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

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L7U seem all in, while we don't seem too interested in doing it. I hope we don't to be honest.

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Alabama is in the final four for one of the nation's top defensive backs, Jaylen McCollough. The four-star safety from Powder Springs (Ga.) Hillgrove announced Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Tennessee as his finalists on Tuesday night.

At 6-ft, 194-lbs, McCollough narrowed down his list of nearly two dozen offers to just four. There's no set date for a commitment, but with the list narrowed to just four it would appear a decision is not too far off. McCollough has been a longtime Tide target in the 2019 class and has visited several times, most recently for A-Day last month.

“He compares me to certain guys and filling roles like those guys," McCollough said of his last conversation with Tide head coach Nick Saban. “He compares me to Minkah (Fitzpatrick) because of my versatility and Ronnie (Harrison) because of my size, so it’s a mixture between those two."

“It’s Alabama,” McCollough recently said of what sets Bama apart from others. “That’s the heavyweight of college football. Once they recruit you, it’s going to be hard to say no to Coach Saban. A lot of the SEC teams are like Alabama, like Georgia and Tennessee because those coaches coached under Nick Saban. There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences.”

“Just because the environment,” McCollough said of why he could see himself committing to the Tide. “I feel comfortable with the players and coaches. It’s a top-notch program. They produce NFL-caliber talent every year.”

McCollough is rated the No. 4 safety and the No. 100 overall player in the country, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings. He plans to return to Tuscaloosa again this summer to workout for UA defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and new defensive backs coach Karl Scott.

The Tide already has a pair of defensive backs committed in its class in four-star cornerback Christian Williams and four-star athlete Brandon Turnage, who projects as a safety with the Tide.

Other targets in the secondary include five-star safety Daxton Hill, five-star cornerback Derek Stingley, four-star safety Noa Pola-Gates, four-star corners Tyrique Stevenson and Jeffery Carter, and three-star cornerback Marcus Banks, among others.

Alabama signed arguably the nation's top defensive backs class in 2018 highlighted by five-star cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr. and the nation's No. 1 junior college cornerback in Saivion Smith. The Tide also landed a pair of elite cornerbacks in Josh Jobe and Jalyn Armour-Davis, as well as three-star corner Eddie Smith.

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We’ll start with Jaren Handy. Handy grew up a fan of Alabama and has told SEC Country that Crimson Tide defensive lineman Raekwon Davis is his role model. Handy has an undisclosed leader and has said the Tide are his No. 2 team. I don’t think that’s the case. Alabama is in good shape here. Handy believes he can play if Davis ends up declaring for the NFL draft after this season.

Charles Moore is the nation’s No. 6 strongside defensive end and committed to Mississippi State. He’s one the Crimson Tide are watching closely. Moore tore an ACL last year and doesn’t have an offer from Alabama yet. He potentially could earn one next month when he’s expected to camp in Tuscaloosa.

Nathan Pickering has been one of Alabama’s top overall targets for quite some time. His recruitment is all over the map, and it’s hard to know where exactly the Tide stand right now. He has told SEC Country that Alabama and LSU are the two schools that are guaranteed official visits this fall.

Byron Young named Alabama his leader after visiting Tuscaloosa in February. He backed off those comments shortly after making them, and now he’s back to proclaiming the Tide as his No. 1 team. Young has a very close relationship with his primary recruiter at Alabama, inside linebackers coach Pete Golding.

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has already used all his OVs

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