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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:16 am to TideSaint
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:16 am to TideSaint
quote:
The next former Kentucky QB commit turned Alabama commit?
Mac Jones was looked at as Kentucky’s leader in the Class of 2017 before flipping to Alabama during one of Saban’s summer camp sessions last year. The quarterback is now competing in spring practice in Tuscaloosa.
Flash forward nearly a year after Jones flipped from Kentucky to Alabama, and here we are with another Wildcats quarterback commit who is viewed as one of the building blocks in their class.
Shortly after tweeting his offer from Alabama, assistants from Kentucky reached out to Williams. They didn’t mention him picking up an offer from the Crimson Tide, but they made sure to let him know how excited they were to host him for a visit this weekend when he travels to Lexington for the team’s spring game.
Florida, Florida State, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee are the schools trying their hardest to flip Williams away from Kentucky. It remains to be seen if Alabama is going to join that group, but the Tide staff is expected at Central Gwinnett to see Williams throw in person in the next few weeks.
It’s not going to be easy for any school to change his mind on Kentucky. The Wildcats were there for him when he was still that quarterback who would likely have to make a position change at some point.
“It matters that they were there,” Williams said. “You want to go somewhere where you’re a priority. You don’t want to go somewhere where nobody really knows who you are and the coaches aren’t high on you. I know I’m a priority at Kentucky. They took me in when I didn’t really know anything about recruiting. They have made me feel like I’m a part of the team.
“I’m firmly committed. People have asked me a lot lately where I stand and if I’m looking around. I wouldn’t say that the word is looking. It’s more so I’m listening to what others have to say.”
The 6-foot-3, 211-pound prospect did have to listen to everything Alabama said on Tuesday. He got a chance to talk to Mac Jones for a little, but they didn’t talk about Jones’ decision to leave Kentucky. They just talked about what it’s been like for Jones so far at Alabama.
Williams got a chance to sit in a quarterbacks meeting with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Jones. The biggest takeaway from that experience was how in-depth the Tide’s offense is but how easy it is to learn if you’re one of those QBs.
“With coach Daboll, he’s very in-depth, but it’s simple at the same time,” Williams said. “It’s not as complicated as you’d think. On TV, you see them doing all these hand signals and it pretty much should just be Chinese, but it’s something I can definitely see myself doing.
“He makes the offense very simple to understand. The defense is always wrong. That’s how he coaches. Every play, there’s always someone that’s going to be open. That’s what he was stressing.”
Alabama has offered 18 quarterbacks in the Class of 2018, with many of them already committed elsewhere. The Tide are having a somewhat difficult time when it comes to the quarterback position this cycle because of the young depth they have.
The good news is that if Williams did decide Alabama was the school for him, competition and waiting his turn wouldn’t be a negative. Wofford said Alabama has used the lack of bodies at the position as a selling point in conversations with him.
“Some places will tell you that you’re going to start right away,” Wofford said. “To me, that’s not a good situation. You’re telling a kid who is still in high school that he’s the one that’s going to start for you. Something isn’t going well if that’s the situation, in my opinion.
“You want to learn from a veteran first. The learning curve is huge in the SEC. Those are the best defenses in the nation. They’re pretty much NFL defenses. You have to learn. Baptism by fire isn’t always the best option.”
Williams will enroll early at the school of his choice. He’s not sure about official visits and future unofficial visits at this time, but Alabama certainly opened his eyes to other options. Williams expects to throw for the Alabama staff this spring and see where it goes from there.
“It’s a big decision, so I am making sure I do my due diligence to see if Kentucky is the best fit for me to be successful,” Williams said.
