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re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:17 am to TideSaint
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:17 am to TideSaint
There's a thread over on BOL discussing Shyheim Carter and Ole Miss' recruitment of him. I found these posts to be the most interesting:
Some guy said it in the thread over there already but it's like an episode of the Wire.
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I read a rumor that he was interviewed by the NCAA regarding his recruitment to Ole Miss at his HS. Something about a burner phone. Has anyone heard anything similar?
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I read that he had accepted cash on his Ole Miss visit but felt bad so he gave it back, he told Coach Saban and Coach Saban notified the NCAA and the NCAA interviewed Shyheim Carter. Someone said that the NCAA wasn't going to punish Shyheim though because he gave the money back on his own. Not sure how true any of it is.
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Thanks Hank because I don't know how true it is. They said the 4 game suspension with Bo Scarbrough was over accepting money on the OV with Ole Miss, just like some guys on here have said and that Shyheim Carter did the same but paid the money back after he felt bad about accepting it. They also say that other recruits from different schools are being and have been interviewed by the NCAA and something about a "burner phone". Like I said, I don't know how true it is.
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You can use a burner phone for conversations that you do not want traced to you. Like details of payments, where to get your payment, etc. Probably if you are a recruit and need more money, you can use the burner phone, then they get you what you need but it can't be traced that you are talking with the kids or what was said. I would think if you had the burner phone, you could trace back the usage on the phone and get records on that particular phone if you actually had the phone itself.
Some guy said it in the thread over there already but it's like an episode of the Wire.
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Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:23 am to TideSaint
5-star DE/OLB Jarez Parks says he will be attending our 2nd Junior Day later this month:
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On February 27, he plans to visit Alabama for a Junior Day. Parks said he recently had a 30-minute conversation with Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban.
"That was great," Parks said. "He seems like a really cool dude. He's very calm talking to me. He didn't take anything lightly. He talked to me like he probably would've talked to one of his regular players. That was a really good conversation."
Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami and many others stopped by to see him in January.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:28 am to TideSaint
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The No. 1 prospect in the state of Alabama doesn’t see himself playing college football in the Yellowhammer State.
Tank Jenkins, a 2018 four-star offensive tackle from Park Crossing High School (Montgomery, Ala.), told SEC Country that he doesn’t want to be one of those in-state athletes that automatically go to either Alabama or Auburn.
“I’m not trying to be that type of person that people say ‘everybody from Alabama goes to Alabama or Auburn,”’ Jenkins said. “I’m not trying to be that type of person to just go to Alabama or Auburn.”
The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder believes that leaving the state would be “best for his life” so he could find a place that fits him best and not just a school that other people want him to attend.
“Alabama and Auburn are good schools, and I have a great time when I go down there, but I want to take my talent and take it far away from Alabama and get out of Alabama,” he said. “I think that would be best for my life.”
Though he currently does have desires of leaving the state, Jenkins mentions Alabama and Auburn as two schools he is most interested in, along with Florida, Georgia and Florida State.
There’s one problem with his interest in Alabama right now, though. He currently does not hold a scholarship offer from the Crimson Tide. He admits that at one point not having an offer from the Tide did frustrate him.
“It did upset me, but I just look past it now,” Jenkins said. “I’m now focused on getting better and just taking all of the recruiting process in. I just thought that I was going to get that offer soon. I know it’ll be coming sooner or later, though. It is what it is. I know I’ll get it soon.”
Jenkins said Alabama coaches have assured him that he will get that scholarship offer soon, but just how soon remains unclear.
This post was edited on 2/16/16 at 10:30 am
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:30 am to TideSaint
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:31 am to TideSaint
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James Clemens will be pretty good on defense next year with Ray and Rice (Ray Rice) on the field.
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One of the top defensive ends in the country has picked up three SEC offers since National Signing Day on Feb. 3, and one of those schools was Alabama, along with Ole Miss and Arkansas.
LaBryan Ray, a three-star prospect from James Clemens High School (Madison, Ala.), told SEC Country that receiving a scholarship offer from the Crimson Tide meant a lot to him.
“Growing up, that was one of the teams I watched,” Ray said. “I’m an in-state kid, and I watched Alabama and Auburn play. That was an important (offer).”
Alabama already has a leg up on Auburn in Ray’s recruitment because the Tigers have not offered him yet. Ray is already saying that he can envision himself wearing a Crimson Tide jersey.
