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

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MONTGOMERY, Ala – The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic kicks off on Saturday. But in the past, it's been the preceding practice sessions that have made us believers in the likes of Ryan Anderson, TJ Yeldon, Ameer Abdullah and Chris Jones. The future stars of the SEC and the NFL are already emerging once again after day one of the 2016 edition of the game.

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What else we learned on Day 1

Tadarian Moultry needs to be considered for five-star status…The Rueben Foster comparisons are going to continue with Moultry because of how violent and how fast he plays the game. The Auburn commit was all over the field on Tuesday and he's the type of kid that looks like he really enjoys practice, enjoys competing. That's not something to be overlooked.

Cam Akers is the best running back in the country…At least that's what I think right now. This was more based on what he did last weekend in the state championships in Mississippi but he didn't do much to make me second-guess that performance. The five-star is rocked up, explosive, athletic and actually is a really effective quarterback when he wants to be. He'll be a running back on the next level though and he and Najee Harris will have a great battle in the final month for that No. 1 ranking.

Tennessee is getting a good one in Jordan Murphy…The wide receiver out of Mississippi was probably the smoothest pass-catcher on either roster. That kid is going to find ways to get open in Knoxville and over the past two signing classes, Tennessee has done a much better job of finding those types of receivers – guys that can create separation and finish.

This isn't the DL of years past…This Alabama defensive line is really good. Alec Jackson had some flash moments Ryan Johnson and Neil Farrell are big, athletic bodies, and LSU commit Justin Thomas was the most athletic of the bunch. But as compared to last year's group that had Marlon Davidson and Quinnen Williams or the 2015 group with Da'Ron Payne and Anfernee Jennings, this is a more human position group. That's consistent with the 2017 class nationally.

Hunter Brannon is going to play at Alabama…I don't know if Hunter Brannon has an NFL future. He's not an overwhelming presence physically. But he sure seems like the type of guy that ends up logging a lot of snaps for Alabama on the interior of the offensive line. He was the most polished, technically sound offensive lineman in attendance and while he did have some occasional struggles with the bulrush, he was always in good position to handle what defensive linemen were throwing at him.

There are two sleepers people need to know…Defensive back Zyon Gilbert out of Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery is legit. He's currently a Troy lean but he's good enough to play at a high major Power five program. On the Mississippi side the guy that flashed to me was defensive lineman O'Bryan Goodson out of South Panola. He's got a Memphis offer and a January official visit scheduled there but for defenses that can stomach an undersized defensive tackle (6-foot), Goodson is really good.

Bubba Thompson is an SEC-level quarterback…Tennessee seems to be the favorite for Bubba Thompson, the one-time baseball prospect that is turning towards football late in his high school career. He was the best quarterback for the Alabama team on Tuesday and when you add that to his athleticism and his developmental upside, he's got a chance to be a pretty good one.

Myles Brennan is the best quarterback in Montgomery…He threw more passes on Tuesday than any other quarterback but that's ok. He's used to it. Brennan looked right at home cutting through the wind and making big throws all day long. He does a great job of getting the ball out quickly, using varying arm slots to find throwing lanes and he was very accurate all day. Still committed to LSU, Oklahoma State may now be the favorite.

The most athletic linebacker in Montgomery is Willie Gay…I'm not sure there's a better prospect at this event than Tadarian Moultry but if we're measuring this purely on athleticism, Willie Gay may have him. Gay is really fluid and speedy from his linebacker position and he's got safety cover ability to go with his heat-seeking run support style. Michigan is battling Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU for his commitment.

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When Chadarius Townsend was an eighth-grader at Tanner, he raced in the state track meet against ArDarius Stewart, then a senior at Fultondale.

The race went well for Townsend, who finished second.

"He was in first and I was in second the whole way, but he was killing everybody else, including me," Townsend said Tuesday after practice for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game.

Now, Townsend hopes to follow in Stewart's footsteps at Alabama. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound Townsend committed to Alabama before his junior season and stuck with it.

He canceled his planned official visit to Mississippi State and will enroll at Alabama in January.

"With 'Bama being there early, I had committed right away," Townsend said. "I started thinking about it and I had been this long with them, I should stick with it."

And when he gets to Alabama, Townsend will play on offense. Townsend is listed as a four-star athlete by recruiting services and played all over the field at Tanner. He said Alabama coaches want to use him like Townsend, who has 52 catches for 852 yards and eight scores, or former Crimson Tide running back/slot receiver Kenyan Drake.

"They pretty much asked me (if I wanted to play offense or defense) and said they could see me doing it," said Townsend, a quarterback his whole life like Stewart was before playing receiver at Alabama.

Townsend played some cornerback at Tanner as a senior.

"In high school football, you just get out there and do it," Townsend said. "But where I really see myself is an offensive guy."

Chadarius Townsend -- the son of a Limestone County Sheriff's Deputy -- is described as quiet and respectful, which is exactly what his father wants.

Stewart redshirted as a freshman at Alabama. That may be Townsend's path as he aims to get bigger. He said Alabama strength coaches could get him up to 195 or 200 pounds by the time he returns to Tanner in May to graduate with his class.

"I can see myself doing a lot of things that (Stewart) does now," Townsend said. "Growing up and playing quarterback my whole life is the same thing he did. We're pretty much the same size (when he was in high school)."

Townsend practiced as a safety in Tuesday's morning practice at Huntingdon College. He said he may give offense a try this week, as soon as Tuesday's afternoon practice.

The Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game is on Saturday at noon at Montgomery's Cramton Bowl.

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Rhiannon Potkey
@TennesseeBeat
Trey Smith said a critical factor for choosing #Vols was branding. Smith said Butch Jones told him #Vols could help build his brand.


Umm. Wut.

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