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

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One city that Alabama football head coach Nick Saban must keep a firm grip on in recruiting is Montgomery, Ala. With it producing big names like Shaun Dion Hamilton (Carver), Lyndell “Mack” Wilson (Carver) and Henry Ruggs III (Lee), the area is full of division one talent.

Aside from 2014, Saban has managed to land a marquee running back prospect in each signing class he’s brought in. Some players that Crimson Tide fans hold near to their heats include Mark Ingram (2009 Heisman Trophy winner), Derrick Henry (2015 Heisman winner), Trent Richardson, Jalston Fowler, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon, Kenyan Drake and Bo Scarbrough.

While no one has caught the Tide’s attention at the position for the 2019 cycle, an area known simply as “The Gump” has an athlete that is ripping up high school fields across the state.

Size matters for most Southeastern Conference institutions, however, if one was to study Jacory Merritt’s film it would leave them floored as to why he’s not received a scholarship offer.

Merritt, who’s coming off a strong sophomore year at Sidney Lanier High School, possesses an assortment of skills at running back – including speed, power, vision, change of direction and soft hands as a receiver. He may not have the SEC weight at 178 pounds, but his compact frame (5-foot-11) and explosion between the tackles does not take long to capture instant attention.

After posting 1,161 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns in 2017, Merritt looks to take Sidney Lanier to a state championship as a senior. To pair alongside the traits listed above, he also has a knack for pushing runs to open space and creating difficult angles for defenders to tackle him.

Sidney Lanier used Merritt in variations of I-formation (Weak I, Strong I) and shotgun, with focus on zone read plays.

Kenyan Drake and ArDarius Stewart were two former Crimson Tide players that came to mind upon watching Merrit’s film. Despite Stewart signing under the label of “athlete” in 2013, no one could discredit his abilities when it came to attacking the ball.

A broken leg injury in 2014 robbed Drake of what he could have achieved; nevertheless, his elusive skill set led him to 1,495 career rushing yards, 570 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns during his tenure. The native Georgian jumped into Alabama football folklore in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship matchup (2015 season) when he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a pivotal score against top-seeded Clemson, earning a 45-40 win.

During the offseason, Merrit trains with Dezmond Willis, founder of Top Rated Speed and Performance Training in Prattville, Ala. According to Willis, Sidney Lanier’s swiss army knife wants to add more weight to his frame and get his 40-time in the 4.3s. It returns Najee Harris and Brian Robinson after 2018, but the possibility of seeing Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs (should he stay healthy and perform well) leave does bring questions on should a back be considered.

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Are Barmore and Davis in as well?

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The 24 quarterbacks were selected based on their body of work that included their high school tape, live performances at The Opening regional and Elite 11 regional events, testing Rating as well as their college potential and upside.

Going in to Redondo, the quarterbacks were ranked 1-24 based on the above mentioned criteria and will have three days to either solidify their spot in the top 12 or make a big jump in to the top 12 if you’re currently rated in the 20s heading in to the camp.

Here is 247Sports' look at the top 11 performers on Friday's day one action from the Elite 11 Finals.

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Since I’m sure someone will ask, Tyson struggled a bit. It was a little windy and Tyson had issues spinning and he football, he doesn’t have great arm strength so elements like windy conditions are tough on him and a few of the others as well.

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Neketta Dean, the mother of five-star Nakobe Dean (Horn Lake, Miss./Horn Lake), says she has been on trips with her son to LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Auburn. But it was her most recent visit, to Georgia, that really caught her eye.

"It was awesome," Neketta said. "It was the best one yet for me. I have been to several schools. Everything is 'show you this, show you that.' They did the exact same thing, they just had a more innovative way of doing it. We were able to see the entire campus. It was fun.

"It was a scavenger hunt. Coming up to each item, they would tell us about what we were going to, whether there was any history behind it. It was a lot of fun. It was over three hours and it went by without you even realizing you had just been on a tour of the school. It was fun yet informative."

Assistant Dan Lanning, a former Memphis assistant, recruits the area for Georgia. "I think he is great," Neketta said. "He comes from the heart. He lets you know he is here for you. He involves his family. He does not have to do that, but he is one of the very few that actually involves his family. His boys will yell 'hey Mrs. Neketta, hey Kobe!.' He involves them a lot with this process. It may be his touch but it works for me. It comes from the heart, reaches the heart, and he has done just that for me."

The Bulldogs have emerged as a strong contender for Dean, the No. 1 inside linebacker in the 2019 class, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. "I think we get a realness from Georgia," Neketta said. "I always tell them that my No. 1, from a mother's standpoint, is his overall wellbeing, which is his health and safety. No. 2 academics. No. 3 - football will take care of itself.

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