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

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Another 5-star LB headed to Tuscaloosa?

A few weeks ago, I received word from an off-the-record source close to Alabama that 5-star linebacker Baron Browning was going to commit to either the Crimson Tide or Ohio State. That certainly was news to me because all I had heard prior to that message was Browning would stay in his home state of Texas and play for the Longhorns or Aggies.

The source also told me Browning wants to leave Texas for school. Again, that was another surprise to me. I didn’t report the story at the time because the source didn’t want the news out there at the time.

247Sports reported on Thursday what I just mentioned above — that Alabama is more in the mix than previously assumed. The nation’s No. 2 outside linebacker in the Class of 2017 from Kennedale (Texas) High School officially visited Tuscaloosa for the Texas A&M game, and he briefly told SEC Country after that trip what he thought.

“All I have to say is roll Tide roll,” Browning said at the time.

Now, am I willing to say that Browning is going to choose Alabama on Nov. 29, the day he’ll announce his commitment? Not at this time. He is going to take an official visit to Ohio State next weekend for its game against Michigan — just days before making a commitment. Spoiler: He’s going to love that visit just like every other recruit who visits a college campus.

Alabama, despite having three top-flight linebackers already committed in the class, would love to add Browning. He’s been one of the team’s top targets regardless of position ever since he was offered by the Tide. Outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi absolutely loves Browning, and he thinks the Army All-American could be an instant impact type of player.

When the team faced Southern California earlier this season in Arlington, Texas, Lupoi, fresh off the jet from Tuscaloosa, showed up at Kennedale High School in a suit and tie. He didn’t stop at the team hotel to change. He wanted to be sure he made it to Browning’s game in time.

Browning is a wanted man in Tuscaloosa, so expect Alabama to continue pressing for him. If the Tide don’t land him, they have commitments from 5-star prospect Dylan Moses and 4-stars VanDarius Cowan and Markail Benton.

Thinking about Alabama landing Browning is a scary thought. Here’s what the young linebacker group would look like in 2017:

Sophomore, former 5-star prospect Mack Wilson
Redshirt freshman, former 5-star prospect Ben Davis
Sophomore, former 4-star Terrell Hall
Freshman, 5-star prospect Dylan Moses
Freshman, 5-star prospect Baron Browning
Freshman, 4-star prospect VanDarius Cowan
Freshman, 4-star prospect Markail Benton

What an unbelievable group.

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HONOLULU — Shortly before beginning his coaching career at SMU as a graduate assistant in 2012, Timmy Chang, Hawaii’s all-time leading passer in high school football, thinks back on the kid who is on the verge of breaking his record of 8,001 career passing yards.

That would be Alabama 5-star quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa, who only needs 87 yards to break Chang’s record in his final game before college.

As Chang was getting ready to leave Hawaii for his first coaching opportunity, he paid close attention to the younger quarterbacks who were on the island. One of those players was Tagovailoa.

“He threw the ball like he was one of the best quarterbacks in the state when he was in the eighth grade,” Chang, now the offensive coordinator at D3 Emory & Henry, told SEC Country. “There was no difference in his ball and the seniors in high school. He was actually better than a lot of the inexperienced quarterbacks in high school. He was doing it for such a long time at a high level. His ceiling was unbelievable and you just knew he was going to be special.”

Both Chang and Tagovailoa have a few things in common that have helped with the success they’ve had in football. Both of them played for Saint Louis High School, had the same quarterbacks coach in Vinny Passas and had legendary Hawaii high school football head coach Cal Lee at the helm for their respective careers.

Chang is familiar with Tagovailoa from his time in Honolulu, but they don’t talk much nowadays besides the occasional message over social media. The man who is second all-time in NCAA passing yards (Case Keenum is No. 1) from his playing days at the University of Hawaii believes Tagovailoa has a chance to achieve greatness when he gets to Alabama.

“He’s a special one,” Chang said. “Like I said, I saw him as an eighth grader and he was good then. He’s just gotten taller, stronger, faster and smarter. He’s going to be a good fit for Alabama. I know there’s a young quarterback there, but knowing him, he’s going there to compete. I think he’s a special one.

“He has all of the intangibles. He has thrown with a lot of great quarterbacks over the years. Marcus (Mariota) sometimes goes home and trains over there, and I know with those coaches, they’ve prepared him for the next level.”

Chang takes a lot of pride in being a former Saint Louis student, just like Tagovailoa. After practice on Thursday, several former Crusader alumni greeted the team before the state championship on Saturday against Kahuku. The alumni place stickers on the players’ shoulder pads signifying that the team is not only playing for themselves and their teammates but also those who came before them.

Tagovailoa said Chang’s support on his quest to break his record and to lead St. Louis to a state championship in his final high school game means more than what any stat sheet shows.

“With that support, it truly shows what kind of brotherhood we have over here,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s not just, ‘Hey, I want you to do this because this is what I did.’ It’s more so that these alumni are cheering us on because they want what’s best for the future of the kids. For me, I would want the same for other kids as well.”

That’s exactly the mindset Chang has when he thinks back to his successful high school football career. If anyone was going to become the state’s all-time leading passer, he would want the record to be broken by a Crusader.

Even though he graduated from Saint Louis 16 years ago, he still keeps up with the team and is going to be rooting for Tagovailoa to break his record and hopefully carry the Crusaders to a state championship.

“It really means the world to me,” Chang said of the possibility of Tagovailoa breaking the record. “I know more importantly to him, he’s had this game circled on his calendar for a long time. For him to do it in a game of this magnitude is special, but more importantly, the brotherhood wants a win.

“If I could see him, I would give him a big hug and thank him if he gets it done and wins. I really would. He’ll always be one of the brothers who wore the colors proudly.”

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Alabama quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa won an impressive award Thursday night. The nation's No. 33 overall player won the Cover 2 Marcus Mariota player of the year award.

The award honors the top player in Hawaii as awarded by KHON.

It was named after Oregon's Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Tagovailoa was also named the Elite-11 MVP earlier this Spring.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder committed to Alabama in May. He has national offers including USC, Oregon, UCLA, Texas A&M and countless others.

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