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

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Wade or bust at this point for Alabama?

Alabama redshirt freshman cornerback Kendall Sheffield missed his third consecutive practice on Tuesday, and the rumors are swirling on whether or not the former 5-star prospect will ever play a down for the Crimson Tide.

“He’s definitely not on campus at this time,” Fort Bend Marshall High School (Sheffield’s HS) coach James Williams told SEC Country on Tuesday.

If Sheffield doesn’t return to the team that just heightens the importance for Alabama to land 5-star cornerback Shaun Wade. Sheffield was in the mix to potentially be the team’s fifth defensive back in Alabama’s nickel and dime defensive formations this season.

As I’ve mentioned for several months now, the Crimson Tide are fighting to flip the Ohio State commit. I’ve also stuck by my prediction that Alabama will get the job done in the coming months. Though one person told SEC Country recently that they were told it may be much harder to flip Wade than what was previously thought. I don’t believe that just yet.

On Wade’s recent trip to Tuscaloosa, which was back in June, he told SEC Country that he had a long conversation with Tide cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick. Why’s that important? For one, if the reports out there are accurate, Sheffield’s qualms with Alabama have to deal with playing time.

Fitzpatrick and Wade talked about early playing time, which is usually the biggest reason why some big-time recruits choose to not play for Alabama.

“I talked to Minkah for a long, long time,” Wade told SEC Country at the IMG 7-on-7 national championships in June. “He said (247Sports) projected that he wouldn’t play until his junior year. He kept that in his mind and went out there and competed for a starting spot.

“(The depth chart) doesn’t affect Alabama’s chances, because at any place you have to compete no matter what. Even if a school promises that I’ll play immediately, I am still going to have to compete. I know that for sure. Competition doesn’t phase me.”

Wade admitted at the time that Florida, another school he’s considering, offers the best chance at early playing time. Gators cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson are likely headed for the NFL draft at the conclusion of this upcoming season.

At this time though, it appears that his recruitment is just an Ohio State-Alabama battle.

Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer sat down with Wade and his mother, and promised the recruit that after graduation from Ohio State a job would be waiting for him if he doesn’t make it to the NFL. Wade also likes the Buckeyes’ mom program Meyer has. The coaching staff calls parents frequently to check in with their son’s progress on the team and in school. Both of those things are huge positives to Wade and his family.

But the nation’s No. 3 cornerback doesn’t see many glaring differences between the two programs he’s strongly considering. That’s where Alabama has a big advantage. The majority of his family lives in Montgomery and his mother is an Alabama fan.

“To be honest, they’re both the same schools to me,” Wade said. “Both of the schools have great coaches; they win championships and put their players in a spot where they can get to the NFL. I really don’t see a difference between the schools. The only difference I see is the campus and that’s not a big deal to me.”

The U.S. Army All-American is expected to be an early enrollee. He has said that he would like to have his recruitment wrapped up by the end of November.

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AJ Terrell was a private commitment for about a month.... before the Mo Smith deal. We can thank Mo Smith's mother for that one. Terrell was one of the casualties of that mess.

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AJ Terrell was a private commitment for about a month

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One of the more connected TiderInsider posters.....

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Four connected people that I know of have said it.

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