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re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:50 am to TideSaint
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:50 am to TideSaint
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National Signing Day 2017 wasn’t all that long ago, but recruiting is a 24/7/365 business. As such, SEC teams are already hard at work on their 2018 recruiting classes.
LSU continues to snatch up verbal commitments early in this cycle, adding 2 more in the last month to run its total to 13. That’s tied with Northwestern for second nationally behind Miami (16).
The latest additions for the Tigers are defensive end Jarell Cherry and guard Chasen Hines. Both are listed as 4-star prospects, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Florida is the biggest mover in the composite rankings from last month, jumping 7 places into the third spot. The Gators have added 4 players to their pledge list in recent weeks, highlighted by 4-star safety C.J. Smith and 4-star athlete Iverson Clement.
Texas A&M has been tucked in behind LSU in the SEC rankings for months now, while Auburn sits in the fourth spot.
Arkansas and Tennessee are tied for fifth. The Razorbacks edged up a bit after adding 4-star recruits Luke Ford and Byron Hanspard II in the last month while Tennessee has added 2 more verbals to its tally in the last week.
Three-star guard Ollie Lang and 3-star corner Shatar McClay are the latest members of the Volunteers’ class, which now stands at 4.
Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State are next in the standings, while Vanderbilt and South Carolina are tied for 10th.
The Gamecocks’ class suffered a setback when 5-star defensive end Xavier Thomas verbally committed to Clemson last week.
Georgia follows those 2 schools, and 247Sports doesn’t list any recruits for Missouri or Ole Miss yet in this cycle.
LINK
Right now our recruiting class is ranked as follows from the Big 3:
247: #5
Rivals: #8
Scout: #7
5
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:52 am to TideSaint
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The Iron Bowl may still be seven months away, but the rivalry’s in-state recruiting battles are in full swing.
Alabama and Auburn dominate the state’s recruiting efforts. Since 2013, only 8 of the 50 players ranked top 10 in the state each year landed somewhere other than Alabama and Auburn (one of those eight was then-Ole Miss commit Austin Golson who now starts for Auburn). The Crimson Tide and the Tigers fight for in-state recruiting positioning on a yearly basis.
Alabama has had a clear edge — over Auburn and everyone else — this decade, with the Crimson Tide cruising to the No. 1 team ranking every year since 2011. In that time, Auburn has averaged roughly 8th nationally, and that time frame only includes one non-top-10 finish.
Both programs have work to do in the 2018 cycle. Alabama sits at No. 24 in the team rankings with only four commits. Auburn comes in ahead of that at No. 15 and 6 commits.
The fun is just beginning.
Of the state’s top 30 prospects, only 3 prospects — Jack West (Stanford), Kameron Stutts (Auburn) and Kolbi Fuqua (Auburn) — have made a college decision. That leaves more than two dozen in-state prospects up for grabs in a cycle loaded with in-state talent.
There are 14 prospects from the Yellowhammer State ranked inside the top 500 nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
No. 22 Justyn Ross
No. 95 Jalyn Armour-Davis
No. 97 Jack West
No. 147 Seth Williams
No. 209 Tank Jenkins
No. 218 Myles Mason
No. 226 Asa Martin
No. 246 Coynis Miller
No. 272 Alfred Thomas
No. 286 Nathaniel Watson
No. 301 Harold Joiner
No. 423 Jacquez Jones
No. 482 Shedrick Jackson
No. 484 Kameron Stutts
That brings us to the topic of the hour: the recruiting round-trip through Alabama with SEC Country Alabama recruiting reporter Chris Kirschner and SEC Country Auburn recruiting reporter Benjamin Wolk.
Kirschner and Wolk are less than 24 hours from embarking on a weeklong journey from Auburn-to-Birmingham-to-Hunstville-to-Montgomery-to-Mobile-to-Auburn for a full-scale update on the state’s top recruiting talent. The SEC Country tandem will feed readers all the scoop on many of the top-500 targets listed above, as well as a few others ranked outside that range.
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:53 am to TideSaint
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Just prior to the spring game, coach Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Herb Hand detoured from pregame stretches to chat with a pair of recruits who stood head-and-shoulders above the rest.
A combination of 578 pounds, 2019 offensive linemen Clay Webb and Pierce Quick were attached at the hip on the sideline of A-Day. Malzahn and Hand ventured over for some special-treatment, 1-on-1 time with the rising junior prospects, who are 2 of the most coveted offensive linemen in the entire 2019 class.
