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

quote:

---

College football's interminably long offseason is the ideal breeding ground for overthinking. With so much time on our hands, we can't help but reflect back on the season that was and look ahead to the one on the horizon. And with that comes plenty of conjecture, often in the form of projections that are based more on hope than actual evidence.

We're less than three months removed from the end of the 2015 season, and yet we can't wait for the 2016 campaign to begin in just over five months. And it goes beyond just longing for the start of the next season—we also want to figure out who will compete for a national title and who will fall short of expectations.

While we're at it, why don't we just predict every team's regular-season record?

That's just what we've done, going game by game through the schedule of every power-conference team (as well as top independents BYU and Notre Dame) to project each win-loss total. Take note: These projections are only for scheduled games and do not include conference title games or bowls.

---

quote:

---

Turnovers the last 2 years have kept the games close.

---

quote:

---

I also think the ACC will be left out this year.

---

quote:

---

There may not have been a more talked about recruit in the month leading up to National Signing Day than Raekwon Davis.

Davis, an Alabama four-star defensive tackle signee from Meridian (Miss.) High School, spoke with SEC Country about what actually happened on Jan. 17, the day he visited Mississippi State.

There were several reports that he had flipped his commitment from Alabama to Mississippi State and several more reports stating he did not actually commit to the Bulldogs. On that day, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, through his verified Twitter account, tweeted out that the Bulldogs gained a commitment. That tweet was retweeted by Davis, who changed his Twitter bio to “Committed to MSU.” Needless to say, it was a mess. Davis claimed his Twitter account was hacked on that day and maintained his commitment to Alabama, despite the appearance of his profile.

The 6-foot-7, 327-pounder eventually signed his letter of intent on signing day and will ultimately play for the Crimson Tide. It should be noted that Davis also signed a letter of intent with Jones Junior College. He has some academic issues he needs to work on in order to be on Alabama’s roster this fall. He goes into detail about that, too.

For the first time since that Jan. 17 fiasco, Davis says what actually happened that day and if he actually did commit to Mississippi State.

Q: What actually happened on the day you visited Mississippi State? Obviously, there was some drama there with your Twitter account claiming you had flipped to Mississippi State.

Davis: I didn’t commit. I still don’t know how word got out like that. I think one guy tweeted out that I had committed to State. That one tweet went viral.

Q: Your Twitter account posted tweets saying you had flipped and the account retweeted Mullen’s message saying you flipped. Can you explain how that happened?

Davis: I don’t know what happened. I think I left my phone with one of the Mississippi State players when I was on that visit and they were posting that stuff. I don’t know. It was just crazy.

Q: So are you saying a Mississippi State player did it then?

Davis: I don’t really know who did it. It got hacked, though.

Q: If you didn’t commit, why do you think Coach Mullen tweeted out that his program earned a commitment? You were the only one that was associated with committing to that program on that day.

Davis: I don’t know.

Q: What was going through your mind that day? I’m sure your phone was blowing up from Alabama coaches and reporters.

Davis: I was very angry. Everybody was calling me and blowing up my phone to see what happened. It just wasn’t true.

Q: Can you explain why one Mississippi State signee told me that he saw you give your commitment to the Bulldogs coaching staff?

Davis: That’s not true at all. Nope.

Q: Who handled this situation for you? Who was the one person you called to help you navigate through that situation?

Davis: I called my coach at Meridian and he helped me handle it because I didn’t know what was going on.

Q: To be 100 percent clear here, you never committed to Mississippi State and you were always 100 percent committed to Alabama?

Davis: Yes, sir.

Q: You took a surprise trip to Tuscaloosa on Jan. 23. What made you visit that weekend?

Davis: I thought the Alabama coaches believed that Mississippi State had a shot at me. I didn’t want the coaches to feel that way, so I had to take that visit and tell them what the truth was.

Q: What did the Alabama coaching staff tell you when all of this was going down?

Davis: They were just telling me to do what’s best for me. That’s really about it. They were really confused about the situation. They wanted details as to what happened.

Q: What did you tell them?

Davis: I told them what happened. They didn’t care about how everything went down. I confirmed my commitment on that trip.

Q: You signed two letters of intent, one with Alabama and with Jones Junior College. Have you figured out if you are going to play at Jones?

Davis: I can’t say right now. I don’t know. I still have some work to do. I’m hoping to just go straight to Alabama.

Q: What do you need to do in order to get to Alabama?

Davis: I just have to improve my grades. I got a 19 on my ACT (he does not know what his sum score was, which is what the NCAA uses to determine eligibility). I know I need to get all A’s and B’s on my report card.

Q: Are you confident that you’ll be able to qualify?

Davis: Yes I am confident. It’s not hard. I just need to continue working hard.

Q: Is it fair to say that Mississippi State came in second place for your commitment?

