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

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What Rashad Cheney brings to the table

Alabama has a major need along the defensive line in its 2019 class, and added a big piece to the puzzle on Thursday afternoon in Rashad Cheney. The four-star defensive tackle becomes the first defensive lineman to join the fold, and the Tide is getting a good one according to Cheney’s head coach at Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove, Jermaine Smith.

“Great kid,” Smith told BamaOnLine. “He’s hard-working. He’s probably gained fifteen pounds of muscle in the last year. He’s fast off the ball and is aggressive with his hands. The sky’s the limit. He’s getting better and better every day, every practice. He loves football.

"He’s one of those kid’s that’s easy to coach because he loves to compete. He’s one of those guys you kind of have to tell to take some reps off. He’ll try to go on the scout team and take some reps there. He does a good job in the classroom. He’s respectful. He’s one of those guys that’s hard to find.”

Cheney contributes to Cedar Grove in a number of ways, a luxury of having a 275-pound defensive lineman that looks and can move like a 250-pounder. “He had two touchdowns at fullback last year,” Cheney said. “I can use him at offensive tackle if I needed him to. He could be one of the top tackles if I really needed him to, or top guards. On goal line I put him in there and let him knock the hell out of somebody.”

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Alabama’s class ranking

With the the commitment, Alabama now ranks No. 9 in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings with five commitments. The Tide has the second highest per commit (95.08) rankings of any team ahead of it in the standings. This time last year the Tide had commitments from Jordan Davis, Xavier Williams, Akial Byers, and Dameon Pierce. The previous two signed with Alabama in December.

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The great grandson of Bear Bryant, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) Top247 quarterback Paul Tyson has attended countless Alabama games including five played in the National Championship.

His commitment to the Crimson Tide on Thursday comes as a surprise to nobody, but the 6-foot-4, 217-pound, strong-armed passer swears it wasn’t that hard to stop being a fan when his recruitment took off in trying to find the best place for him. In fact he added it was a pretty tough decision.

It would have been a hell of a wardrobe change had Tyson chose somewhere else. “He genuinely did look around,” his coach Josh Floyd said. “That was really cool but it was still tough on him,” his father Marc Tyson said.

In the end, the four-star Tyson chooses the program he dreamed of playing for over an offer list that included Clemson, Michigan, Notre Dame, LSU, Oregon, Tennessee and USC among others. Tyson said he got the feeling on his visit to Tuscaloosa three weeks ago but even then wanted to let that marinate before telling Nick Saban, lead recruiter Brent Key, Dan Enos and company in person Thursday afternoon.

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Alabama finished seventh in the 2018 class recruiting rankings, but expect the Crimson Tide to be back on top in 2019. SEC Country’s Chris Kirschner will answer the Recruiting Question of the Day each weekday. You can ask him your questions on  Twitter or on  Facebook. Find our previous questions and answers  here.

Who do you predict Alabama signs at running back? - @KTribe82

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This has been a popular question. Alabama will likely sign two running backs in the 2019 class, and there are several top options for the Crimson Tide.

There are two 5-star running backs associated with the Tide, Trey Sanders and Quavaris Crouch. Sanders was committed to Alabama for more than a year before reopening his recruitment in January. It’s unlikely Sanders rejoins the Tide at this point. I think his older brother, Umstead, getting a preferred walk-on spot at Florida gives the Gators an edge.

With Crouch, there was some Bama buzz a few months ago but Clemson has that momentum now. Alabama needs to get Crouch back on campus, which I’m sure will happen this spring.

Outside of those guys, there isn’t one running back who seems to be leaning toward Bama. Ole Miss running back commit  Jerrion Ealy will visit Tuscaloosa on Saturday. I think he’s one to watch. LSU running back commit  Tyrion Davis is also strongly considering Alabama. He’s going to be tough to flip, though, as he’s from Baton Rouge and grew up wanting to play for the Tigers.

Alabama is also hosting 4-star running back  Keilan Robinson this weekend. He’s one of the team’s top targets.  Ronald Thompkins, a 4-star prospect from Grayson High School (Loganville, Ga.), is also a name to know.

So, I think it’s too early to give any prediction on running back. There are lots of names out there but not one that has emerged from the pack as being a possible addition.

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Ouch. I'm a little surprised at this. They'll play behind Najee for only a year. I'd think a lot more would be interested.

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Paul Tyson‘s commitment doesn’t affect Taulia Tagovailoa 

Alabama landed one of the centerpieces of its 2019 recruiting class on Thursday when 4-star quarterback Paul Tyson, who’s the great-grandson of Bear Bryant, committed to the Crimson Tide.

The team would like to add two quarterbacks this cycle, and now attention turns toward Taulia Tagovailoa, a 4-star quarterback from Thompson High School (Alabaster, Ala.). Tagovailoa is the younger brother of Tua Tagovailoa.

Lots of questions that SEC Country received shortly after Tyson’s commitment focus on how that affects Tagovailoa. In short, it doesn’t.

“It really means nothing. Taulia is just like Tua,” Galu Tagovailoa, Taulia’s father, told SEC Country. “He’s willing to compete whether it’s at Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina or Nebraska. It doesn’t affect him and his decision with any of the schools. We want to congratulate Paul and his family. They are great people.”

The decision to take Tyson wasn’t unexpected to the Tagovailoas. Alabama’s staff had told them that the team was going to take two quarterbacks in the 2019 class. And it’s not something the team can avoid doing.

Alabama didn’t sign a quarterback in the 2018 class and lost out on adding East Carolina grad transfer Gardner Minshew, who decided to choose Washington State over the Tide.

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Galu Tagovailoa sheds insight on Faatui Tuitele 

There’s a lot of football talent in the Tagovailoa family tree outside of Tua and Taulia Tagovailoa. Their cousin is quite gifted, too. He is 5-star defensive tackle Faatui Tuitele out of St. Louis School (Honolulu). Not only are the Tagovailoas and Tuitele related but Tua and Faatui are former teammates.

Tuitele and his family arrived in Tuscaloosa on Monday and had dinner with his relatives Tuesday night. Diane Tagovailoa, Tua’s and Taulia’s mother, and Tuitele’s grandfather are first cousins.

“We shared things they should expect if they chose Alabama,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “It was good to see our family here in God’s country. It’s now a decision they have to make to see what’s best for them as a family.”

The nation’s No. 2 defensive tackle told SEC Country that seeing Tua have the success he did as a freshman certainly helps Alabama’s chances with him because the quarterback paved the way for an elite Hawaiian recruit to choose a school not located on the West Coast.

That was also something that was conveyed to Tuitele’s family from the Tagovailoas. “They see that there is so much potential out here and a lot that can benefit their son,” Galu Tagovailoa said.

“I don’t think their son coming out here is an issue. The kid is all about competition. That’s why he’s one of the best linemen in the country. Competition isn’t going to stop him from getting to where he wants to get to. So, 5,000 miles isn’t going to stop him if Alabama is the school he wants to go to.”

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