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

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Looks like we will get to keep Saban a little longer. He probably got 17,000 write in votes 

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Miami plans to send multiple coaches up to Connecticut this week.

InsideTheU has confirmed that defense coordinator Manny Diaz, safeties coach Ephraim Banda and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph are scheduled to meet with Top100 safety commit Josh Jobe at his prep school on Thursday before he leaves for his official visit to Alabama on Friday.

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Yeah I know this is going to sound biased but Coynis look slower than I thought. Looked strong but slow

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By the time National Signing Day — and this year, the Early Signing Period — comes around, five-star recruits have been written about ad nauseum.

Their recruitments were covered daily, their social media movements were analyzed and in recruiting circles, they are household names.

However, regarding Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances standout Eyabi Anoma, his journey has been rather quiet by comparison.

Anoma’s story has a similar feel to that of star Clemson defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who was certainly highly-regarded by college coaches, but stayed out of the limelight for much of the recruiting process.

We are actually ahead of the curve with Anoma when comparing the two.

247Sports made Anoma a five-star late this fall, where Wilkins didn’t get crowned with his fifth star until after the Under Armour All-America game. Neither were big into the camp circuit, and both were not guys to bring attention to themselves.

But like Wilkins, you only have to see Anoma once with your own eyes to know he’s different. I went to a St. Frances practice towards the end of the season and he has a unique bounce to him. He moves faster, more fluid than his peers. And many of those teammates are highly-recruited and will play on the same college football stage he will. The loaded Panthers roster finished the season undefeated and currently sit at No. 11 in the MaxPreps Xcellent Top25.

There’s no question who their best player is.

247Sports ranks Anoma as the nation’s No. 2 weak-side defensive end and No. 8 prospect overall. One high-level college football contact projects Anoma as a better prospect than fellow five-star Micah Parsons, who we ranked No. 1, because Anoma’s longer. You’re splitting hairs with those two but that gives you an ideal of how truly good Anoma is.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Anoma transferred to St. Frances prior to his junior season from nearby Randallstown High, where he was garnering interest as a mid-major basketball recruit also playing for top AAU program Team Melo as well. But local football coaches stayed in his ear about the potential he would have on the gridiron and Anoma attended a camp prior to his junior season at St. Frances that attracted big-time college coaches including the Michigan staff. Aroma’s athleticism popped, his length impressed and the coveted change of direction quickness allowed him to shine in those non-contact drills. Come the fall, Anoma showed he could be physical, too. He embraces contact on the football field and is typically the one doling out punishment. Anoma had 24 sacks as a junior and eclipsed that mark in his final prep season.

Playing at St. Frances for a coaching staff that has tremendous ties across college football, all the heavyweights quickly came into the picture. Alabama quickly asserted themselves right away and didn’t waste time coming at him as hard as any prospect they recruited this 2018 cycle. Mike Locksley is the area recruiter and he got it rolling with his ties to that part of the country. Nick Saban, Tosh Lupoi and former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt also built a relationship with Anoma who has visited three times dating back to the summer. Anoma took his official visit coming this past weekend.

Anoma gave Michigan a good look, and nearby Maryland is in the picture, but these are the type of recruiting wins the Crimson Tide are known for.

And it’s one we haven’t talked about enough.

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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. Today, we talk the latest with two Alabama Jack linebackers.

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