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

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Not really heard a thing on him. I wonder if height is a concern. I don't know. Just speculating. Isn't he listed at 6'0"? Then again Dean and Bentley aren't much taller, and of course SDH was a tick under 6'.

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THE STORYLINE

Trey Sanders is rated as the second-best running back in the country and he’s the only five-star currently in the state of Florida.

The last time a running back finished No. 1 in Florida was in 2009 when Trent Richardson led the way and despite being a bust in the NFL, the former Pensacola (Fla.) Escambia star was special in high school. And he went to Alabama, where he rushed for 3,130 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons and finished third in the Heisman voting as a junior.

Sanders, who plays at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, had been committed to Alabama and it was lining up that the five-star prospect could be one of the next special running backs for the Crimson Tide. However, he has backed off that pledge and is now being pursued by almost every national power.

Miami could become a bigger player in the Sanders sweepstakes, but Alabama absolutely cannot be counted out, either, since the Crimson Tide have not backed down at all. So what makes Sanders so special and what’s the likelihood that he ends up playing at Alabama after all is said and done?

TAKE ONE: ROB CASSIDY, RIVALS SOUTHEAST ANALYST

“Sanders has a rare combination of size and speed and has since he was in eighth grade. His broken commitment to Alabama was likely the product of a rushed process that saw him pledge his services to the Crimson Tide as a sophomore. He could very well still land in Tuscaloosa, but every school in the country wants in on Sanders’ recruitment. As for the top of the Florida state rankings, Akeem Dent seems like the most likely player to push Sanders and could overtake the running back should things break his way.”

TAKE TWO: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM RECRUITING DIRECTOR

“I don’t know if he will re-commit, but Alabama is going to be in the mix. You think about the big running backs, Derrick Henry, Bo Scarbrough and even Damien Harris is a thick running back, Mark Ingram, you think about guys like that who have had success at Alabama, it’s puzzling that he would commit there and then de-commit.

“I just think it’s one of those things where you commit early, you take a step back and then you look at other schools and figure out what you want to do. I don’t think it has anything to do with his lack of love for Alabama, so he could very well re-commit.

“What I like about him is he’s very powerful in his lower body, very well-built. He’s a kid who has a lot of explosion and burst. You can’t arm tackle him. He can run inside, bounce it outside and he has that extra effort once contact is made he’s going to struggle forward for more yards. He has good body lean, so everything you want in a power running back he brings to the table.

"Trent Richardson is an interesting comparison. He was stiffer and more muscled up, but I also think a little quicker. Everybody says bad things about Richardson because he wasn’t a good pro, but as a high school player he was very, very special and he went on to have a great career at Alabama. For Sanders to be in that category is pretty special as well because Richardson was an absolute beast in high school.”

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Christopher Hinton

Early contenders: Michigan (committed), Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State

Breakdown: Hinton took his name off the market back in August 2017, electing to commit to Michigan over a host of other options. He’s remained loyal to the Wolverines and vocal in his efforts to recruit other prospects to join him in Ann Arbor, but that hasn’t stopped other programs from thinking they have a shot with the five-star prospect. Odds are he stays in the fold with Michigan, but Georgia is always a threat for in-state prospects as Wolverines fans can attest after the Signing Day flip of 2018 Rivals100 linebacker Otis Reese. Hinton recently helped his team to the state basketball final as its starting center.

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Zacch Pickens

Early contenders: Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame, among others.

Breakdown: An elite prospect from the Palmetto State who lives within a stone’s throw of Clemson’s campus, Pickens continues to see his stock rise and new offers roll in on a near weekly basis. Like most elite talents from South Carolina, it’s shaping up to be a battle between the Tigers and the Gamecocks to land Pickens commitment. But several out of state schools, most prominently Georgia, are trying to lure Pickens out of state.

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The 2019 class is officially on the clock and with the early Signing Period just about nine months away and the first opportunity for prospects to take official visits coming this spring, it’s time for recruiting fans from across the country to start familiarizing themselves with the class of 2019.

We at Rivals.com are here to help. Over the next two weeks, we will introduce the top five players at each position in the class. Today we take a lot at offensive line, with the top two offensive tackles, top two offensive guards and the No. 1 ranked center.

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Kenyon Green

Early contenders: LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, among others.

Breakdown: A one-time LSU commit, it’s clear the Tigers are still heavily involved in the race to land Green. But the Tigers change at offensive line coach opened the door for several other programs, including in-state schools Texas and Texas A&M. The Aggies and Longhorns both feel good about their chances, especially with Green headed into several visits over the next few months. When and where he pops up will be worth watching, especially if Oklahoma and Alabama are going to stay in the picture.

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