“(Alabama is) definitely one of the (schools) I am interested in,” he said. “I definitely could see myself playing for them.”
When he picked up his offer from Alabama a week ago, Ray had the opportunity to speak with coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. The defensive end said Saban’s message to him was more so about what the school can offer outside of football.
“Coach Saban was talking about their success, academically and football-wise, too,” he said. “Academics are very important to me. And of course football-wise, I would like to find a place that feels like home to me. That’s very important.”
The 6-foot-5, 283-pound future engineering major said Saban and Pruitt see him as a defensive end and a player that can also play defensive tackle, too.
At this time, Ray isn’t sure if he’ll attend Alabama’s junior day on Feb. 27 as he has not set his schedule yet.
Ray is ranked as the nation’s No. 24 defensive end and the No. 21 prospect in the state of Alabama in the Class of 2017, per the 247Sports composite.
James Clemens will be pretty good on defense next year with Ray and Rice (Ray Rice
) on the field.Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:33 am to TideSaint
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Jake Fromm understands the pressure of being the next great Alabama quarterback, and he’s ready for the challenge.
Fromm, a four-star prospect from Houston County High School (Warner Robins, Ga.), spent some time with former Crimson Tide great and current Cincinnati Bengals QB AJ McCarron over the weekend, and it was an experience Fromm won’t soon forget.
“It was awesome,” Fromm told SEC Country. “He really focuses on the little things, and it was great watching his work ethic. AJ can really spin (the football).”
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder also got to hang out with one of Alabama’s top quarterback targets in the 2018 class, four-star Jack West. Fromm said McCarron gave him advice on how to handle the rest of his recruitment.
“He just told me to enjoy the ride and be ready to work when I get to Alabama,” Fromm said of McCarron’s message to him.
Since committing in October, Fromm has become one of the Crimson Tide’s top recruiters. He recently told SEC Country he has a list of recruits he’s hoping that joins him in Tuscaloosa, and despite receiving strong interest from the in-state Georgia Bulldogs, Fromm says he really doesn’t see anything that will make him back off his pledge to Alabama.
“I love Alabama so much,” he said. “I’m really pumped to enroll early there and just enjoy the rest of the recruiting process.”
Fromm is rated as the nation’s No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2017, according to the 247Sports composite.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:35 am to TideSaint
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Atlas Herrion was an offensive lineman for Alabama in the early 2000s. His alma mater gave him a special message Wednesday. Nick Saban and Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt called to tell him they had a scholarship offer for his son.
Justin Thomas, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end from Spanish Fort (Ala.) High School, was on his way to basketball practice when his father phoned him.
The reigning national champions want him to be a part of next year’s signing class.
“It means a lot to pick up an offer from Alabama,” Thomas told SEC Country. “It’s an in-state college and it’s my dad’s alma mater. It means so much to me to have them give me a chance.”
At this point in his recruitment, Alabama is his only big-time offer. The three other schools that have offered Thomas include: South Alabama, Alabama-Birmingham and Iowa State.
Thomas still can’t believe the fact that the Crimson Tide were the first college football program in the Southeastern Conference to give him a chance.
“I never thought that Alabama was going to be the first SEC school to offer me,” he said. “I didn’t think that was going to happen. Maybe they decided to offer because I’m in state. It just means a lot to me.”
Perhaps Alabama offered him because of his production in his junior year. Thomas finished with 55 tackles and 11 sacks. Or the Crimson Tide could have offered because his father did end up playing in the NFL for a short while before joining the Arena Football League. Thomas’ father has played a big role in his son’s recruitment, but he isn’t pushing him to attend the school he did 15 years ago.
“It doesn’t really weigh on my mind,” Thomas said when asked if playing at his father’s alma mater will be a deciding factor in his decision. “It’s my decision on which school I want to go to.
“(My father) has been helping me a lot. He just tells me to enjoy the ride and to stay humble because there are a lot more offers coming.”
Two schools Thomas is hoping to hear from are Florida and Auburn. But credit goes to Alabama for getting in the mix this early because his recruitment is about to pick up.
Crimson Tide fans will know shortly after his senior season if Thomas chooses to follow in his father’s footsteps, as that’s when he’s planning on announcing his decision.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:36 am to TideSaint
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February 27th is shaping up to be a huge day for us.
