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

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Trey Scott ?@TreyScott247 23m23 minutes ago
Working with future Bama kicker and snapper, looks like @chris_hummer is holder for Tide in 17

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Setting up special teams. West KRs are Devonta Smith and Joseph Lewis

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Michigan WR commit Tarik Black with a fantastic grab in traffic on a bullet from Bama QB commit.
Black was one of the very best Monday. Looks like he's continuing that today.

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Michigan WR commit Tarik Black

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Hank South ?@HankSouth247 59m59 minutes ago
#Bama OL commit Kendall Randolph with 4-star OL Tedarrell Slaton.

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He was set for arrival on Jan. 8 but it will likely be sooner now. Should know when he's getting on campus later today.

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Aubrey Solomon explains why Alabama leads

Aubrey Solomon, a 5-star defensive tackle from Lee County High School (Leesburg, Ga.), told SEC Country on Sunday that Alabama was his leader over Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Michigan. The news that the Tide are on top is significant because he is expecting to announce his commitment next month.

SEC Country is in San Antonio this week for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and we caught up with Solomon after practice Monday to get him to expound on just how big of a lead Alabama has on its competition for the nation’s No. 2 defensive tackle.

“I believe it is a huge lead, and I will say it is a SEC fight,” Solomon said. “That’s how I feel. It is a big SEC fight.”

Well, that’s surely a significant quote on two levels. One, Solomon said Alabama has a “huge” lead and two, it’s an SEC-only race, which knocks Michigan, the school he was once committed to, out of the race. Some in the recruiting industry believed the Wolverines, and not the in-state Bulldogs, were actually going to be the team to beat. 

Now, again, any time I write about Solomon I am going to have to caution everyone: Alabama is in the running for the most erratic recruit in the Class of 2017. You always need to stay on your toes for what he’s going to do next. At various points in his recruitment, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss and Ohio State have been deemed his public leader.

Solomon admitted that he was immature earlier on in this process, but he has learned from what he’s done up until now. The 5-star prospect said his decision is going to come down to which school can offer him a combination of the ability to graduate, how well-behaved the team is and how strong of a football program it has.

Alabama, he said, hits on all of those levels.

“I would say by what they have shown me recently,” Solomon said. “How their defense is playing. Lights out. Just unreal.”

He did compliment Michigan’s defense, too, almost on the same level as Alabama’s.

“If I could rate defenses, Alabama would be 1A and Michigan would be 1B,” Solomon said. “What they’re doing is unbelievable.”

Solomon said Alabama and Georgia are recruiting him the hardest right now. His decision should come down to those two schools. Despite Alabama holding a large lead for Solomon, he said Georgia has gained some ground because of the team’s commitments.

The Bulldogs have nine commitments in San Antonio. Each one of them is working Solomon hard.

“I know (the lead) is by a good margin, but with UGA commits here, they are catching up,” Solomon said.

The Army All-American was pictured in a video posted by new Georgia defensive back commit Tray Bishop on Monday night, which showed several Bulldogs commits hanging out with each other. Solomon said his time with the Bulldogs’ commits could help Georgia’s chances.

Richard LeCounte III, who is the Alex Leatherwood of Georgia’s class, meaning he’s the team’s best recruiter as a commitment, is in San Antonio this week. He’s been in Solomon’s ear.

“He’s doing a dang good job, I tell you that right now,” Solomon said. “And then (here) I room with (UGA commit Jeremiah) Holloman. So, I get a double dose of it.”

He said that “double dose” was more than just trying to be another Alabama.

“They are saying that we are going to be better than Alabama in a couple of years,” Solomon said. “(They say) when we are hoisting that national championship (trophy), it would be all said and done after that.”

While it remains unclear if Kirby Smart can coach at a high level, he sure can recruit like Alabama. Expect there to be lots of twists and turns with this recruitment as we get closer to February.

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