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Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:19 am to TideSaint
My friend who is an FSU alumn said last week they quietly felt good about Fields. I was pretty surprised considering he is one of the key PSU pieces, and adding in that Parsons may be leaning towards flipping to OSU as well
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:21 am to Buckeye06
quote:
My friend who is an FSU alumn said last week they quietly felt good about Fields. I was pretty surprised considering he is one of the key PSU pieces
Fields has said many times he is solid to PSU, but you never know with these kids.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:29 am to TideSaint
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GLENDORA, Calif. – The Los Angeles stop of the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp Series presented by adidas is in the books and after a week of coverage, it’s time to do some prognostication. Today we take a look at the top players from Sunday’s event and do our best to project where they will commit and eventually sign come February.
LINK
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:30 am to TideSaint
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CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart
The latest: Taylor-Stuart’s offer list has exploded in recent months, with programs from all over the country joining. Right now several programs are firmly in the mix, including Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Nebraska and Alabama. He’s planning more visits going forward and where he ends up visiting over the summer could go a long way toward foreshadowing his final destination.
The pick: Alabama. The Tide have been high on his list dating back to the early fall and that hard work should pay off down the road.
Please let them be right.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:31 am to TideSaint
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OT Penei Sewell
The latest: Unlike some of the prospects on this list, Sewell has been very methodical when it comes to visiting schools. He was at UCLA recently and USC is one of the only other schools he’s had a chance to visit as of yet. This spring he’s set to take several visits, with Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas all working to get him on campus in the coming months.
The pick: Alabama. Sewell is considering visiting Tuscaloosa for the Tide’s spring game and if he does indeed make that trip, it could go a long way toward helping the Tide steal another elite talent from the West Coast.
Well this is a surprise.
ETA: This kid is a Guard in my opinion. He's 6'5" 340 pounds.
This post was edited on 4/13/17 at 10:32 am
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:33 am to TideSaint
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OT Tommy Brown
The latest: Brown has an eclectic mix of schools in the race to land his commitment with Pac-12 programs California and Oregon battling it out with the SEC's Auburn and Big Ten's Michigan. Brown, who is an Alabama legacy, doesn’t yet hold an offer from the Tide, but the conventional wisdom is that an offer could change everything. With a visit set to both Auburn and Alabama, Brown’s recruitment could be on the verge of turning into an Iron Bowl battle.
The pick: Michigan. Brown has been busy with visits and is keeping his comments relatively tame when it comes to favorites, but the Wolverines see him as a prime target and it wouldn’t be a shock to see them pull him out of California.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:35 am to TideSaint
quote:
In the middle of a string of visits, Rivals100 linebacker Teradja Mitchell has cut his extensive offer sheet down to five. The Virginia Beach (Va.) Bishop Sullivan star visited Ohio State last weekend and Alabama a couple weeks before that and has at least two more visits to Clemson and Florida State coming up.
IN HIS OWN WORDS…
"The first time I went down to Ohio State I didn't really get a feel for it because it was a game and there were so many people," Mitchell said. "I didn't really get a chance to talk with many of the coaches. This time around I got to talk to the coaches, get a good feel for the program and saw what it was all about. I liked their approach towards me because they didn't just talk about football. They talked a lot about life after football. It's a great school and great public university not even considering the football part.
"I talked to coach Meyer, coach Davis, and coach Smith," he said. "They were really talking about life after football for most of it. We did talk about football but life after football was the main focus.
"I talked to Wayne Davis in Jayln Holmes while I was up there," said Mitchell. "Both of them are from my area. They really love it there. They are really high on the program. We talked about how life was on campus and they told me that if I come there I'm choosing the hard route. But I'll be great in the end. It's all about buying in and listing to the coaches.
"I visited Alabama a couple of weeks ago," he said. "Their process for the players there is something that really sticks out. They are constantly putting players in the NFL and winning a lot. I want to win at the next level. That really stuck out to me, the process and the grind.
"I'm going to Clemson next weekend on April 21st," Mitchell said. "I heard Clemson is crazy and the environment there is great. I've heard a lot of players saying that when I go there I'm not going to want to leave. I just want to see what all of the hype is about. I know it's a great program and they're coming off a National Championship. I've been down there once before but only for a couple of hours. I want to see what their plan is for me for football and for academics. That's really the main focus.