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Justin Foster, one of the nation’s top linebackers, is planning on narrowing down his list to eight schools before his senior season begins. He already knows one school that will make the cut.
Foster, a four-star prospect from Crest High School (Shelby, N.C.), was offered by Alabama Tuesday, and the Crimson Tide will be one of his final schools.
“It’s a school I’ve watched growing up,” Foster told SEC Country. “It’s kind of hard not to watch the team that’s always fighting for a championship and winning 10-plus games. I just haven’t visited them yet, but I will be soon. If I get a good vibe from the campus and my family likes it a lot, I will definitely be keeping them around.”
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder claims 19 offers, and he crossed off one that he was hoping to get before the time comes to focus on just a select few schools.
“That was one of the final offers that I was really waiting on,” Foster said. “When I start narrowing down my list, I was hoping Alabama would have offered me by then. They just won a national championship. They recruit the best players in the country.”
Foster spent 20 minutes on the phone with Nick Saban Tuesday. During the conversation, the five-time national champion told him how he plans on using him if he committed to Alabama and told him about the academics at the school.
When it comes down to making his final decision, which he says may come two months before National Signing Day next year, academics will be the biggest deciding factor for his decision.
“I want to major in mechanical engineering and play football,” he said. “Growing up, my family had a racecar and they would take me to the track. When I was younger, I would help build motors and try to figure out how things worked. Now, all I do is work on cars. I want to get a degree in mechanical engineering and work in automotive engineering when I finish school.”
The U.S. Army All-American will have a chance to take his first visit to Alabama on Feb. 27 for the Crimson Tide’s junior day event.
Foster is rated as the nation’s No. 5 outside linebacker and is the state of North Carolina’s top prospect, per the 247Sports composite.
February 27th is shaping up to be a huge day for us.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:38 am to TideSaint
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Another highly touted visitor for the 27th.
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Christopher Allen picked up an offer from Alabama a little over a week ago, and the Crimson Tide have already made a major impression on him.
Allen, a four-star outside linebacker from Southern University Lab High School (Baton Rouge, La.), says Alabama is currently his No. 1 school over No. 2 LSU.
“I’m just feeling Alabama more than LSU right now,” Allen told SEC Country. “Alabama just won a championship. I like the coaches more. I feel like I could get developed more (at Alabama) as a player and a man, and hopefully that would lead me to the pros.”
The 6-foot-4, 222-pounder picked up his scholarship offer from Alabama in person when he visited Tuscaloosa during the final week in January for one of the school’s junior day camps.
He said Nick Saban personally offered him a spot to either play inside or outside linebacker if he were to commit to Alabama.
“He said he feels really confident in me playing both positions,” Allen said of Saban’s message to him. “It would pretty much be my decision on which position I would rather focus on.”
The nation’s No. 8 outside linebacker said it was an “unbelievable” experience to get to talk to the five-time national champion in Saban. During that visit to the school, one thing stuck out to him more than anything else, though.
“When I went there, I really liked the facilities. I love all of the coaches,” he said. “I just had a feeling like it was a place that I could prosper.”
Allen, who plays his high school ball around 10 miles away from LSU’s Tiger Stadium, would be looking to buck a trend that the Tigers have established in the state of Louisiana. In the 2016 recruiting cycle, LSU signed nine of the state’s top 10 players. In 2017, the Tigers have one Louisiana prospect committed and have missed on one already. Allen knows a lot of the top players tend to stay in state, but he isn’t worried about that.
“I feel no pressure at all,” he said when asked if his family is pushing him toward any school in particular. “I am going to do what I believe is best for me and my family.”
The state of Louisiana’s No. 7 prospect will be back at Alabama on Feb. 27 for the school’s next junior day camp.
Another highly touted visitor for the 27th.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:46 am to TideSaint
Ohio State offered Jared Mayden's little brother. 
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:50 am to TideSaint
Free Bleacher Report Content
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Now more than ever, in college football recruiting, versatility is a skill that is coveted by coaches around the country.
Every so often, there are a handful of elite prospects in each class who have the ability and toughness to play more than one position at a high level.
The recent phenomenon of coaches recruiting players as “athletes” isn’t going away anytime soon.
The 2017 class features a small but talented crop of players who could make an impact at more than one position in college.
