re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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Dameon Pierce back to square one in recruitment

Dameon Pierce randomly committed to Alabama last summer. When he chose the Crimson Tide, it was surprising because there wasn’t much info out there on how much he liked the school and if the team was even heavily interested in him.

Nonetheless, Pierce has been the longest-tenured Alabama commitment in the Class of 2018. It doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case for much longer.

“Due to a recent conversation with my mom, I’m right now back at square one in my recruiting process,” Pierce told our DawgNation reporter Jeff Sentell. “I didn’t take enough visits before I committed to Alabama. It stands out to me now that I need to take more visits and weigh my options. So, that’s what I’m doing right now.”

That quote certainly isn’t all rainbows and butterflies and all rah-rah Crimson Tide. Pierce sounds like a recruit who is unsure of what he thinks of the school he’s currently committed to.

“Alabama is my front-runner, seeing as I’m still committed,” Pierce said. “But before I decide to go to another school, I need to have that change of heart before I decide where I know want to go.”

How strong is his current commitment to the Tide?

“I’m not sure I can answer that right now,” he said.

What went wrong with Pierce and Alabama? It seems like a trip to Tuscaloosa, a little over a week ago, didn’t go as well as it could have. Pierce made the trip with his mother, Shameka Rogers. After leaving Tuscaloosa, Pierce and his mother talked about the visit, and she wasn’t too impressed.

Pierce made a trip to Athens this past weekend for Georgia’s spring game, and his mother really liked what she saw at UGA.

“My mom — she wasn’t really feeling Alabama,” he said. “She wants to go back up there and further evaluate. Obviously, she loved Athens. So, that is an iffy situation right now.”

He explained what happened at Alabama for her to not fall in love with the place.

“They toured us around the athletic facility, but she didn’t get to see where the dorms were at and where all the educational aspects were at,” Pierce said. “That’s all she had to say on that. It was an incomplete visit in terms of the presentation. She didn’t get to see everything she wanted to.”

The nation’s No. 5 running back said his mother’s No. 1 school right now is Georgia. What’s interesting about that is the Bulldogs didn’t really prioritize him this past weekend. According to Sentell, Pierce didn’t have much face time with coach Kirby Smart and running backs coach Dell McGee.

That is most likely due to the fact that the Georgia coaching staff feels confident that it will land the nation’s No. 1 running back Zamir White, who will announce his commitment in June. White also was in Athens this past weekend.

Florida State also is in the mix for Pierce, but the Seminoles have a commitment from 5-star prospect James Cook, who is Dalvin’s brother. The ‘Noles also signed 5-star running back Cam Akers, a former Alabama commit, in the Class of 2017. It’s unknown what FSU’s plans are at running back and if it will take two at the position in 2018.

That leaves Florida and Auburn, two schools Pierce is strongly considering, as possible options. Pierce said he hears from an Auburn and Florida staff member at least every other day. Compare that to Alabama, FSU and Georgia and it’s once every 10 days, he estimated.

“I was thinking about that the other night,” Pierce said. “You know, honestly, it is in a gray area for me there. I am prioritized by Alabama. I feel that. But maybe not as highly as one might expect.”

Is there anything Alabama can do to restore his commitment to what it was?

“Those are things that are out of my control. If they don’t want to prioritize me, then so be it,” Pierce said.

Don’t be surprised to see Pierce reopen his recruitment in the near future.

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