"I'd like to build a relationship with them," he said. "I never really got a chance to talk to coach Swinney in person so this'll be my first time talking to him in person. Jordan Williams this trying to get me to come there. It’s the same thing with Amari Rogers and Xavier Thomas now that he's committed.
"Florida State is a school that I'm still very high on," said Mitchell. "I've loved it there and I can't wait to get back down there. I'm visiting Florida State on May 12th. This time when I'm down there I just want to see what their plan is for me. It's getting to that time where I say to myself ‘I'll be in college next year.’ I really just wanted to find out about their plan for me. I know how campuses and I know how the players are. I just want to see how I would fit in with their defense and everything."
On what he thinks about people that think he has a favorite: "I'll tell those people to wait and see," Mitchell said. "I need to go to Clemson and Florida State one more time. I'm not sure about my visits after that. Alabama and LSU are still very much in the mix. I'd say Ohio State, Florida State, Clemson, Alabama and LSU are my top five. I want to commit in the next month or two. I'm really not sure I have a leader right now. Everybody's even right now."
RIVALS' REACTION
Mitchell's recruitment has very much been a battle between Florida State and Ohio State. It seems as though the Buckeyes may have pulled ahead of the Seminoles during Mitchell's visit over the weekend but the upcoming visit to Tallahassee looms large on the horizon. Clemson has a chance to really make a strong impression and, by the looks of things, the Tigers have been absolutely killing it with prospects that visit their campus and new facility. Mitchell didn't give an exact date for his commitment but he could pull the trigger some time in late May or June.
Oh Lord. He's visiting Clemson next week so expect the two Clemson idiots on this site to start a thread about him on the SECRb shortly thereafter.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:37 am to TideSaint
quote:
Kameron Brown, a 6-foot-0, 165-pound wide receiver from Colleyville (Texas) Heritage already has more than 30 offers on his list and he is starting to narrow his focus. Earlier in the week he released his Top 12 list.
The list featured schools like Alabama, Baylor, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, and UCLA.
"I feel like it is starting to come together pretty good," Brown said of his recruiting list at the Under Armour Camp.
"The most heavy interest would probably be UCLA, Bama, TCU, North Carolina, Texas. It is fun (receiving all of the interest), but it is also hard because they are great schools. You have to really focus hard, because they are all great schools, so it is really hard to depict what the difference maker is going to be."
As a sophomore in 2016, Brown led his team with 45 receptions for 748 yards and 12 touchdowns. He earned 8-5A Sophomore Offensive MVP honors for his efforts.
"I feel like I have great speed," Brown said of his strengths."I have strong hands and I feel like I can get people's hands off of me. I am very physical."
Brown -- who is the son of former Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl MVP cornerback Larry Brown -- has been one of the most dominant wide receivers at The Opening and Under Armour camp stops in the Dallas area. He was named to the Scout Top Offensive Performers and Top Underclassmen lists at both of those camps.
"It has been pretty fun," Brown said of the camp experience. "I have been able to try and make my own name for myself and not my dad's name. It is really great to come out and compete against the best kids. It is the only way you can get better."
Kameron Brown The Opening Dallas Evaluation: His double and sometimes triple moves at times found him running wide open with defenders not even having a chance to make a play on the football. He has very good hands and looks the ball in.
LINK
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:46 am to TideSaint
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Malcolm Lamar lived out his childhood as a Florida Gators fan, but is now hesitant to name a front-runner with over 20 additional offers to consider, including one from Alabama.
Lamar, the nation's third-ranked defensive end and 33rd-ranked player overall, recently journeyed up to Tuscaloosa for the first time and says his time with coach Nick Saban's staff was nothing short of "amazing."
"It was amazing," Lamar said. "The facilities are like something you've never seen before. I can't explain it, but it was amazing.
