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

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- Defensive end Elijah Wade announced on Twitter that he has received an offer from Alabama. Wade, a four-star, ranks as the No. 11 weak-side defensive end for the 2018 class. He comes from Las Vegas, Nev., where he ranks as the No. 4 player in the state. He is 6-foot-5, 240 pounds. Vanderbilt is the only other SEC school to offer Wade.

Extremely Blessed and Thankful to announce that I have received my 21st offer from THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA ?? ????#Rolltide pic.twitter.com/cKrgpskuTA

— Elijah (@Elijah_Wade_) May 3, 2017

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Nothing has changed with Jobe. Privately, he's VERY interested in Bama and is a hu ge threat to flip. I have no idea whether he's a CB or S at the next level. He will undoubtedly re-affirm his commitment publicly a dozen more times and make you more and more confident that he sticks until February, but likely still remain a flip candidate throughout. We've seen the same thing play out a few dozen times over the last decade

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Slade Bolden

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They like him a lot, but as is the case with a lot of the offers this spring, probably needs to camp.

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I want him for the fact he's a white RB

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It's not difficult to envision how recruiting could get messy with the new football early signing period.

Imagine this scenario: A recruit takes advantage of the newly passed early signing period and signs a binding letter of intent with his preferred school in December. Not long after, the head coach of that school leaves for greener pastures.

Unfortunately for that recruit, he's still bound to that school whether he wants to be or not.

This hypothetical has emerged as one of the most popular concerns in the aftermath of the Collegiate Commissioners Association officially approving a Dec. 20 to Dec. 22 early signing period this week. It wasn't a problem in the past as the majority of coaching changes, especially the head coaching moves, were completed before the February signing period.

But with this new December signing period, there's still possible movement for coaches. In this past cycle, Minnesota (P.J. Fleck), Cal (Justin Wilcox), Connecticut (Randy Edsall) and Western Michigan (Tim Lester) all made head coaching hires after Dec. 22. It's why writers such as SBNation's Bud Elliott have suggested allowing an out clause in the National Letter of Intent in the case of coaching changes.

Was an NLI out clause considered at all for the recent legislation? No, says Susan Peal, the director of governance for the National Letter of Intent program.

"That has not been considered," Peal wrote in an email to AL.com. "After the early signing period goes through a couple cycles, there will be a lot to decipher from the NLI data to compare the early football signees with the February-April signees."

However, one conference commissioner says an out clause did come up in discussions in the lead up to the legislation. Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, who previously chaired a working group that studied recruiting, told AL.com it was considered but warranted further examination.

"The (NLI) is administered by the (CCA) and I know that's an issue that continues to be studied and discussed, but I'd also note we have early signing periods in other sports with the same sort of requirements that we have in football," Steinbrecher said. "Students need to go into this with their eyes open. Part of the reason why I think so many people kind of congregated around that mid-December date by the time you get there if there's going to be changes in the program, at least at the head coach level, the vast majority of those changes have occurred by then.

"Certainly there are some changes after that, and we certainly know that assistant coaches can change at virtually any time. Students have to contemplate all of that and take that into consideration when they make a determination on whether they want to sign early or not."

The situation has happened plenty of times in college basketball which has a November early signing period. It has been up to the school on whether it would release the player from his letter of intent after a coaching change. More often than not, especially after external pressure, the player receives his release. Recently, Washington released five-star Michael Porter from his NLI after Lorenzo Romar was fired and his father, who was an assistant at the school, landed at Missouri.

The one fundamental difference between basketball and football is that the average football recruiting class is significantly bigger than basketball. Managing 20-25 players looking for a release after a football coaching change would be considerably more challenging than two or three basketball recruits.

College administrators will get their first taste of how big of an issue it could be this December when high school recruits participate in the first football early signing period.

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The offers are still coming in for Lee-Montgomery's Kevontae' Ruggs, and with that he has the same general message for every recruiter.

Despite the fact that older brother Henry Ruggs III signed with Alabama in February, Kevontae' isn't a lock to follow him.

"An Auburn coach asked me, what's the word with you?,'" Ruggs said. "He was saying that everybody says you're already going there (to Alabama). I had to tell him that, 'No, that's not true.'"

Ruggs, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound class of 2018 recruit, has 12 offers now. The list includes Louisville, Ole Miss, Maryland, Southern Miss, Troy, Western Kentucky, South Alabama and others. He played linebacker last fall for Lee, but Alabama likes him as a bigger defensive back at strong safety or STAR (extra defensive back in passing downs).

Henry would love to have his brother join him in Alabama, but isn't pushing him if it's not the right fit.

"Henry told me not to make the decision based on (Henry)," Ruggs said. "What's best for me might not be what's best for you. Weigh your decision and see what ends up being best."

Ruggs is waiting until after spring practice to set camp visits. He knows what he's looking for in a school, and doesn't have a commitment timetable set.

"I'd say the biggest thing is stability," Ruggs said. "With coaches, knowing that the coaches I come in with will still be there. I'd hate to build a relationship with a coach and it just fall out because he goes somewhere else.

"Also, having family close with all my coaches. I want to feel a connection. It doesn't matter how far away I am from home, I just want to get back and forth."

Alabama coaches have a leg up after building the relationship with Henry. Alabama secondary coach Derrick Ansley is friends with an older brother. But Ruggs is also taking his time to make his decision.

"He wants to do what's best for him," Lee coach Tyrone Rogers said. "His brother had his own legacy, and I think he wants to leave his stamp on Lee High School."

Rogers is testing Ruggs' versatility this spring. On Tuesday at practice, he was wearing a white jersey for offense. Last year was Ruggs' first year of varsity action.

"He's coming around," Rogers said. "Kevontae' is working hard. He's had an opportunity to play a little receiver. We know he can play defense. He's a team player and works wherever we need him."

The younger Ruggs' nickname is "Bunny."

"When I was younger, Henry couldn't say my name," Kevontae' said. "My mom bought me some pajamas, and they had a bunny rabbit, so he said bunny. It stuck."

As a junior for Lee-Montgomery, Kevontae' had 92 total tackles, six for loss with two interceptions.

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