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

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Hat on the table U

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Drew Champlin and Mark Jennings are back with another edition of Champ's Corner, the Alabama recruiting podcast.

The two hone in on Alabama's chances with five-star defensive end Micah Parsons, who is slated to begin a multi-day visit this weekend. He spoke about that at The Opening.

We also hit on some targets at Hoover's national 7on7 tournament, including one who is looking for an offer in Niceville's Juanyeh Thomas and the state's top prospect in Justyn Ross.

We answer listener questions as well.

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Dabo Swinney on if he's pulling for his alma mater Alabama or conference foe FSU in the opener "I'm pulling for the Noles."

— Matt Connolly (@MattatTheState) July 13, 2017

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Bobby Brown keeping his recruitment tight-lipped

Bobby Brown, a 4-star defensive tackle from Lamar High School (Arlington, Texas), rose on Alabama’s wish list of targets in the Class of 2018 after he balled out at the team’s first summer camp in early June.

He wasn’t planning on working out that day, but his mother told him prior to going that he should because he hadn’t worked out in front of coach Nick Saban before. His mother’s advice paid off.

“She told me that I needed to show Nick Saban what I could do,” Brown told SEC Country. “I had a chance to talk to him after the camp and he told me that he liked my game and my personality. I feel like I have the potential to be a great player at Alabama if I went there.”

Brown has a leader in his recruitment, but he won’t publicly say which team is on top. He also won’t say which school has created the best relationship. Brown is an old-school recruit. He’s not interested in getting his name out in the media every single day.

“I’ve had a leader for some time now, but I like to keep my business to myself,” Brown said. “I don’t really like being ‘famous,’ you could say. I just like playing football and the interviews come with this process. But, I like keeping my business private.”

He feels like he has the right mindset to play for Alabama if that was the school he ended up choosing on Nov. 2, which is his uncle Demetric Shaw’s birthday. Brown calls him a brother, so that’s why he decided on that date for his commitment.

When he visited Alabama, two important factors wowed him.

“I like being successful and I like working hard,” Brown said. “When I went on that visit, all I saw was success and hard work. That’s what caught my eye.”

The 6-foot-5, 266-pound prospect was expected to visit next weekend for the team’s Champions Cookout, but he won’t make it. He’ll visit Texas instead. Brown said money is tight right now and it’s easier for him to get to Austin than it is Tuscaloosa. He’s planning on returning to Alabama this summer, but there’s no set date for that trip. He also doesn’t know of any official visits, but he said he definitely wants to visit Florida State this fall.

Brown mentioned Alabama, Florida State, Houston, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma as the schools he talks to on a regular basis. On the Crimson Tide’s end, outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi is Brown’s primary recruiter, but he also talks to defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, too.

“They’ve been telling me the same thing since day one,” Brown said. “There are no guarantees that I can start immediately, but I could see some early playing time. They love the way I play the game. I have a really good connection with them. I have a really good relationship with Coach Tosh. He’s a really energized coach. I can tell he loves the game of football.”

The nation’s No. 16 defensive tackle is aware that Alabama is in need of several interior linemen in this class. But early playing time isn’t a necessity to him. He knows wherever he goes, he’ll have to put in the work to see the field.

“Early playing time is guaranteed to nobody,” Brown said. “Coaches can say that and it may not be true. So, that’s not a factor for me at all. When coaches tell me that, it goes in one ear and out the other.”

Alabama redshirt freshman offensive lineman Chris Owens is a former high school teammate of Brown’s. Those two still talk to each other, but Brown would not disclose what he and Owens have discussed regarding Alabama.

Those two used to go against each other in practice every day. Owens usually got the best of him.

“The harder you get hit, the harder you have to hit back,” Brown said with a laugh when asked what he learned from Owens. “He won the majority of the battles back then. He was just so powerful. I was only a sophomore at the time, so he was much stronger than me.”

While Brown won’t disclose his private leader, I can say that the Alabama staff feels good with where it stands with the 4-star prospect.

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Five important recruits who will visit Florida soon

1. Matt Corral, 5-star quarterback, Long Beach, Calif.: The Gators remain in the hunt for a 2018 signal caller and Corral is one of their top targets. After officially receiving an offer from UF this week, he pushed back his scheduled trip to Alabama in favor of attending Florida’s Friday Night Lights on July 21. It will be the Gators’ one and only shot to get Corral on campus and impress him enough to surpass his top school, Georgia. Corral plans to decide before his senior season.

2. Micah Parsons, 5-star defensive end, Harrisburg, Pa.: Parsons has heavy interest in the Gators and their April offer factored into his de-commitment from Penn State. He intends to visit Florida this summer or in the fall, telling SEC Country he will “definitely” make it to Gainesville. Parsons is close friends with a few top prospects for the Gators, which he said helps their chances. He plans to commit in January and Ohio State is considered the favorite at this time.

3. William Barnes, 4-star offensive lineman, Apopka, Fla.: Offensive line is one of Florida’s biggest needs in this class. The Gators have yet to secure any commitments, but they’re in great shape for a few elite linemen. Barnes is priority No. 1 and returns to campus for Friday Night Lights. His June trip to North Carolina generated a lot of buzz for the Tar Heels, so this is an important visit for the Gators. UF and UNC are co-leaders for Barnes, who wants to take his recruitment to National Signing Day.

4. Dante Stills, 4-star defensive tackle, Fairmont, W.Va.: The 2018 recruiting cycle is not a great year for defensive tackles, but Florida has a chance to land a good one in Stills. The Gators offered him in March and he plans to visit UF this month, possibly for Friday Night Lights. Stills grew up a West Virginia fan and the in-state Mountaineers are the team to beat in his recruitment. The Gators need to knock his visit out of the park in order to pull off the upset. Stills will commit in late August.

5. David Reese, 3-star linebacker, Fort Pierce, Fla.: Linebacker is not a huge need for Florida in this cycle, but the Gators should sign at least one prospect at the position and Reese is their best shot. He has never visited UF as a recruit, but plans to check out the school before making his decision at the end of the summer. Michigan appears to have the edge for Reese after his recent trip to Ann Arbor, but Florida will get the last crack at him and provides proximity to home.

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Adam Gorney breaks down Utah QB commit Jack Tuttle and his performance at the Battle at the Beach 7-on-7 tournament.

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Don't get me started on that guy.

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