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

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It was billed as the game of the decade and many left the Santa Ana Bowl calling it the best high school football game they had ever seen. I won't go that far but it was definitely entertaining despite almost 300 yards in penalties and a couple of questionable ejections that were shaky at best.

In the end, Mater Dei gutted out a 28-24 win, ending IMG's 40 game winning streak. The game had a little of everything. Close to 50 legitimate college prospects, physical play, star performances, trick plays and kids absolutely gassed but still playing as hard as they could until the final whistle.

In a game this big, you always want the star players to play like it and that was definitely the case in this one. For IMG, Trey Sanders and Nolan Smith more then lived up to their lofty status and for the Monarchs, Bryce Young and Bru McCoy showed how talented and clutch they are.

Here is our breakdown of some of the top performances from the game as well as a look at a few sleeper prospects who showed they can definitely play with the big big as well.

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EVAN NEAL MAKES A STATEMENT

At 6-8, 360 pounds, Evan Neal was the biggest player on the field. He’s the biggest lineman I’ve ever seen close up but he was also the best lineman on the field in this game. For a tackle his size, it was amazing how agile he was and he did a great job in his one on one matchup with five-star athlete Bru McCoy.

Neal didn’t allow more then one pressure that we saw, was dominant as a run blocker and cleared holes for IMG’s talented tandem of Trey Sanders and Noah Cain all night. As good as he is now, I can only imagine how much better Neal could be at the next level if he leaned out a little more and played at say, 340 pounds or so.

He would still be massive but even quicker and better athletically. He’s definitely a player we could see competing for early playing time as a true freshman and Miami currently leads Alabama in the Crystal Ball forecast right now. Neal is rated the No. 6 OT and No. 24 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite but it's tough to imagine there being five better tackle prospects in the country after seeing him up close close and personal Friday night.

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ALABAMA - Clay Webb

Webb is a priority for some of the programs in the South, and despite the success Alabama has already had on the offensive line this cycle, the five-star out of Oxford, Ala. is still a top target. Webb is a prospect we feel is a safe bet to be a star in the trenches on the next level. He projects as a center and he is strong, smart, physical and dominant. Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and a few others are in this race too, so this will not be an easy win for Alabama. He will decide in December before enrolling in January.

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LSU - Ishmael Sopsher

Defensive line is a real priority this cycle for Ed Orgeron and the Tigers, so no better place to start than in your home-state with a five-star defensive tackle. Sopsher has a great connection with Orgeron and the staff in Baton Rouge, he has visited there so often it feels like home and he knows he is a real priority. Alabama is viewed as the biggest competitor, but LSU is thought to be in a good spot. The way they have started off the season only helps. LSU may sign as many as six defensive linemen this cycle, and Sopsher will be a big key to the success level of this class.

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TENNESSEE - Darnell Wright

It’s clear the Vols need help at several positions based on the way the season has started, but there’s no bigger need than offensive line and no higher priority target than Wright. The five-star offensive lineman from West Virginia has been a regular on campus in Knoxville over the past year and would likely have a chance to step right into the lineup if he were to choose the Vols. Obviously a player of his stature has plenty of attention from other programs and Tennessee is battling Alabama, among others, for his commitment.

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Alabama 2019 offensive tackle commit, Amari Kight, is a huge pickup for the Tide. He stands at 6-feet-6-inches and weighs 315 pounds. Here is a snippet of what the Tide is getting in Kight.

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Taulia Tagovailoa put up a pretty impressive performance last week and Touchdown Alabama Magazine was there to capture it all. He went 25-of-48, for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns versus Tuscaloosa County.

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The Tide has been known to flip a commit or two and the 2019 recruiting cycle looks to be no different.

The Tide biggest flips in the 2018 class were Skyler Delong from Tennessee, Josh Jobe from Miami and Layne Hatcher from Arkansas State. Ale Kaho could be considered a late flip but he is more of a transfer when you considered he did sign a National Letter of Intent to Washington. The Tide now have a chance to make some big flips in the future as the landscape of college football has opened up opportunities. Here are some 2019 recruits to pay attention to as Alabama would love to flip them.

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Akeem Dent

Dent is a Florida State commit. He has been committed to the Seminoles for more than a year. The Tide seems to be a name that constantly comes up with Dent’s recruitment and it seems speculation has heated up since Daxton Hill committed to Michigan and Florida State does not look promising on the football field.

Dent is a 5-Star cornerback. It does not get any better than this guy as he combines toughness, speed and athleticism to be one of the top recruits in the nation. In the world of lengthy defensive backs, he is a bit of an old-school type at 5-feet-11-inches. Don’t let that size fool you as he can lower the boom with the best of them.

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On today's program we begin with a heavy look on the recruiting trail with BOL's Hank South, who helps to break down a big visit weekend for the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

A host of official visitors took in the Texas A&M game, including the top prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings, defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. Other interesting visitors made it in as well, including two of the top prospects within state lines in 5-star offensive lineman Clay Webb and the top Yellowhammer wide receiver and current Auburn Tiger commitment George Pickens.

Who else made it in? What is the list looking like for next week? Hank helps us out before we take a final look at the A&M game and take a ton of listener questions.

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