re: Class of 2019 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: That's a Wrap Edition

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Alabama quarterback commit Paul Tyson plans to arrive at Alabama on Friday, having graduated from high school a semester early and ready to take part in on-campus bowl practices.

The Hewitt-Trussville product said he has a one simple goal: "Help the team any way I can," he said.

Alabama coaches may have already determined how.

Tyson said there have “definitely” been discussions about him mimicking Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence as a scout-team quarterback if the Crimson Tide and Clemson meet in the national championship game. Alabama plays Oklahoma in one College Football Playoff semifinal, and Clemson meets Notre Dame in the other.

"A couple of years back when Deshaun Watson was playing (at Clemson), Jalen Hurts actually did the exact same thing -- came in for bowl practice and took on that role as Deshaun Watson," Tyson said. "They said they completely believed that helped a ton and he was able to mimic Deshaun Watson.

"Definitely made clear that if Clemson ends up winning, it might be a shot for me on scout team to help the team."

Tyson said he's grown to 6-foot-5 and tips the scales at between 215 and 220 pounds, a near perfect match of the physical profile for the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Lawrence.

The two quarterbacks share similar athletic gifts, too -- big, strong-armed quarterbacks with better mobility and athleticism than many fans give them credit for possessing.

Tyson completed 225-of-342 passes for 3,193 yards in 12 games, with 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions, in 2018. He also scored four rushing touchdowns on 43 carries.

For comparison sake, Lawrence completed 192-of-281 passes for 3,472 yards, also in 12 games, with 42 touchdowns and one interception as a senior at Cartersvile (Ga.) in 2017. He added two rushing touchdowns on 43 carries.

Hurts immediately impressed Alabama coaches as the stand-in for Watson before Alabama's 45-40 victory over Clemson in 2016, a prelude to him winning the starting job as a true freshman.

Tyson isn't likely to win the starting job in 2019, not with Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa returning and Hurts with another year of eligibility remaining.

Future playing time aside, Tyson said he’s intrigued with the idea of simulating Lawrence to prepare Alabama’s first-team defense for the Clemson freshman.

"It'll definitely be a big jump going to from high school to first team, without really any time in between," Tyson said. "That's definitely be fun and a challenge I'll have to accept. It'll be exciting.

"Whatever they want me to do," he continued. "Not saying that's 100 percent going to happen, but if that's what they want me to do, I'm putting myself in their hands."

Alabama's other quarterback commit, Thompson's Taulia Tagovailoa and Tua's younger brother, isn't participating in bowl practices and plans to arrive in Tuscaloosa when classes start in January. Even if he were reporting this week with Tyson and at least two other 2019 signees, he suffered a late-season injury to his throwing shoulder and likely wouldn't be able to fully participate.

Tyson, meanwhile, is eager to get to Tuscaloosa. "I can't wait," he said.

Tyson is the great-grandson of legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who played at Alabama in the 1930s before becoming the all-time winningest coach in major-college football history.

“It’s definitely something cool to think about,” Tyson said, “who my great-grandfather was and for me to continue the legacy at Alabama is really cool.”

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Holy shite, did Georgia really make a run at our kicker from Hoover too? I just saw a tweet by Bone.

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Alabama quarterback commit Taulia Tagovailoa won’t play in next week’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic because of a shoulder injury, but it’s unclear if he can play in two other major all-star games next month.

Tagovailoa, talking to reporters after a ceremony to honor him, fellow Alabama commit Amari Kight and UAB linebacker commit Will Conner today at Thompson High in Alabaster, said he plans to enroll at Alabama in January. He answered questions about his shoulder but offered no specifics.

"My shoulder is getting better," he said. "We have great trainers up here and they're helping me get better. … I'm just focused on getting my shoulder better one day at a time."

Tagovailoa, who threw for 3,728 yards and 35 touchdowns, was selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game, which is Monday; the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, set for Jan. 5; and the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii on Jan. 19.

Tagovailoa suffered the shoulder injury during the Warriors' 31-28 victory over Hoover on Nov. 23 in the Class 7A semifinals, but it wasn't revealed until after the 52-7 loss to Central-Phenix City in last week's state title game. He threw for a career-low 44 yards while trying to play with the injury.

After the championship game, Tagovailoa described it as a strained labrum and rotator cuff. At today's ceremony in Alabaster, he was not wearing a sling and didn't seem to wince or have any range of motion issues while greeting teammates or posing for photos.

During the ceremony, Polynesian Bowl officials also announced he is one of the final finalists to for the all-star game's Player of the Year award. He had previously been tabbed as one of the 10 semifinalists.

Tagovailoa’s older brother -- Heisman Trophy runner-up Tua Tagovailoa -- also enrolled early at Alabama, and Taulia said he saw the chance to participate in spring practice helped Tua get “a step ahead.” Fellow 2019 quarterback commit Paul Tyson is also an early enrollee and plays to report Friday and participate in on-campus bowl practices.

"It's something my brother did," Taulia said, "and I see how good it work out for him. I’m just trying to get to college."

The Tagovailoa brothers played on separate high school teams in Hawaii, and Taulia said the chance to play on the same team with his brother influenced his decision to choose Alabama.

"We're family oriented," he said. "That's one of my family's dreams, to have me and my brother play on the same (college) team. It's beneficial for me. I get to learn from him and also the other quarterbacks and get to experience the same things he did."

What will do Taulia between now and his January enrollment? “Training and getting my shoulder better,” he said.

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Holy shite, did Georgia really make a run at our kicker from Hoover too? I just saw a tweet by Bone.

If so, then Kirby is really just trying to piss Saban off. That Championship loss has really stung

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Alabama has collected a historic recruiting class, and is clearly the No. 1 team for the 2019 cycle.

The Crimson Tide have 24 commits, and all but one are 4-star or 5-star prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite. But even with a wider view, SB Nation notes that 10 of the top 100 nationally on the 247Sports Composite are committed to the Tide. For perspective, the entire Pac-12 combined has eight top-100 commits.

Alabama’s only non-blue-chip commitment is a kicker. There’s just over a week left before the first National Signing Day arrives, and Alabama is in the mix for more top-shelf talent, including some that could flip from other blue blood programs.

This class is also notable because it comes a year after the Crimson Tide finished fifth, following a seven-year streak of No. 1-ranked classes. Alabama’s staff has stiff-armed negative recruiting that centered on coach Nick Saban’s age, and questions about his retirement future.

Georgia has gained momentum this week with notable commitments or reaffirmations of previous pledges. After that, it’s Texas A&M, LSU, Clemson, Texas and Oregon for the rest of the top finishers.

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