The players are ranked the No. 1 and No. 2 overall prospects in the state of Alabama for the 2019 class, according to 247Sports. Webb, from Oxford (Ala.), holds the top spot and ranks at No. 37 overall in the nation. Quick, from Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.), is second in Alabama and No. 106 among all 2019 prospects.
Malzahn approves.
“I like these 2,” Malzahn shouted across the field at Hand as they marched over to Webb and Quick.
Those 2 offensive line targets have been coupled together for a few weeks now. Both were standouts at the Nike Opening camp in Atlanta last month. The following week, they both received invitations to the Under Armour Future 50 camp along with another Auburn target, quarterback Bo Nix.
Could all 3 end up at the same school?
They’ve talked about it with one another, though it’s too early for all to decide. If they do land at the same place, there is a good chance it will be great news for Auburn or Alabama and devastating news for the other.
Here’s the latest on each standout offensive linemen.
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:54 am to TideSaint
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4-star T Pierce Quick, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.)
Quick’s recruitment has taken off recently.
Auburn and Alabama have jumped on board, but so have Georgia, LSU and Clemson. It makes sense that Quick will stay in-state because the 2 in-state programs are recruiting him as hard, if not harder, than anyone. That’s not a guarantee, he said, but Quick also admitted the Auburn and Alabama fan pull around him will be hard to ignore.
For now, the 6-foot-4, 278-pound tackle is counting his blessings.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Quick said. “A year ago, I would’ve never expected to be in the situation I’m in right now. It’s fun, for sure.”
He’s already visited all 5 of the aforementioned programs — Auburn and Alabama, most regularly.
He’s now visited Auburn 3 times since his offer, which has included 2 closed-door practices and the A-Day scrimmage. It’s given him an up-close-and-personal look at Hand’s coaching style, which is something that draws Quick to Auburn.
“I love how he’s a guy that’s going to chew you out if you mess up, but he’s going to teach you. He’s not just going to yell at you for no reason and you have no clue what’s going on,” Quick said. “You’re going to learn something. … Really I like all the coaches there honestly. I think they’re going to be a really good program this year, and they’re going to continue getting better in the future.”
Alabama jumped out to an early lead, partially because of Quick’s childhood bias.
Auburn has managed to level the playing field. Quick has been to Auburn more than anywhere else recently, and the follow-the-visit philosophy generally tells the story.
But Quick also has started to ask himself the all-important question: What factor matters most?
His answer immediately had him start talking about the Tigers.
“One thing that will definitely play a factor is I want a family. That’s one thing I really do like about Auburn. I feel like Auburn’s football program is a big family,” Quick said. “They’re a program that’s going to be on the rise. Every year, they’re going to get better and better. That would definitely be something to see and beautiful campus.”
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:55 am to TideSaint
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4-star G Clay Webb, Oxford (Ala.)
Unlike Quick, Webb has been on the recruiting scene even before he stepped on a high school football field.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman garnered attention from Mississippi State as an eighth grader when the Bulldogs came to scout one of his then-teammates. That exposure earned Webb invites to camps at all of the nation’s top programs, which has transitioned into offers from every nameable program.
While all programs chase him, there are really only 2 that will contend for his services.
“Auburn and Alabama. That’s where I feel comfortable,” Webb said.
Webb is seen as an Alabama lean early on, but he said he hasn’t narrowed his preferences whatsoever. Different from most Alabama prospects, Webb has an interesting story regarding his childhood fandom.
“It’s kind of really weird. When I grew up, I really couldn’t cheer for one team. I just liked good matchups. There was nothing better than the Alabama-Auburn Iron Bowl game,” Webb said. “It was always a top game, good rivalry.”
That’s a big reason why he expects to end up on 1 side of it when his college recruitment ends.
The Crimson Tide see Webb as a center, something he hasn’t played in high school. In fact, he has never played center at any level. That doesn’t scare him off. It just encourages him to fine-tune a new craft: “I guess I’ll just learn how to snap,” he said.
Auburn hasn’t explicitly labeled his position, but the Tigers like him as an interior lineman as well.
If the Tigers have an edge over the Crimson Tide, it will be because of the relationships.
“I just love the people there,” Webb said. “The coaches and players are so nice and friendly. It just feels like home. … Coach Hand reminds me a lot of a coach I used to have that I loved from high school who retired.”
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:55 am to TideSaint
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Welcome to SEC Country’s daily Roll Tide-ings, a rundown of everything happening in Alabama Crimson Tide recruiting with Chris Kirschner. Today, we discuss the latest with Miami defensive back commit Josh Jobe and Hurricanes wide receiver commit Mark Pope.