Davis: It was really hard for me to tell (LSU defensive line coach Ed) Orgeron that I wasn’t going to LSU. They were really my No. 2 school. Coach Orgeron is a great coach. He knows what he’s doing. He’s just a really great coach.

Q: Why was LSU your No. 2 school and not Mississippi State?

Davis: It just has to do with Coach Orgeron. He’s a great dude. He’s such a great coach.

Q: What was the funniest story that happened on one of your recruiting trips?

Davis: You know (Alabama CB signee) Nigel (Knott) is buckwild. We were out in T-Town when we visited together and Nigel started doing flips in the middle of the road. I just walked away from him. I was embarrassed.

Q: Which head coach of a team that you did not sign with was the nicest?

Davis: Coach (Hugh) Freeze at Ole Miss. He’s a really cool coach. He’s another really great dude.

Q: If you could give a junior only one piece of advice about the recruiting process, what would it be?

Davis: Don’t let this process get to your head. Don’t let all of the offers get to you. You have to stay on the grind.

---

quote:

---

Shaun Wade, a five-star Ohio State cornerback commit, says Alabama is currently his No. 2 school and Florida is in the three spot.

Along with Alabama and Florida, Wade named Southern Cal, Stanford and Notre Dame as the biggest threats to his commitment to the Buckeyes.

Why is Alabama a threat? For one, the nation’s No. 3 cornerback is originally from Montgomery, Ala. Most of his mother’s side of the family still lives in Alabama, and that’s a big factor for why he’s high on the Crimson Tide.

“I have a great interest level in Alabama right now,” Wade said. “I get along with all of the coaches and that’s where I’m from. I grew up there and was raised there.”

He expanded on why he thinks Alabama is currently his No. 2 school.

“It’s close to home. They’re talking really well to me,” Wade told SEC Country. “Those are the two main reasons right now. They would develop me as a player and could help me play any DB position — safety or corner. I could come in and play whatever. They aren’t just going to develop me as a one-side corner.”

The other three programs chasing Wade do have a clear advantage over the Crimson Tide — early playing time. Wade believes he could see the field sooner at Florida, USC, Stanford and Notre Dame than Alabama.

Alabama has two young cornerbacks on its roster in sophomores Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey — both former five-star signees. The pair shined last year as freshmen and are the clear starters for this year’s squad.

However, that alone would not prevent the Tide from potentially flipping the elite Buckeyes pledge.

“I think I would be in the rotation if I went to Alabama,” Wade said. “It doesn’t hurt anyone’s chances if I can’t play right away. If I work hard, I can still get on the field.”

The Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) standout did say Alabama has an advantage over most schools. Wade said that his relationship with new defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley is growing, and his recruiting approach is different than most coaches.

“He’s getting to know me on a personal level,” Wade said of Ansley. “Some coaches don’t really try to get to know me, all they want to talk about is football 24/7. (Ansley) is trying to get to know who I am as a kid.”

The 6-foot-1, 177-pounder has been committed to Ohio State since Jan. 12, 2015, the day the Buckeyes beat the Oregon Ducks in the national championship game.

Wade said he’s 100 percent committed to Ohio State, but the door is still open for other schools.

“I’m still going to be looking around because I want what’s best for me and my future in college for the next four years.

“I just really want to see these other college’s programs and how their culture is at their school. I want to see how these coaches interact with their players. I also want to see if these other schools have my major and if it’s rated highly at these schools.”

Wade, who plans on studying sports medicine in college, said he expects to attend Alabama’s spring game April 16. He does not know when a final decision on his commitment will come, although he is trying to enroll early, so it will need to come before January.

---

quote:

---

Outside of Nico Collins, who are other WRs Alabama is targeting?

(From @jplynn06)

Wide receiver is a big position of need for Alabama in the Class of 2017 after only signing just two in 2016: four-star Trevon Diggs and three-star T.J. Simmons. The Crimson Tide are in the mix for several elite receivers. Here are four others besides Nico Collins, who is the state of Alabama’s No. 1 prospect.

Devonta Smith, four-star, Amite, La.

Smith backed off his commitment to Georgia shortly after a Bulldogs assistant left for Alabama in January. He visited Alabama recently and told SEC Country where things stand with the Crimson Tide.

“They are one of my top schools because of the relationships with the coaching staff and how comfortable I am with the school,” Smith said.

The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder has close relationships with Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt from his days at Georgia and Alabama assistant director of player personnel Sam Pettito. Petitto has been in Smith’s life for years now. It’s one of the main reasons why many people in the recruiting industry believe that when Smith makes a final decision, he’ll choose the Crimson Tide.

Jerry Jeudy, four-star, Pompano Beach, Fla.

At one point, Jerry Jeudy named Alabama as his top school, but things have changed for the wide receiver.