In fact, there are seven prospects—headlined by 5-star JaCoby Stevens—who rank among the nation’s Top 70 overall prospects.
The latest installment of B/R’s CFB Future 100 series put the nation’s top athletes under a microscope.
We will take a crack at projecting them at the position we believe they will play at the college level and scoring them on their ability to develop when they focus on one spot full time.
How do the athletes of the 2017 class stack up in comparison to one another, and where will these stud recruits line up in college?
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:52 am to TideSaint
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5. 4-star CB Jamyest Williams
Height/Weight: 5’9”, 170 lbs
High School: Archer High School (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
247Sports Ranking: No. 5 ATH, No. 52 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 94/100
Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and Michigan State
One of the select few juniors invited to The Opening last summer was 4-star athlete Jamyest Williams.
Williams, who could play corner, receiver or running back in college, collected 1,152 yards of total offense and 13 total touchdowns as a sophomore. He also collected a pair of interceptions and had 60 tackles and 25 pass breakups on defense.
Williams was one of the most active players on the spring and summer camp circuit last year, which helped him amass more than 40 offers heading into the spring.
Bleacher Report Analysis
I got a chance to view Williams in several camp settings last spring and summer. Not once did he disappoint. He brought an energy and level of competitiveness that made him stand out everywhere he went. That's why when he flashed at The Opening last summer, I wasn't surprised.
Even though he is special with the ball in his hands, I'd lean toward playing him on defense. He's 5'9", but he plays 6'4". He has standout ball instincts, and with sub-4.4 times (19/20 points speed) in the 40-yard dash, he has outstanding makeup speed and great short-area burst.
He'd make an ideal nickel corner who could also wreak havoc as a blitzer. Williams is a unique talent who would be a top-10 overall prospect if he were two inches taller.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:54 am to TideSaint
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4. 4-star WR Devon Hunter
Height/Weight: 6’3”, 210 lbs
High School: Indian River High School (Chesapeake, Virginia)
247Sports Ranking: No. 4 ATH, No. 49 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Virginia Tech
Virginia has been a breeding ground for elite talents in recent years, and 4-star athlete Devon Hunter is primed to continue that tradition.
The No. 2 prospect from the state of Virginia could play receiver or safety at the next level.
Over his freshman and sophomore seasons, Hunter accounted for 1,733 yards of total offense and 18 total touchdowns on offense while racking up 107 tackles, 10 pass breakups and two interceptions on defense.
Bleacher Report Analysis
While I love Hunter's athleticism on defense, I believe he could be a downright scary weapon as a receiver on offense in college. At 6'3", 210 pounds, Hunter has the speed and quickness (14/15 points) of a 180-pound slot receiver. He shows great body control as a receiver, and his defensive background is apparent when he's fighting for jump balls.
Plus, with his size, he's a willing and capable blocker (5/5 points) in the run game. Overall, Hunter has the potential to become a dominant receiver if he continues to develop and learn the finer points of playing the position.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:56 am to TideSaint
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3. 4-star S Maleik Gray
Height/Weight: 6’1 ½”, 195 lbs
High School: La Vergne High School (La Vergne, Tennessee)
247Sports Ranking: No. 3 ATH, No. 33 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 93/100
Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee and USC
Florida State pulled a major coup out of Tennessee in the 2013 class when it landed stud corner Jalen Ramsey, who is likely a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft after an outstanding three-year career in Tallahassee.
The 'Noles are hoping to land another stud from the Volunteer State in 4-star athlete Maleik Gray, who already has more than 20 offers to date.
According to Ryan Callahan of 247Sports, Florida State is the current favorite to land Gray.
Bleacher Report Analysis
I believe Gray's talents would be best utilized at safety. That's because he has the cover skills (23/25 points) of a corner, but he also possesses the speed and instincts to play sideline-to-sideline like a shifty outside linebacker.
He's physical in run support and works well against slippery running backs and receivers in open space. He also has the versatility to be a weapon as a blitzer coming off the edge in certain situations. Overall, Gray has the makings of a dynamic safety prospect who can make an early impact in his college career.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:57 am to TideSaint
2018's QB is going to interesting.
Who do we Offer/take?
Who do we Offer/take?
