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

Breaking: Tide lands 4-star OT from Kentucky (BamaOnLine)

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Alabama’s big recruiting weekend continues. The Crimson Tide landed a commitment from four-star offensive tackle Tanner Bowles on Sunday afternoon following the Glasgow (Ky.) product’s visit to Tuscaloosa for A-Day. He chose the Tide over in-state Kentucky, Florida State, Louisville, and LSU, among others.

“I loved it,” Bowles told BamaOnLine. “It was amazing. It was everything I thought it was and what I needed to see and verbally committed. I verbally committed to Coach (Nick) Saban and Coach (Brent) Key.

“Just getting to know the current players and the future players that I'll be playing with opened my eyes and showed me that that is the atmosphere and people that I would truly enjoy playing with. Today was amazing and it still seems unreal to me.”

Bowles hasn’t been mentioned as often with UA’s recruiting efforts along the offensive line as Clay Webb, Pierce Quick, Amari Kight, and Darnell Wright have — BOL mentioned Bowles in its report last month about names to know on the offensive side of the ball — but the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder was identified as a big target when the staff offered on Feb. 21.

“When I told Coach Key he couldn't believe it,” Bowles said. “When I told him I'm truly committed he seemed very excited. I went into Coach Saban's office, before I could tell him he said, ‘We're not pressuring you into anything, but we would love you to come.’ That's when I told him that I'm committed and he said that it was a great day for Alabama.”

So what’s next for the four-star offensive lineman? “I won't be attending any other universities (on visits) to show that I'm 100 percent committed,” Bowles said. “I will for sure be coming back many times and I'm gonna try to get some of these other boys on track as well that haven't made up their minds.”

Bowles is rated the No. 28 offensive tackle and the No. 287 overall player in the country, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings.

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>>> Highlights - hudl

Well he's certainly not the OT I wanted to go public from yesterday.

How is he even a take?

I don't buy into all the insiders and silent commits, they seem to be more wrong the right and when someone does commit they say it has been silent for months and I told ya so

I just read that we are number 1 in the rankings again

Likely means bad news on either Bell (grades) or Wright. Have heard nothing but good things about Wright's visit, but who knows? Quick is projected as an either/or OG/OT.

DJ Dale on the clock now.

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Likely means bad news on either Bell (grades) or Wright. Have heard nothing but good things about Wright's visit, but who knows? Quick is projected as an either/or OG/OT.

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I think the staff feels good about getting Webb and Kight, hopefully Wright too, but maybe not Dobbs -- and decided to go ahead and take Bowles as the 5th OL in this class. Apparently they like him more than Dalcourt. Bowles is 6-5, so he could play OG & OT (like Quick). Bell has qualifying concerns and seems to want in so much he might be willing to grey or blueshirt.

What Alabama is getting in new OL commit Tanner Bowles (BamaOnLine)

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Alabama landed its second offensive lineman and its tenth overall commitment in the 2019 class on Sunday afternoon in four-star offensive tackle Tanner Bowles.

The Glasgow (Ky.) product is rated the No. 28 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 287 overall player in the country, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

247Sports ranks Bowles the No. 17 offensive tackle and No. 139 player in the country. 247Sports’ national analyst Steve Wiltfong explains why:

"Quick-footed, aggressive offensive lineman that can make all the blocks that are going to be asked of him in Alabama’s offense. He’s showing he’s capable of doing that already in the offense he’s playing in at the high school level. He’s asked to do a lot. He’s not in a one-dimensional high school offense. He’s playing for a team that puts the ball in the air, he’s playing for a team that likes to snap it out of the gun, and he’s playing for a team that likes to play with pace.

“He’s another guy that shows toughness and aggressiveness. He attacks defensive linemen. He doesn’t just fall on guys, he’s not big and sloppy. He’s athletic and he’s a people mover. A lot of drive blocking on that tape. A lot of taking defensive linemen out of the play. He’s going to bring the right mentality to Tuscaloosa, and we’ll see where it goes from there."

Bowles commitment boosts the Tide back atop the rankings according to the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings.

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>>> Highlights - hudl

With 27 spots, there is room for everyone.

I’m much more underwhelmed at this moment than I expected to be on Friday afternoon.

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Wasn't everybody last year complaining about is not taking commitments of quality players to hold spots for players that never committed to us?

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Yep. Taking Bowles now makes sense to me.

A GREAT OL haul:

OT: Wright & Kight
OG/OT: Pierce & Bowles
OC: Webb

Saban and his staff dgaf what 247, rivals or any of us think. They do their own evaluations. I think their "ideal" 5-man OL class consists of a badass center, 2 great OTs and 2 guys who can play both OG & OT very well.

If we miss on Wright, we'd still have two great OTs with Pierce & Kight. 2018 signees Tommy Brown (OT/OG) and Emil Ekiyor (OG/OC) are also very good prospects and can likely be redshirted. Y'all who are "meh" about taking Bowles, need to trust in tProcess and tGOAT.