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

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Austin High running back Asa Martin made two key visits this week as he prepares for an Aug. 24 commitment.

Martin went to Auburn's Big Cat Weekend on Saturday and performed in Alabama's camp on Tuesday. Martin, a four-star recruit, will visit Florida at some point this summer. Those schools make up Martin's top three.

Martin worked out at running back for the Crimson Tide and while he's been open to playing defense, he said that Alabama has been recruiting him only as a running back.

"I had a really good time getting to work for (running backs coach) Burton Burns and (offensive coordinator) Brian Daboll and spent a little time with them so it went pretty well," Martin said. "They thought I did pretty good. I ran some routes for them and played in the slot a little bit, so I think they really liked that."

Alabama has six running backs on the roster and all could come back in 2018 on scholarship, though two will be draft-eligible in Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris.

"Depth is never a factor for me," Martin said. "Wherever you go, you're going to have to compete. All the running backs are great, so competing with them will get me better anyway."

On how he feels like he'd fit in the offense at Alabama, Martin said, "I feel like I'd fit in pretty good. I feel like I can do some things differently than their backs do now, so I think I can help them out a lot."

Alabama hosted five-star Zamir White on Saturday and Murfreesboro, Tenn., four-star Master W. Teague III also competed at camp. Martin looks like a prime target for the Crimson Tide.

"I do feel like I'm kind of a priority, so that's a good thing," Martin said.

Martin earned his Auburn offer earlier this year, and the Tigers don't have a running back committed who is around Martin's size at 6-foot and 190 pounds.

"It went pretty good," Martin said. "It was good meeting and hanging out with top recruits that I could potentially play with, so it was pretty good."

Big Cat Weekend is an informal event and not a camp setting. He did trick fellow running back recruit Tae Provens into competing in an eating contest.

"Probably the rap battle (stood out the most)," Martin said. "I think coach T-Will (Travis Williams) should have won it, but they gave it to Coach (Herb) Hand."

Martin said his mother was able to attend and she got a good look at the schools' academic situations.

"I feel pretty much the same about about Auburn and every school that's in my top three," Martin said. "They're all the same right and now and I'll make the decision and get it over with. I'm not rushing."

Martin still talks to Florida coaches on a regular basis.

"It's interesting, a lot of the big time players stay in state, but why not go be different?" Martin said.

He shared why he narrowed it down to a top three.

"The biggest factors were where I felt comfortable," Martin said. "It was all about me being comfortable with me and my mom and dad as well. I feel comfortable at all three schools."

Martin ran for 99 yards on eight carries in Austin's spring game against Sparkman. He also scored on a 22-yard touchdown run. Alabama offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was in attendance.

Martin is the state's No. 7 player and nation's No. 11 running back per the 247Sports composite. He attended the IMG Academy as a junior before returning to Austin before the spring semester.

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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. In this edition, we discuss the latest with in-state defensive tackle Coynis Miller and Georgia wide receiver target Matthew Hill. 

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Alabama pushing for Matthew Hill to join the class

Matthew Hill is a name that we don’t discuss much when it comes to Alabama recruiting. But make no mistake about it, the Crimson Tide staff loves Hill’s game. So much so that they believe he could be a star at wide receiver, his preferred position, and in the secondary.

Hill, a 4-star prospect from Brookwood High School (Snellville, Ga.), informed SEC Country that Alabama has recently told him that if wide receiver is where he wants to play in college, then that’s where the Tide will focus their efforts.

“I probably hear from them every other day or at least once a week,” Hill said. “It’s not an everyday basis, but they’re pushing me. They’re recruiting me as a receiver. All schools have told me they want me at receiver. They’ve also told me they wouldn’t mind playing me on defense. They’d give me a shot on defense, but they said my offer stands as a receiver, but if I come in and want to play cornerback or safety, then they’d let me do that.”

The 6-2, 185-pound prospect has a top 5 of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU and South Carolina. One of those schools is leading the pack, though. Hill is recently coming off a trip to Auburn for Big Cat Weekend.

“I just told the coaches that Auburn is basically the leader because I grew up an Auburn fan,” Hill said. “So, that’s by default. Of course, I’m going to love Auburn because it’s like home.”

Hill attended his first Auburn game as a seventh- or eighth-grader. He can’t pinpoint which year it was. But he’s been to plenty of Auburn games over the years. His grandfather ran cross country for Auburn. His aunt is also “in love with Cam Newton.” The connections to Auburn are clear.

So, what would another school have to do to change his mind on the Tigers?

“I have to feel like I’m at home,” Hill said. “You know how you feel when you’re at home and feel comfortable? I just want to feel like that wherever I’d go. You want to have a family no matter where you go. That’s what would push me to another school.”

Hill is planning on being in Tuscaloosa this upcoming weekend and South Carolina the following weekend. He’s also planning a trip to Florida soon, paired with a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Hill is planning on making a commitment “in the next month or month and a half,” so this visit may be Alabama’s only shot at getting him on board. He says he’s just beginning to have legitimate interest in the Tide.

“I’ve just really started to consider them only because they’ve been pushing me, and I know how many players they put into the NFL draft and just the NFL in general,” Hill said. “I know I could be one of those players to go to the next level.”

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“As long as I feel good, I love doing it,” Saban said Thursday morning. “I’ve said this before: I’ve been a part of a team since I was nine years old. It scares me to death to figure what it’s going to be like when I’m not a part of a team.

“So, as long as I feel good and I’m healthy and I can do it, we certainly have every intention of trying to do it. If I felt like I couldn’t do it to the standard that I want to do it, then I think that would be time not to do it. But I certainly don’t feel like that’s any time soon.”

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One in particular is losing his shite right now due to being called out. I wasn't the one who started in on him. This time.

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