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:56 am to TideSaint
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Flip watch on for Miami commit Josh Jobe?
Josh Jobe nearly flipped his commitment from Miami to Alabama a few months ago. The talk of him ultimately making that decision hasn’t died down. In fact, the thought of him going through with the flip has only gained more steam.
Jobe, a 4-star cornerback from Columbus High School (Miami), spoke with SEC Country’s Sam Spiegelman over the weekend to recap his visit to Tuscaloosa, which took place last week, and just where he stands with Alabama.
“It went really well,” Jobe said. “I really like the coaching staff and facilities they have there. I feel like I can be a part of the family there, so I wanted to see if it felt like home to me.”
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound prospect is one of the Tide’s most-wanted targets on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Nick Saban wasn’t pleased with the Tide not signing a true cornerback in the Class of 2017 when he spoke to the media on National Signing Day in February, so expect at least 3 corners in this class.
There aren’t many more important recruits to Alabama’s class than Jobe.
“They tell me how much they need me there, and it’s not all about football at Alabama,” Jobe said. “That means a lot to me. That’s important to me.”
One thing the Tide have going for themselves is the fact that Jobe is very good friends with Alabama wide receiver commit Xavier Williams. Williams told SEC Country shortly after committing to the Tide that he wants to be the alpha dog in the Class of 2018 and help Alabama land several more elite prospects. Williams has been working Jobe ever since his commitment in January.
Williams is expected to make the trip from South Florida to Tuscaloosa this weekend for A-Day and he’s trying to get Jobe to tag along. If Jobe makes it back to Alabama this weekend, flip watch will be on.
Even with his commitment to Miami, Jobe said the Alabama staff hasn’t talked much about it. The coaches just talk to him like any other prospect they want.
“They don’t focus on talking about other schools while I’m there,” Jobe said. “They’re just focused on talking about their home in Tuscaloosa and why I should be there.”
Can he see a future there?
“Yes, sir,” Jobe said emphatically.
Jobe will play his senior season at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut because he won’t be eligible to play high school football in Florida due to age restrictions. The nation’s No. 9 cornerback will turn 19 before Sept. 1, which is the cutoff date.
I expect Jobe to be part of Alabama’s Class of 2018.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 9:57 am to TideSaint
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Canes wide receiver commit still considering Alabama
A few months before Mark Pope committed to Miami in March, Alabama was considered the favorite to land the South Florida wide receiver. Once OL coach Mario Cristobal left for Oregon, the Crimson Tide lost all momentum mainly because of the coaching change and the immediate uncertainty of who would actually pick up the recruitment of players residing in South Florida.
Pope, a 4-star wide receiver from Miami Southridge High School (Hialeah, Fla.), told Spiegelman that the Tide have still kept in touch with him since his commitment to the Hurricanes.
“They texted me, ‘Good luck and I’m proud of you. You made a great decision for you and your parents,'” Pope said of Alabama’s message to him.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect says he will take an official visit to Tuscaloosa this fall. But it’s highly unlikely he backs off of his commitment to Miami.
“My decision was all off of academics,” Pope said. “Going to Miami, I get a private education. I just fell in love with it. The football part — I’m just trusting Coach (Ron) Dugans. He says he got me. I’m taking his word.”
Posted on 4/17/17 at 10:01 am to TideSaint
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Trip around Alabama
SEC Country’s Auburn recruiting reporter Benjamin Wolk and I will travel around the state this week to meet with Alabama’s top prospects.
You should expect comprehensive coverage of some of the Crimson Tide’s top targets in this space every day this week and throughout the day. Here are some of the following players that I expect to meet up with that Alabama has offered:
5-star wide receiver Justyn Ross (Phenix City)
4-star defensive tackle Coynis Miller (Birmingham)
4-star athlete Harold Joiner (Mountain Brook)
4-star safety Myles Mason (Pleasant Grove)
4-star cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (Mobile)
3-star defensive end Andres Fox (Mobile)
3-star quarterback James Foster (Montgomery)
Linebacker Kevontae’ Ruggs — brother of Alabama signee Henry Ruggs (Montgomery)
2019 4-star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa — brother of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabaster)
2019 4-star quarterback Bo Nix (Pinson Valley)
2019 4-star offensive tackle Pierce Quick (Trussville)
2019 4-star offensive guard Clay Webb (Oxford)
Posted on 4/17/17 at 10:13 am to TideSaint
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TRUSSVILLE, Ala. — When you are a top football prospect in the state of Alabama, it is tough for any school outside the home state to have a real chance. Pierce Quick is one of those in the 2019 class and both Alabama and Auburn are in pursuit already. Each has offered, each has had him on campus and each is working hard to convince the four-star offensive tackle out of Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville that it is the school for him.