"I like Alabama because they have a good program, and I like Nick Saban. He was telling me I have a chance to fight for a starting position during my freshman year. It was pretty cool meeting him; he's a calm dude, you know?"
I didn't know we were so high on this kid's list. He's a beast.
He is taking his recruitment all the way to NSD.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:47 am to TideSaint
Here is Scout's analysis of Malcolm Lamar:
quote:
The one thing that Lamar certainly possesses in the trenches is versatility. He's extremely long without much bad weight, and could transform into an intriguing offensive tackle prospect down the road if choosing to as well. Lamar flashes active hands to swat off blockers, and really does a nice job of giving it his all and pursuing to the football until the play is whistled dead. He has a decent get-off and shoots into the backfield, but getting stronger is something to focus on moving forward
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:48 am to TideSaint
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:48 am to TideSaint
quote:
The Top Five
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3. Rafiti Ghirmai, Frisco (Texas) Wakeland
Ghirmai is a top-tier offensive line prospect in the state of Texas' 2018 recruiting class. He possesses an adequate frame for the tackle spot at the Power Five conference level. He's fairly athletic relative to his position and has a big reach that should give him a high ceiling as a pass-blocker. Ghirmai could potentially prove position-versatile at the next level as well. He can play a bit high at times and his hand placement lacks consistency, but all the physical tools are there for Ghirmai, who thrives in the run game and owns the requisite traits to become a well-rounded high-major O-lineman. Offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and many more.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 10:52 am to TideSaint
Posted on 4/13/17 at 12:02 pm to TideSaint
quote:
West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West middle linebacker Xavier Peters attended The Opening Regional in Cleveland on Sunday, but did not work out. He is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot and was in a walking boot on Sunday.
However, Peters was still impressive. He passed the “look test” like very few prospects can. Peters looked every bit like one of the country’s top prep football prospects.
Peters is looking forward to eventually participating in another The Opening Regional.
“I will be at the one May 7 in North Carolina,” Peters said. I’ll be performing at that one. That will give me time to prepare and get ready.”
The 6-foot-4 and 215-pound Peters currently holds 24 scholarship offers. His offer list includes Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Penn State, Florida, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Louisville, Pitt, Maryland, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Cincinnati.
“I don’t really have a top school right now,” Peters said. “They are all big. I’m still going through the process really.”
Peters visited Alabama on Tuesday and is visiting Tennessee today and Kentucky on Friday.
“(Alabama) was amazing,” Peters said on Thursday morning.
As far as what impressed him the most on his Alabama visit, it was Nick Saban.
“The bond I’m building with the head coach,” Peters said.
After his southern swing Peters will be back at Ohio State.
“I’ll be up there for the spring game,” Peters said. “I love Ohio State. But they haven’t offered yet. I’m not surprised about that because I was talking to coach (Urban) Meyer and he was telling me that he’s going to wait until my ACT score comes out. He told me he will get with me after that. But I finished the third quarter with a 3.0 (GPA) and he was really proud of me. So that’s a good note.”
Peters is a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports rankings. He is the country’s No. 167 overall prospect, the No. 10 outside linebacker and the No. 5 prospect in Ohio.
LINK
Posted on 4/13/17 at 12:07 pm to TideSaint
quote:
two Clemson idiots on this site to start a thread about him on the SECRb shortly thereafter saying without fail that Clemson is getting every 5* on their board even when every recruiting expert says differently
FIFY
Posted on 4/13/17 at 12:09 pm to Buckeye06
quote:
Buckeye06
Meyer and Saban are to blame for this mess.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 12:19 pm to TideSaint
They are also to blame for 7 of the past 11 national title trophies sitting in their cases so I'll take it
Posted on 4/13/17 at 12:24 pm to Buckeye06
quote:
They are also to blame for 7 of the past 11 national title trophies sitting in their cases so I'll take it
Touche.
Posted on 4/13/17 at 2:07 pm to TideSaint
I almost don't want him banned because he just keeps fighting
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