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:58 am to TideSaint
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1. 5-star S JaCoby Stevens
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 200 lbs
High School: Oakland High School (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 ATH, No. 15 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 93/100
Recruitment Status: Considering Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Tennessee
The top overall prospect from Tennessee in the current cycle is 5-star athlete JaCoby Stevens.
Stevens, who backed off an early pledge to LSU in November, has compiled more than 25 offers heading into the spring.
The 6'2", 200-pounder could play receiver or safety in college.
Bleacher Report Analysis
I'm truly torn on Stevens because I like his potential at wide receiver at the next level. However, you don't see too many athletes with his length, size and athleticism at the safety position. He has outstanding ball skills, and he flashes a great burst of speed when closing on pass plays close to the sideline.
In run support, he's a physical presence (23/25 points) who can operate comfortably in space against speedy backs and receivers. Stevens has a tremendous ceiling as a defender regardless of where he lands in college.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 12:05 pm to TideSaint
Free Bleacher Report Content
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The 2015 season was somewhat of a renaissance in college football for the running back position.
Alabama star Derrick Henry became just the second running back to win the Heisman Trophy in the last decade. Additionally, backs such as Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook all had banner sophomore campaigns that should keep them in the conversation for that award this fall.
College football coaches are searching for the next wave of game-breaking rushers on the recruiting trail, and the 2017 class looks to be stacked with talented backs.
Crimson Tide pledge and 5-star California running back Najee Harris is at the top of that list, but he’s far from alone. Harris is one of 11 rushers among the nation’s top 100 overall prospects in the 2017 cycle.
The latest installment in the CFB Future 100 series takes a look those backs.
Bleacher Report scored the position on traits such as ball security (10 points), power (20 points), vision (20 points), hands (15 points), speed (20 points) and agility (15 points). The cumulative figures from those traits resulted in our overall grade for each prospect.
How do the nation’s top running backs measure up to one another?
Posted on 2/16/16 at 12:06 pm to TideSaint
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6. 4-star Cam Akers
Height/Weight: 5’11 ½”, 210 lbs
High School: Clinton High School; Clinton, Mississippi
247Sports Ranking: No. 3 RB, No. 40 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 91/100
Recruitment Status: Committed to Alabama on Aug. 4, 2015
The fourth of Alabama's eight 2017 pledges came from 4-star running back Cam Akers.
Akers, who is the top overall prospect from Mississippi, played quarterback for his high school team and accounted for 2,696 yards of total offense and 37 total touchdowns as a sophomore.
Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan and Ole Miss are among the programs that have offered Akers.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Akers is a big back who has the physicality to run between the tackles. He also has the wiggle of a considerably lighter runner. He's able to cut and get north and south in a hurry, and he exhibits great short-area burst. He's athletic enough to be an asset in the passing game as well. Overall, Akers has the potential to develop into a star at the next level.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 12:07 pm to TideSaint
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1. 5-star Najee Harris
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 220 lbs
High School: Antioch High School; Antioch, California
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 RB, No. 2 overall
Bleacher Report Score: 95/100
Recruitment Status: Committed to Alabama on April 18, 2015
One player who figures to compete for the title of top overall prospect in the 2017 cycle is 5-star running back Najee Harris.
The Golden State standout rushed for 5,007 yards and 59 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Harris committed to Alabama last spring over offers from Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC, among others.
Bleacher Report Analysis
Simply put, Harris is the best pure running back prospect since Leonard Fournette, who was of the 2014 class. At 220 pounds, Harris has the power to run inside. Yet he still has the speed and agility (14 of 15 points) to be a threat to break long runs when he gets to the second level.
He has great hands and could play receiver in college if he were to put his focus on that position. Overall, Harris is a freakish athlete who has the makings of a superstar.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 12:08 pm to TideSaint
Free Bleacher Report Content
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How important are defensive tackles? The last two recruiting cycles have had defensive tackles as their No. 1 prospects, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. Trent Thompson was the top-ranked player in the 2015 class, while Rashan Gary took top honors in 2016.
An elite defensive tackle can alter a game in so many ways, and the 2017 class has its share of playmakers in the trenches. With the 2016 recruiting cycle having come and gone, college coaches are now focusing on finding defensive linemen who can shut down the run and make passing situations difficult for quarterbacks.
Here's our breakdown of the top-ranked 2017 prospects at defensive tackle. Players were assessed using various criteria, including their pass rushing, tackling, explosive strength, run defense, hands and overall motor.
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