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

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Scotlandville defensive back Kelvin Joseph remains committed to LSU since February of 2016, but it has not slowed him down from viewing other programs, and it certainly has not stopped other programs from pursuing him. One of those programs is Kansas, which has been recruiting the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder for quite some time--quietly. Joseph may get his first chance to visit the school in the near future, as the two parties are in talks regarding a visit to Lawrence, Kansas. Joseph is close friends with Kansas commitments Devonta Jason and Corione Harris, who are likely to accompany him on the trip.

Joseph visited Alabama last weekend and the Crimson Tide are still a major factor in his recruitment. LSU has been holding on strong, but they still have quite the fight on their hands.

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7. Ole Miss
6. Mississippi State
5. Arkansas
4. Texas A&M
3. Auburn
2. LSU

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No. 1 Alabama

The Crimson Tide, which received six first-place votes, is expected to win the division for the fourth consecutive year. A stable of elite running backs, dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts and a receiver corps led by Calvin Ridley should make new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s transition an easy one. The Tide should score plenty and help a defense that will still be formidable despite losing seven playmakers who later became NFL draft picks.

Key returning players: Quarterback Jalen Hurts, receiver Calvin Ridley, linebacker Rashaan Evans

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Kyler McMichael says Alabama is a top school

Kyler McMichael is one of Alabama’s priority cornerback targets in the Class of 2018, along with Tyson Campbell, Josh Jobe, Patrick Surtain Jr., Jalyn Armour-Davis and Jaycee Horn. The Crimson Tide want to sign four defensive backs this cycle, according to a source close to the program, and the staff hopes McMichael is one of them.

The 4-star prospect from Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, Ga.) told SEC Country that Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Florida State are recruiting him the hardest. He’s very interested in the Crimson Tide.

“It’s definitely one of my top schools,” McMichael said. “I have been able to communicate with Derrick Ansley almost every day. They talk about how they talk about me all of the time up there. I definitely feel like a top priority to them. I love it.”

McMichael is a priority for Alabama. After signing zero cornerbacks in the Class of 2017, the Crimson Tide are strongly pursuing the names listed above to be anchors in their 2018 class.

“They want bigger press corners, so they see that out of me,” McMichael said. “That’s what I love — getting up on the line, pressing and being physical.”

Auburn and Clemson have emerged as front-runners for McMichael. He was originally going to commit before his senior season, but he will wait now and take official visits during the fall before making any decision.

Both of those programs have discussed the possibility of McMichael playing some offense as a running back or slot receiver. McMichael is one of the most gifted athletes in the Class of 2018. He’s been laser-timed in the low 4.4-second range in the 40-yard dash.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound prospect also has been compared to one of Alabama’s best players.

“I did have one college coach who compared just his size and skill set defensively to like a Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Greater Atlanta Christian coach Tim Hardy told my colleague Jeff Sentell at DawgNation. “It was a knowledgeable SEC coach. So you just see he has all of that. The size. The length. The speed. He can really do some stuff.”

Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact in the Tide’s secondary as a freshman and likely will be drafted in the first round of next year’s NFL draft if he declares early.

McMichael, who’s rated as the nation’s No. 13 cornerback by the 247Sports composite, said he’s planning on visiting Tuscaloosa in the coming weeks. He estimated that he’s been to Alabama at least three times.

McMichael had 1,493 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing last fall and close to 2,000 total yards.

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2019 DB Trikweze Bridges is a name to know

Trikweze (pronounced TRY-Quez) Bridges received an offer from Alabama in early May. It was a moment he was waiting for since he started watching football as a kid.

“It really was a dream come true because they were the team I grew up looking at,” Bridges told SEC Country. “I was proud and motivated to work even harder after that.”

Bridges, a 2019 safety from Lanett (Ala.) High School, was offered by defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley during the evaluation period. According to Bridges, via Lanett coach Clifford Story, Ansley offered the prospect because of his length and coverage skills.

The 6-3, 175-pound prospect grew up a fan of Alabama because the Crimson Tide have had “one of the best defenses since I’ve grown up.”

Bridges is not ranked in the 247Sports composite, but he does have offers from Florida, Kentucky and Louisville, among others. He’s also in no rush to make a commitment. The soon-to-be junior would like to commit during the early part of his senior year.

He knows what he’s looking for in his future college.

“I want to have a good relationship with the coaches, the school needs to have a good academic record and obviously, they need to help develop me as a player,” Bridges said.

He added his thoughts on Alabama: “I’m looking for a team that’s going to help me get into the [NFL] draft. They always have a lot of DBs that go into the draft. It’s definitely a good thing.”

If Bridges continues to improve, expect Alabama to be a factor until he commits.

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Former commit Luke Ford to visit several top programs

Carterville (Ill.) tight end Luke Ford de-committed from Arkansas on Sunday evening.

Ford (6-7, 250) stated a desire to visit other schools as the reason behind retracting his pledge. He did state Arkansas still remains in contention. As a 4-star recruit and the No. 90 overall prospect in the class, he would obviously be a huge loss for the Hogs if he ends up elsewhere.

So, who will the Razorbacks be competing with to ultimately sign Ford? SEC Country has confirmed he plans to visit Alabama, Georgia and LSU before the end of the month. He also expects to visit Ohio State at some point this summer. That’s stout competition in the way of the Hogs’ efforts to reclaim his commitment.

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Arkansas has a busy week ahead of it on the recruiting front. Of utmost importance will be impressing the major targets the Razorbacks are set to host.

Trevor Trout, a 2018 defensive lineman from St. Louis, is expected to be one of those Monday. Trout (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) is a 4-star prospect according to 247Sports composite rankings. He released a list of his top 15 schools in May with Arkansas joined by Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Penn State, Oklahoma and several other major programs.

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CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart

Recruiting wrap: Taylor-Stuart is looking to line up visits with Ohio State, Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma and South Carolina this summer.

Performance: Taylor-Stuart earned the title of the 2017 Five-Star Challenge’s fastest man after he posted a 4.44 laser-timed 40-yard dash in the Speed Challenge. It’s especially impressive considering that at 6-foot-2 and 177 pounds, Taylor-Stuart was one of the biggest DBs in attendance. He also stood out in one-on-one and 7-on-7 play, registering an interception and several pass break ups in the latter event.

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ATH Richard Jibunor

Recruiting wrap: Jibunour plans to make a commitment next month. Auburn, Florida, Notre Dame and Tennessee are the contenders.

Performance: The camp setting is not set up to highlight the most important skill sets of the linebacker position, but it does give you a sense for the athleticism players bring to the position. Jibunour was not on many people’s radar as an MVP candidate to start the day, but his length and his ability to play in space caught the attention of our analysts throughout the day.

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TENNESSEE'S 2019 CLASS HAS SPECIAL POTENTIAL

Tennessee was represented by a trio of 2019 prospects, four-star defensive end Ani Izuchukwu, four-star defensive back Adonis Otey and four-star wide receiver Trey Knox. The three all showed impressive flashes during the event, highlighted by Knox, who has the potential to be one of the best overall players in the country in his class. The group is part of a deep talent pool in the state in the 2019 class, and with every year it seems like more players are emerging from Tennessee to become national level recruits.

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