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

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Jahleel Billingsley (@JahleelKnowsss), four-star TE from Chicago, commits to #Alabama. The third #Rivals250 commitment for the Tide this week

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Alabama turned to the Windy City with its second commitment of the night on Friday. Four-star tight end Jahleel Billingsley of Chicago (Ill.) Phillips Academy has given a verbal pledge to the Crimson Tide over Florida and Illinois, among others.

“It felt like home,” Billingsley told BamaOnLine of why he chose the Tide. “That’s about it. When I took my official (visit) everybody was just really genuine. I felt like that’s where I needed to be and that I could see myself there.”

The Tide offered the 6-foot-4, 216-pounder at the end of May — when Billingsley had the Gators atop his list with commitment appearing imminent — at which point the four-star tight end quickly set up an official visit to Tuscaloosa for June 15-17. Nick Saban and staff swung the momentum from there with Billingsley declaring Alabama his leader coming off his 48-hour stay at the Capstone.

Quarterbacks coach Dan Enos is the lead recruiter for Alabama’s newest pledge. “It’s a great relationship,” Billingsley said of he and Enos. “It’s more of like a laid back thing. He’s not really a coach, he’s more of like a mentor just guiding me in the right direction. That’s what I need. Our relationship is great.”

Another significant factor in his decision was Billingsley’s relationship with Tide tight end Irv Smith who hosted the four-star prospect on his official visit. “He played a big role,” Billingsley said of Smith.

Saban was happy to learn of Billingsley’s intention to commit. “I liked his reaction because it probably would have been different if I had committed somewhere else,” Billingsley said. “He was excited, but he was more of letting me know I would have to come and put in work if I were to stay committed to Alabama. He said to just trust the process.”

Billingsley is the Tide’s first commitment at the tight end position in the 2019 class, a spot they could eventually add a second player if the right fit. The four-star tight end says he’s shutting down his recruitment. Billingsley is rated the No. 11 tight end and the No. 294 overall player in the country, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Overall, Billingsley is commitment No. 20 for the Tide, which strengthens its hold on the No. 1 spot in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings with a score of 287.27. The No. 2 team in the standings, Texas A&M, sits with a score of 261.63. Last year, the Tide finished with a total of 285.83.

With the pledge, Alabama’s class is quickly filling up ahead of the fall. This time last year, Alabama held just a handful of commitments and resided outside the top 50 spot of the rankings. The script has been flipped in the 2019 cycle as the Tide has had a firm grasp atop the recruiting standings for the last two months and doesn’t look like it will lose that spot anytime soon.

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