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

I am curious why you are still in NMB after mandatory evacuations were issued yesterday for there.

Also the latest update shows it shifting more towards that area so if not smart enough to leave when they tell you to I would get out now while you still can.

If Florence hits as a 2 and you've boarded your windows, you're not losing your home provided you don't live on stilts/in a shack. Depending on how inland you are you might get flooding damage but that's about it. Most homes are lost in the sense that something falls on them (tree) or a window burst and the wind fills the rooms, pushing the roof off the home. Granted I don't know what the building code for the Carolina's is like compared to Florida.

When you leave, make sure all the doors in the house are closed and not open as it decreases the force on the roof if a breach occurs. Another big thing is be aware of downed power lines, especially near water, when you return. That's how most people lose their lives outside of generators/trees. Keep in mind that depending on where you evacuate to, it might take longer to get home(days wise) the farther you are away.

LINK ]'20 TE DJ Rogers has schools from all over the country after him (247 | embedded video)

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Sammamish (Wash.) Eastside Catholic junior tight end DJ Rogers is among the nation’s best at his position.

The 2020 tight end class out West looks like a strong one and Rogers is among the very best, not just in the region but nationally as well. He’s currently rated the No. 204 prospect nationally in the 247Sports Composite and looked very good when we had a chance to see him at the Honor Bowl two weeks ago in San Diego.

Rogers is a big kid and looks all of 6-4, pushing 6-5 and 240 pounds. He catches the ball well and is a load to deal with in the open field. He was named player of the game for Eastside Catholic against a tough Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian team and showed why he’s so highly coveted by schools all over the country.

We talked with Rogers after the game, which happened to be September 1st, the first day college coaches can reach out and call/text players in the 2020 class.

“I had a lot of calls and messages first thing in the morning when I checked my phone,” Rogers said. “I can’t even remember all of them but Alabama, Auburn, Washington, USC and UCLA were a few schools who reached out.

“It’s cool that we’re now able to talk to these coaches because that’s how you build the relationship with them. They all said they’re excited about me and want me to come out and visit so I’m excited to go through this process and see where i fit in best.”

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I expected you to be more patient.

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I am, but it's fun seeing one pop for the good guys. Just a comment. Not a declaration of worry or anything. It's going to be a great class. Tua and the play of the offense should only help. Exciting times for BAMA.

Roll Tide.

TOP TARGETS - 2019 CLASS (25-28)
Bold names = Bama commits (21)
* = early enrollee (Jan-2019)

Offensive Backs (4)
4* QB LINK ]Taulia Tagovailoa 5-11/203 AL hudl *
4* QB LINK ]Paul Tyson 6-4.5/217 AL hudl *
5* RB Trey Sanders 6-0/214 IMG/FL hudl *
4* RB LINK ]Keilan Robinson 5-9.5/186 DC hudl
4* RB Tyrion Davis 6-1/230 LA hudl LSU
4* RB Deondrick Glass 5-11/200 TX hudl
4* RB Jerrion Ealy 5-10/200 MS hudl OM

Receivers & Tight Ends (2-4)
4* WR/DB LINK ]John Metchie 6-0/195 MD hudl *
4* TE/WR LINK ]Jahleel Billingsley 6-4/216 IL hudl
4* WR Wandale Robinson 5-9.5/179 KY hudl
4* WR/S Milton Wright 6-3/200 KY hudl
4* WR Jameson Williams 6-2/170 MO hudl
4* WR George Pickens 6-3.5/190 AL hudl AU

Offensive Line (4-6)
4* OC LINK ]Darrian Dalcourt 6-4/290 MD hudl *
5* OG Clay Webb 6-3/295 AL hudl *
5* OL LINK ]Pierce Quick 6-5/285 AL hudl *
4* OL LINK ]Tanner Bowles 6-5/280 KY hudl *
4* OT LINK ]Amari Kight 6-6.5/315 AL hudl *
5* OT Evan Neal 6-7.5/360 FL hudl *
5* OT Darnell Wright 6-6/320 WV hudl
3* OG Kamaar Bell 6-3/320 GA hudl

Defensive Line (5-6)
4* DT LINK ]DJ Dale 6-3/320 AL hudl *
4* DT LINK ]Rashad Cheney 6-2/270 GA hudl
5* DT Ishmael Sopsher 6-4/330 LA hudl
4* DL LINK ]Antonio Alfano 6-4/285 NJ hudl *
4* DE LINK ]Justin Eboigbe 6-4.5/263 GA hudl *
4* DE LINK ]Byron Young 6-4/279 MS hudl *
4* DT Siaki Ika 6-3/347 UT hudl *
4* DT Jaquaze Sorrells 6-3/290 FL hudl
4* DE Ty Robinson 6-6/285 AZ hudl
4* DT Faatui Tuitele 6-4/299 HI hudl
4* DE Nathan Pickering 6-4/286 MS hudl MSU