“I don’t have a leader,” Jeudy said. “All of the schools are equal right now, but Alabama is a lovely school. Every time I go up there, they treat me like family.”

Along with Alabama, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder mentioned Tennessee, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Clemson and Southern Cal as other schools that stick out to him at the moment.

Henry Ruggs, four-star, Montgomery, Ala.

Alabama has been in prime position to land Ruggs for a while now, and a commitment to his school of choice is expected before his senior season begins.

The 6-foot, 175-pounder has made numerous visits to Alabama, and it would be surprising if he ended up anywhere else.

Ruggs also holds offers from Florida, Georgia and Michigan, to name a few, but he hasn’t visited any school as often as Alabama. He is currently in Gainesville on a visit.

Other receivers to keep an eye on: Jeff Thomas (four-star, East Saint Louis, Ill.), Trey Blount (four-star, Atlanta), Jeremiah Hollomon (four-star, Covington, Ga.), Tyjon Lindsey (five-star, Corona, Calif.)

---

quote:

---

Is this the year Alabama focuses more on in-state talent?

(From @RollTideRichard)

Alabama signed six players from the Yellowhammer State last season, the fewest its signed since 2011. One reason for that was because the talent level, as far as the amount of blue-chip prospects (only seven four- or five-star players) are concerned, was not top heavy.

This year, there are 14 blue-chip prospects in Alabama, and the Crimson Tide are recruiting several of them.

Alabama already has two in-state commits from four-star athlete Chadarius Townsend (Tanner, Ala.) and four-star running back Brian Robinson (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). The Tide are in good position with the state’s top prospect, four-star wide receiver Collins; four-star offensive tackle Austin Troxell (Madison, Ala.); four-star offensive tackle Kendall Randolph (Madison, Ala.), four-star defensive end LaBryan Ray (Madison, Ala.), four-star wide receiver Ruggs, four-star linebacker Tadarian Moultry (Birmingham, Ala.), three-star linebacker Monty Rice (Madison, Ala.), three-star defensive end Justin Thomas (Spanish Fort, Ala.) and three-star linebacker K.J. Britt (Oxford, Ala.).

That’s 11 prospects in-state that Alabama is high on, and the feeling is mutual from those players, too. The talent level this year in the state is the highest it has been in years, and that’s going to help Alabama out tremendously when National Signing Day 2017 rolls around.

---

quote:

---

If you had to predict the 2017 recruiting class right now, who would be some of the big names in it?

(From @colman_mitchell)

We are 11 months away from National Signing Day, so these names will change drastically over the next several months.

I think there’s a good chance Alabama ends up with three of the nation’s top five players. The Crimson Tide already have a commitment from the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in running back Najee Harris (Antioch, Calif.) and are in very good position with outside linebacker Dylan Moses (Bradenton, Fla.), the No. 2 recruit, and defensive tackle Marvin Wilson (Bellaire, Texas), the No. 4 recruit.

Moses lists Alabama as his leader, and has done so since late December. Here’s what he told SEC Country as to why Alabama is on top.

“They lead because of their defense,” Moses told SEC Country. “For me, I see myself in it, thriving and being pushed to the absolute limit. I also think Nick Saban is a fantastic coach and can adapt to any situation. If I could learn everything he has to teach me and master it, I feel like I can improve not only as a great player but later on as a better man as well. It’s not just about football with him.”

His visit Monday to Alabama reassured the Tide’s standing at No. 1.

Still, it’s going to be an intense battle with LSU when it comes to Moses’ signature. He was committed to LSU before backing off of his pledge last summer, but he’s still extremely close to the Tigers coaching staff, specifically Les Miles. It also helps LSU that he’s from Baton Rouge.

Wilson’s recruitment may also come down to Alabama and LSU. He hasn’t released a top five yet, but he told SEC Country that those two schools are already cemented as finalists.

“Those are going to be the two schools that will be there until the end,” Wilson told Jeff Sentell of SEC Country. “I already know that. I don’t have a set Top 5 or a Top 10, but if I did I know those two schools would be in there.”

He expanded on why he’s so high on Alabama.

“I really like the family environment at Alabama,” Wilson said. “It is like that home environment, but it is a united family environment because you know everybody hates Alabama because they win so much. If you don’t have it together, then you can’t succeed there. They grind it out together and work real hard to overcome all that stuff.”

Currently, Harris’ commitment level to Alabama is unknown. He’s a unique recruit. He doesn’t have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — the same social media platforms where recruits tell the world about how many offers they have, where they’re visiting, etc. Harris doesn’t do any of that.

He does visit other schools though and will continue to do so. He has visited UCLA and Southern Cal numerous times. He wants to visit Ohio State and Notre Dame, too.

He’s said that his commitment to Alabama is solid, but just how solid remains to be seen.

---