with the Tide receiver.

“I’ll have one more year with Calvin, and he’ll teach me the ropes,” Jeudy said. “He’ll show me how he got stuff done. He’ll show me the way.”

The Under Armour All-American is rated as the nation’s No. 6 wide receiver, but it’s hard to imagine that there are actually five better recruits at the position in the Class of 2017 when you talk to opposing defensive backs.

Williams did get a little payback after that touchdown above with a pick-six that was thrown in Jeudy’s direction, but it didn’t come easily. The 4-star cornerback explained just how difficult it is to defend Jeudy.

“It’s really tough, but it all comes with patience and technique,” Williams said. “He’s a really nice guy and a really good receiver. He’s got some really quick feet, but guarding him all comes with patience.”

Jeudy, who hails from South Florida, will have some big shoes to fill from other Alabama receivers who left the area to become members of the Crimson Tide — Ridley and Cooper. But if anyone can live up to those lofty expectations, it’s Jeudy.

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3-star DE Aaron Sterling

Hometown (school): Tucker, Georgia (Tucker HS)

Size: 6'2", 260 lbs

247Sports composite ranking: No. 391 overall (No. 18 SDE)

There are a handful of stud defensive ends this year, and Aaron Sterling isn't far from the elite pack. He has good size as a strong-side defensive end, and he's quick enough to play weak-side defensive end if necessary. Sterling plays the game with a high motor and lots of athleticism and intensity. If a school wanted to add weight on him, he also would make for a solid, next-level defensive tackle.

Sterling was an Alabama commit since December of last year but decommitted from the Crimson Tide last Sunday. Teams like South Carolina, LSU, Tennessee and in-state school Georgia are four programs to pay attention to as he looks to find a college home.

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