Linebackers (5-6)
4* ILB LINK ]Shane Lee 6-1/240 MD hudl *
5* ILB Nakobe Dean 6-0/220 MS hudl *
4* LB LINK ]King Mwikuta 6-4/232 GA hudl *
4* OLB LINK ]Kevin Harris 6-4/228 GA hudl *
5* OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux 6-5/239 CA hudl *
4* ILB Henry To'oto'o 6-2/230 CA hudl
4* OLB Khris Bogle 6-4/220 FL hudl
4* ILB?/S Devonta Lee 6-2/212 LA hudl
5* LB/RB Quavaris Crouch 6-2.5/230 NC hudl *

Defensive Backs (4-5)
4* S LINK ]DeMarcco Hellams 6-1/203 MD hudl
5* S/CB Daxton Hill 6-1/187 OK hudl
4* CB LINK ]Christian Williams 6-1/185 AL hudl
4* DB/WR LINK ]Brandon Turnage 6-1/185 MS hudl
4* CB/S Noa Pola-Gates 6-2/180 AZ hudl
5* CB Akeem Dent 6-0/175 FL hudl FSU
4* S/NB Nick Cross 6-1/205 MD hudl FSU
4* S Jalani Williams 6-2/170 MO hudl
4* CB Tyrique Stevenson 6-1/190 FL hudl

Specialists (1)
3* K/P LINK ]Will Reichard 6-1/185 AL hudl *

How Bama can take > 25 in the 2019 cycle

(Reference: NCAA Signing and Counter Limits)

(1, 2) 2018 late addition QB Layne Hatcher isn't on a scholarship and 2018 non-qualifier Jordan Davis didn't sign an NLI (confirmed via Boz). So they didn't count toward any signing or counter limits, resulting in two unused 2018-19 signing and initial counter spots that two 2019-class early enrollees can be counted against.

(3, 4) 2019-class early enrollees Paul Tyson and Will Reichard didn't sign NLIs. It appears that was done so they can receive scholarships as replacements (under the voluntary withdrawal exception rule) for Vandarious Cowan and Keith Holcombe, who withdrew from the team before the 2018 fall term. Per that rule, they will count toward the 85 total counters limit, but not the annual 25 signings and 25 initial counters limits.
(NCAA Bylaw 15.5.6.4.1; additional explanation)

(5) It appears Bama also used the voluntary withdrawal exception rule to provide a 2018 recruit (e.g., Saivion Smith or Michael Parker) a replacement scholarship for Mekhi Brown, who withdrew in 2017. If so, it wouldn't have counted toward 2018's annual limits (only the 85 limit) and would've left one more unused 2018 spot that a 2019 early enrollee could count against.

Additional spots that might be available...

3 blueshirts -- I asked UA compliance (via email) if the potential loophole described below is valid, but they didn't respond. So, I'm not sure about it.

An NCAA Bylaws (13.9.2.3) modification created a new limit of 25 NLI and aid agreement signings per academic year, effective for signings on or after 08/01/17. Generally speaking, the signings limit prevents blueshirting because their initial fall scholarships will count against the signing limit for that current academic year. However, Bama already had two 2017-cycle blueshirts (Bulovas and Brannon) and a grayshirt (Parks) when the signing limit became effective. So, it appears that those three would've counted as 2017-18 signees and 2018-19 initial counters.

If that's correct, Bama would have three unused 2018-19 signing limit spots they could count 2019-class early enrollees against, but they'd still have to be 2019-20 initial counters. In turn, that would allow three 2019-20 signing limit spots to be used to take up to three 2019-class blueshirts, who'd be 2020 initial counters. And, it appears Bama could continue to blueshirt up to three nonrecruited players in each cycle, as long as they take three early enrollees in each cycle.

From what I've seen those 7 appear to be Bama's top priorities (Neal and Darnell Wright might be equal). If Bama can indeed take 28, there's room to take 8 more (without Cheney).

I am not sure why Webb does not go ahead and commit and before someone says he is enjoying the process I get a feeling he is not the lock many think. To be honest I would take Neal and Wright along with Hill, Thib, Sanders, Sopsher, Toto, and Ika.

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I am not sure why Webb does not go ahead and commit and before someone says he is enjoying the process I get a feeling he is not the lock many think.

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I agree. I'm not saying he ends up elsewhere, but I don't think he really, really wants to be here either. Saban doesn't have a no visits after you commit policy anyway, so I don't buy the enjoying the recruiting process line either. If the reports of him wanting to play guard in college are true I can maybe understand what's going on though. He's undersized for a guard but pretty ideal for a center, so if we are recruiting him as a center but Kirby and Dabo are telling him he can be a guard (while planning on moving him to center after a year on campus) we may not end up with him.

Bama is recruiting Clay Webb as a guard, not as a center. Bama took Darian Dalcourt as a center and he is playing center this season. Webb and his mom's visit went very well. UGA, Clemson and AU are all legit threats. But based on what I'm seeing from credible sources, Bama is still in pretty good shape with him.

All of Bama's OL commits and top targets are on track to be early enrollees except for Darnell Wright and Kamaar Bell. So, if Webb doesn't sign early with Bama, that would make it easier to have room for both Neal and Wright and maybe even Bell too, depending on how Bama does at other positions. But even if we don't get Webb and only sign one of Neal and Wright we'll still have a great OL haul.