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

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South Florida has been good to Alabama in recent years with Jobe, Surtain Jr. and Xavier Williams joining the class in 2018. Some of UA's top targets in South Florida in the 2019 cycle include five-star cornerback and Florida State commit Akeem Dent, four-star cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, four-star Jack linebacker Khris Bogle, and four-star running back Kenny McIntosh.

Back in 2016, Saban voiced displeasure with the idea of satellite camps:

“I mean, this is the Wild Wild West at its best," Saban said in May of '16. "There’s been no specific guidelines relative to how we’re managing and controlling this stuff. It’s happening outside our normal evaluation window, which means we’re taking time away from our players.

“I don’t know how much it benefits anybody, aight. Because all the people that say this is creating opportunities for kids, this is all about recruiting. That’s what it’s about, aight. … And what’s amazing to me is somebody didn’t stand up and say, ‘Here’s gonna be the unintended consequences of what y’all are doing.’”

Last spring, the NCAA adjusted the rules involving satellite camps requiring camps to take place on college campuses or spaces that are used by member institutions. The new rules that went into effect last year also allow coaches participating at the camp to have recruiting conversations with prospective student athletes. With the new rules in place, we've seen the Tide staff take a different approach to camps outside of Tuscaloosa.

It should be noted that Alabama also has a one-day OL/DL camp at the Capstone on June 9.

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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. In this edition, we talk the latest with a 5-star Georgia commit.

Nolan Smith still seems like a long shot for Alabama

Whenever I talk to Alabama fans about who they want to see in the Crimson Tide’s 2019 recruiting class, many times  Nolan Smith, a 5-star Jack linebacker from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) is mentioned. It could be because he is one of the most gifted players in the 2019 recruiting cycle, because he is committed to Georgia or a combination of both.

There were a few minutes on April 1 during which it seemed Smith was going to end up committing to Alabama after he announced his “de-commitment.” It turned out to be an April Fool’s joke that wasn’t executed well.

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The nation’s No. 6 overall player has been committed to Georgia for more than a year, but he has made numerous trips to Tuscaloosa. He compared the Alabama staff to a part of his family, but it hasn’t been enough for him to change his mind.

Smith has actively recruited for the Bulldogs and is trying to get several of his IMG Academy teammates, such as 5-star running back Trey Sanders, who is a major Alabama target, to commit to Georgia.

“I just say, ‘This is the spot,’ and I let it speak for itself,” Smith said of his recruiting pitch. “They are all going to see. When we win, they will be sitting on their couch thinking I want to watch that game and watch that team play even though I know they won or they were at another visit that day. If you flip through and Georgia versus Tennessee is on, they will have to watch the game to see what Georgia did. Georgia is going to make exciting plays from now on no matter who it is on that field. It is the spot. It speaks for itself.”

As I’ve said for several months now, it is great that Alabama has hosted him several times on campus, but Smith has no intentions of reopening his recruitment. Those Tide fans who are hoping he changes his mind should probably focus on other Jack linebacker targets.

The good news is Alabama is in good shape with several Jack linebackers in this class, such as 4-star prospects Kevin Harris and King Mwikuta, who are committed to the Tide; the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, Kayvon Thibodeaux; and 4-star prospect Mohamoud Diabate, who can play several linebacker spots in the Tide’s defensive scheme.

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