re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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Unranked OLB Kevontae’ Ruggs, Robert E. Lee

Kirschner: Ruggs is the younger brother of Alabama wide receiver signee Henry Ruggs III. Kevontae’ is 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, but still needs to fill out his frame. Alabama is the clear favorite to land Ruggs when he makes his decision, which doesn’t know when it will happen just yet. Like his older brother, Kevontae’ grew up a Crimson Tide fan. Also in comparison to Henry, Kevontae’ would like to weigh out all of his future options. He mentioned just how much stress Henry was under leading up to National Signing Day. On the Tuesday before Signing Day, Henry stayed in a hotel room with several family members as he weighed out his options between Alabama and Florida State. Seeing that, Kevontae’ does not want to rush into any decision because he understands the magnitude of making a college choice.

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3-star QB James Foster, Lanier

Kirschner: Missouri was the favorite for quite some time for Foster, but Wednesday’s commitment to the Tigers came as a surprise. Foster told SEC Country in March that he was going to make a late summer decision, but on Tuesday night he decided the timing was right before going public on Wednesday. Missouri considered Foster its top quarterback prospect in the Class of 2018 and one of its most important recruits in the entire class. Foster’s recruitment, he says, is over. He will not taking anymore visits, and he has told coaches at other schools that already. Georgia finished No. 2 for Foster, and he says Missouri beat out the Bulldogs because of his relationship with Tigers’ staff. I believe that if Alabama had offered Foster a committable spot in its class that he would’ve likely taken up the Crimson Tide on their offer. He grew up a big Alabama fan and dreamed about playing for the Tide, but it’s clear that Missouri is his new dream school.

Wolk: Just before we made it over to Lanier to talk with Foster — an Alabama target — the dual-threat quarterback made a big announcement. He committed to Missouri, which is something he’s been hinting at for a while. Foster originally planned to go to Georgia for the G-Day spring game this weekend, but that won’t happen any more. He said he has completely shut off his recruitment. It’s all Mizzou. That won’t stop other coaching staffs from trying. Since his offer, Alabama secondary coach Derrick Ansley and Georgia linebackers coach Glenn Schumann already texted him to congratulate him on his decision, but in Schumann’s case, he made a tongue-in-cheek comment about thinking Foster would be at G-Day this upcoming weekend. Missouri made Foster its top recruiting priority in the entire class, and it paid off.

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Another Ruggs ‘Bama bound?

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The nickname everyone calls Kevontae’ Ruggs was given to him by his brother, Henry, when he was a toddler.

Henry had problems pronouncing his younger brother’s name, but his issue was quickly solved because of a clothing choice from their mother, Nataki.

“My mom bought me these pajamas that had some bunnies on them and he just started calling me ‘Bunny’ then,” Ruggs told SEC Country. “Everyone calls me that to this day.”

Bunny and “Sky High,” Henry’s nickname, are brothers and best friends. When they were younger, Nataki would buy them the same clothes, even though they’re not twins. They did everything together. They now have a chance to attend college together and play for the school they grew up rooting for — Alabama.

Henry signed with the Crimson Tide’s 2017 class, and Alabama has extended an offer to Kevontae’, who is an outside linebacker in the Class of 2018 from Lee High School. Kevontae’ has offers from Alabama, South Alabama and Western Kentucky and would like to hear from more schools, but he admits that it’s going to be a challenge for any school outside of Tuscaloosa to get his commitment.

“It will be very hard,” Ruggs said. “That was the first college campus I ever went to. That was the first school to offer me. I just fell in love with everything there. I’ve gotten so close to the coaches there, too.”

One of those coaches he’s gotten close to is defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley, who is Ruggs’ primary recruiter. Ansley’s relationship with Henry was a big reason why he signed with the Tide in the last cycle. Kevontae’ says Ansley has pretty much become family to him now because he and Henry are “like brothers.”

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound prospect learned a lot watching Henry go through the recruiting process. The most important lesson he learned is to take as much time as possible to make a decision because Henry didn’t know where he wanted to go until the night before signing. Henry flipped back and forth between Alabama and Florida State before ultimately deciding on the Crimson Tide.

That’s why Kevontae’ says he’s nowhere close to making a decision. He wants to see which schools offer in the coming months before making a decision. He also wants to put aside his Alabama fandom and the fact that his brother going there to evaluate his college decision as a business decision.

“He’s just told me that what’s best for him may not be the best for me,” Ruggs said. “I need to figure that out for myself. He would love to have me there with him, but it’s not right for me, then I’m not going to go there.”

It’s clear, though, that Alabama is at the forefront of Ruggs’ mind. The chance to play for his childhood favorite school is one that can’t be ignored.

“I’ll say this about Alabama: I don’t have a favorite right now, but I’m closest with them because that’s who I’ve been building a close relationship with throughout this whole process,” Ruggs said. “It’s like a dream come true.”

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TRUSSVILLE — Pierce Quick shoots it straight.

The 4-star 2019 offensive lineman doesn’t downplay his Crimson Tide fandom. Quick’s whole family attended Alabama and he’s always dreamed of playing in crimson and white. Once Alabama started recruiting him hard — harder than any other program — Quick found it nearly impossible for another school to overtake the Tide.

He felt so strongly about it that he’s, on a few occasions, thought it was probably time to just commit to Alabama.

