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

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UPDATE: Marcel Brooks released his top 2 on Wednesday afternoon and Alabama made the cut along with LSU.

Marcel Brooks set to make first visit to Alabama

Marcel Brooks hasn’t visited Tuscaloosa before, but that will change this weekend when he travels to Alabama for the Crimson Tide’s junior day event on Feb. 24. Even without stepping foot on campus, Brooks already knows that Alabama will be one of the schools he chooses from when he makes his commitment on June 25, his birthday.

“They’re one of the top schools and when a big head coach comes to your school to tell you that you have a chance to play early, you have to put them in consideration,” Brooks told SEC Country last month.

Brooks, a 4-star linebacker from Marcus High School (Flower Mound, Texas), said he will for sure take an official visit to Alabama. LSU and Ohio State are also in line to receive 1 of his 5 official visits. Penn State is being considered, too.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect will need to add weight when he reaches college, but he’s considered one of the Tide’s top linebacker targets in the 2019 class. Brooks said he’s looking forward to seeing how the coaches interact with the players when he’s on campus.

He also said that defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is in touch with him almost every single day. The combination of Lupoi and Nick Saban gives Alabama a good chance to land Brooks’ commitment when he makes his decision this summer.

“I stand pretty high with Alabama just considering that Nick Saban came by my school in December and told my coach that I’ll have a good chance for playing time my freshman year,” Brooks said. “That stands out a lot for me.”

The Tide will need to add several linebackers in the 2019 class because the team will lose Christian Miller, Keith Holcombe and Jamey Mosley after the 2018 season ends. Terrell Lewis and Mack Wilson are also candidates to declare early for the NFL draft.

Brooks, the nation’s No. 7 outside linebacker according to the 247Sports composite, said Alabama is recruiting him at his listed position, but he has the ability to be an elite safety, too. Wherever he plays, Alabama’s success at churning out pro prospects on defense is what’s most appealing to him about the school.

“It weighs on my mind a lot,” Brooks said. “I’m trying to take care of my family one day. When you get to Alabama, you just know that they’re all about business. They send lots of people to the league. They know what you need to do and train you on to get to that level.

“You can’t say too much about Alabama. You just know that ‘Bama is going to get you to where you need to go.”

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