Video
Posted on 4/17/17 at 11:46 am to TideSaint
So who is commiting this weekend?
Posted on 4/17/17 at 11:47 am to TideSaint
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Day 1: Let the journey begin.
We hit the road Monday morning with a quick pitstop by Central High in Phenix City to speak to the state’s top prospect Justyn Ross.
The 5-star wide receiver is believed to be an Auburn-Alabama battle, but a recent Clemson visit appears to have another suitor entering the mix. Ross has said for weeks now that his decision timeline is a long way off. His mother remains on active duty in Afghanistan, and Ross wants her in the picture for the final stretch of visits and decisions.
From there, Chris Kirschner and I will make the 3-hour trek to the metro Birmingham area to see a trio of recruits in the area — Harold Joiner, Coynis Miller and Myles Mason. All three have offers from both programs.
Miller has long been a top prospect for both programs. Joiner (Mountain Brook) recently picked up an offer from Alabama, though the running back continues to claim it’s Auburn and LSU who have the advantage. Mason is one of the state’s best defensive backs prospects. He visited Auburn for A-Day, but the Crimson Tide should have a great chance if they make a big push for Mason.
We will conclude the night in Huntsville to prepare for a big Tuesday in the north side of the state.
That only scratches the surface of Birmingham’s impressive young talent, however. We will swing through and hit another handful of targets on our way back down from Hunstville to Mobile later in the week.
Keep a close eye on SEC Country for coverage from Chris and me. There will be plenty of updates from each of these stops, which will be included in our end-of-day updates, our morning notebooks and separate features.
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 2:44 pm to remaster916
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So who is commiting this weekend?
I'm hoping Josh Jobe flips from Miami. That's on the condition he actually makes the trip, of course.
Jalen Cunningham seems like he's been on commit watch for at least a month.
JJ Peterson is another who could pull the trigger.
I'm interested to see if the duo from Ohio, Tavion Thomas and Joseph Scates, make it down. They skipped Ohio State's Spring game on Saturday. Scates said Alabama was his dream offer and OSU hasn't offered yet.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 2:44 pm to TideSaint
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Following The Opening Cleveland Regional, only four prospects earned tickets to The Opening Finals in July. But for us at 247Sports, there was a lot to learn at the Midwest's second straight showcase. I break down some of our biggest rankings moves below.
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 2:45 pm to TideSaint
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Class of 2018
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Jackson Carman, OT, OH – We've moved Carman up to the No. 11 player in the country and upped his rating from a 96 to a 97 grade. He's on pace to a five-star rating and we were really impressed with what he showed last Sunday. Though he's gained some weight, he still has the athleticism that landed him his lofty ranking to begin with. As he slims back down, he'll have a chance to earn his fifth star before the fall.
I'm posting Carman's stuff only because he holds an offer. He's going to Ohio State.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 2:57 pm to TideSaint
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In addition to Alabama hosting the nation's No. 1 quarterback for 2019 in JT Daniels, and four-star tackle Tommy Brown from Mater Dei (Calif.), the Crimson Tide will welcome four-star inside linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu for a couple of days, his father tells 247Sports' Alex Gleitman.
Tuliaupupu will only be visiting Alabama during his time in the state, opting not to visit Auburn as originally planned.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:01 pm to TideSaint
Another "insider" with a Nostradamus-like prediction:
Like people haven't been able to come to this conclusion on their own over the last week.
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If Josh Jobe visits with xavier williams this weekend watch out... i'll just leave it there
Like people haven't been able to come to this conclusion on their own over the last week.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:13 pm to TideSaint
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i'll just leave it there
I love the pretendsider playbook originals like this.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:32 pm to TideSaint
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Alabama heads into its last week of spring practice, and some key visitors will be on hand during the middle of the week.
A trio of highly-regarded prospects from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., will make their way into Alabama for a trip to Tuscaloosa this week and they'll get a chance to see a practice. Alabama's A-Day game is on Saturday
They are:
LINK
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:33 pm to TideSaint
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** Four-star offensive tackle Tommy Brown, a 6-foot-6, 313-pound recruit ranked as the No. 139 prospect nationally and No. 12 offensive tackle prospect. California, Oregon and Auburn are among those who have offered Brown. Alabama has not yet, but perhaps that could come on the in-person visit.
I think Brown would commit on the spot if he was offered.
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