There has only been one program stopping him: Alabama’s in-state rival.

“Auburn is the only thing that’s been holding me back, really, just because Auburn is really nice, and I love it,” Quick told SEC Country. “They were my first Power 5 offer. That’s where they have an advantage for me because, growing up an Alabama fan, it was hard to consider them, but they really offered me when nobody else had. That was huge.”

But Auburn still has nearly insurmountable ground to make up.

Quick said, if he has 100 percent interest in Alabama, then his Auburn interest is roughly at 70 percent. That’s not a knock on Auburn — his clear-cut second-place school — rather it explains just how strongly he feels about a future in Tuscaloosa.

“Auburn is second, for sure, but I’d have to say right now Alabama’s got a pretty good lead,” Quick said. “They would have to show me more love than what Alabama’s showing me, and I mean I’m not going to lie, that would be tough just because of how much they’re showing me. It’s possible, but Alabama has just shown me so much love.”

He has felt that love at Auburn, too.

Most recently, he attended the A-Day spring game and spent much of his day on the sideline with Oxford (Ala.) offensive lineman Clay Webb, a fellow top target in the 2019 class. During pregame, coach Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Herb Hand showed the 2 offensive linemen on-the-field attention, something that caught Quick off guard — and made the whole A-Day experience feel particularly special.

“That was huge. I’m not even going to lie. That was big-time right there, especially because there were so many other people out there. For him and Coach Hand to come up to us and yell across the field, that was awesome. … He just said, ‘Now those are 2 guys I like to see together.’ It was really cool,” Quick said. “Every time I go there, I love it. I honestly do. It’s just a huge family. It really is just a big, old family. That’s their motto. Even their name tags, it says family.”

With those Auburn staff interactions, Malzahn and Hand are well aware of Quick’s favorite program since he was 5 years old. It’s not the first time they’ve tried to convince a Crimson Tide fan to join the Tigers.

In fact, it happened last cycle when Auburn signed offensive lineman Austin Troxell, who comes from an Alabama-only family. Malzahn and Hand have used that experience to try to convince Quick to come to Auburn, though they know it will be a difficult task to accomplish.

“Austin Troxell, his whole family was big Alabama fans. They said they wanted me to be kinda like him,” Quick said. “They said to just keep on coming and, sooner or later, I’ll love Auburn.”

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Interesting G-Day visitor added

Dameon Pierce is coming to G-Day this weekend.

That’s highly interesting. Just pick a reason why:

- He plays for Bainbridge High. That’s Kirby Smart’s alma mater.

- Pierce is a very successful and productive South Georgia back that’s rated as the No. 6 RB in the nation by the 247Sports Composite.

- He’s also been committed to Alabama for almost a year now.

Pierce doesn’t take a lot of trips to Alabama. There’s a distance factor. But it is also highly interesting that a prized in-state RB prospect from Smart’s hometown will be in Athens on Saturday.

Alabama has its A-Day on Saturday. Pierce will be at G-Day.

That’s something to keep an eye on.

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Start talking to 4-star defensive end/tackle Greg Emerson about which schools are recruiting him the hardest and the list will blow you away.

Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, Clemson, Oregon, Florida, Michigan State, Michigan and USC — a nearly complete who’s who of elite college football programs. Despite all of the love that he’s receiving from the best schools in the country, there’s something that sets Tennessee apart for the Jackson, Tenn. native — the feeling of home.

“Love only goes to a certain extent, being a recruit,” Emerson said. “That’s for every school. At the same time, [Tennessee makes] you feel at home. Love is good, but being at home makes you feel better. Tennessee is a great place.”

That’s huge news for the Vols, who have the nation’s No. 2 defensive tackle and No. 31 overall player in the country. Emerson fits nicely into Tennessee’s increased focus on in-state talent, ranking as the state’s second best player behind only Tennessee 5-star offensive tackle commit Cade Mays.

Tennessee is also hoping that Emerson can bring some of his friends with him, namely fellow 4-star defensive tackle Brant Lawless out of Nashville and D’Andre Litaker out of Murfreesboro, Tenn.

But first, the Vols are going to have to lure him away from the other college football elite. In order to do that, they’re going to have to sell him on academics and future security, something he insists ins’t a cliché.

“I try and look sort of towards the education part,” Emerson said. “Some people just say it to say it but I’m really big on my education. I say if football doesn’t work out I plan on falling back on my education and my degree. Being that I’m on a scholarship, maybe, hopefully whatever college I choose to go to, they’ll let me get my Master’s and all that.”

A decision won’t come anytime soon from Emerson, either. He hopes that he’ll be able to graduate early and if he can, he’ll make his announcement in December. Otherwise, he plans to take his recruitment right up to National Signing Day.

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This is a crafty pass catcher that does a nice job of working both underneath and behind the defense. Williams is a reliable target that does a good job of catching the ball away from his body, but also flashes impressive body control and concentration when dragging his feet in bounds and adjusting to poorly thrown balls. Williams isn't the biggest wide receiver across the map, but he can certainly get vertical and attack the football at its highest point. Williams is always looking to advance the football after the catch and does a good job doing so, but you definitely can't overlook his personality and qualities away from the field as well.

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I just stopped at his school and he says Alabama is his leader. He will visit the Tide this weekend.

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