It was Alabama vs. history entering the National Hiring Day, with the class ranked first, according to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings generated by the industry, already decided after the 325.95 points of the Crimson Tide accumulated during the initial hiring period. The question on Wednesday was not whether Nick Saban and the company would avoid Ohio State, instead of maintaining that position, the highest rating ever generated, surpassing the 2010 Florida Gators score of 324.67.
Spoiler alert: yes. And along the way he completed his ninth best-ranked class in 11 cycles.
The only way that Crimson Tide could not have ended with a record score would be if the five star running back commits Camar Wheaton I didn’t sign with UA. Any drama that came along with this was quickly stifled when the nation’s number 33 prospect ranked with the glow of the Tide early Wednesday morning.
If you brought up the Crimson Tide ending with the best class ever signed on paper last March, you probably would have laughed in the classroom. After the five star quarterback Drake Maye moved to North Carolina, leaving Bama with just one appointment in his class, well out of the top 50 in the ranking, the prospects did not look bright in the spring. There was no doubt that Alabama would end up bringing together one of the best classes in the country, but the best class of all time? Not so fast.
Then came the summer wave.
Alabama made a series of commitments from late April to mid-August, five of which were classified as five-star recruits – wide receiver Jacorey Brooks, offensive tackles JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyerrusher border Dallas Turner, and defensive attack Damon Payne. Alabama was shooting at all cylinders, meeting his needs on the wide receiver, the offensive and defensive line and elsewhere. All of this without having any personal contact with potential customers due to the pandemic.
Choose a position and you can argue that Alabama has brought together the greatest talent of all in this cycle in that group.
Quarterback: Top100 signal caller Jalen Milroe
Alabama pivoted in the defender’s position after losing Drake Maye and inverted Tide lean once Jalen Milroe of the Longhorns, delivering another blow to the former head coach Tom Herman it’s personal. even though Steve Sarkisian taking over Austin, Milroe had already signed with Tide and was not looking to make a change again.
Running back: five star ball carrier Camar Wheaton
Alabama signed three backs in 2020, two of which shone at times during the 2020 season in Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams. The program will also receive back Brian Robinson and former five-star ball carrier Trey Sanders, as well as Keilan Robinson who chose to leave the 2020 season. Tide will have no shortage of options in the running back position, and you can bet that Wheaton will only raise the level of competition in the meeting room of the new running back trainer, Robert Gillespie.
Wide receiver: five stars Jacorey Brooks, four stars JoJo Earle, Christian Learyand Agiye Hall
A cycle that Tide needed to reach elite talent in the position of wide receiver and the UA team did not disappoint, signing the most impressive wide receivers class since 2017 of talent that will end up producing the first three rounds when all is said and done. Need a replacement for Jaylen Waddle, another first round outside the door? Look no further than Leary or Earle, two dynamic athletes with speed to burn. Both Brooks and Hall give the AU that big gap that will become good friends for anyone who wins this spring’s quarterback battle between Bryce Young and Paul Tyson.
Tight end: three stars Robbie Ouzts
Ouzts doesn’t have the flashy five or four star ranking, but he doesn’t care. Flying under the radar, Ouzts gives the UA a versatile option that can split up and make moves or create holes blocking the scrimmage line.
Offensive line: nos. 1 and 2 tackles in the country in Tommy Brockermeyer and JC Latham, elite player from the interior Terrence Ferguson, the nation’s main center in James Brockermeyer, and keeps four stars Jaeden Roberts out of Houston.
Alabama plunged into the state of Texas to secure the commitments to two Brockermeyer brothers’ Longhorn legacies, who had many reasons to move to the 40 acres. Overcame Georgia’s favorite for Terrence Ferguson, a Top100 talent, as well as hired four stars Jaeden Roberts after the St. Louis native had doubts about Auburn during the initial subscription period.
Defensive line: five-star defensive tackle Damon Payne, Lineman Top100 Monkell Goodwineand in-staters Tim Keenan and Anquin Barnes.
It is not a Nick Saban recruiting class without at least a five star along the defensive front. Tide replenished its reserves in the trenches and will have plenty of talent for its 2021 rotation in the wake of Christian Barmore’s NFL draft statement.
Linebacker: Five-star Rusher Dallas Turner, 247Sports five stars inside ‘backer Deontae Lawsonelite edge rusher Keanu Koht, four stars inside ‘supporter Kendrick Blackshireand four-star external linebacker Ian Jackson
A year after signing the top linebacker class in America, you could argue that Tide repeated that feat in 2021. Will Anderson already established as a household name across the country, you could expect similar things from Turner and co. with the talent that this group has.
Defensive back: Five-star Ga’Quincy McKinstry, 247Sports’ top junior college cornerback in Khyree Jackson, Top247 Corner Devonta Smith, four star athlete Kadarius Callowayand four star security Kaine Williams
The cornerback was another area of need for the AU in 2021, with Patrick Surtain II out of the league. Alabama made a home run in the position, recruiting talents that reinforce the depth, considering that each one can play in any position in the secondary. Jackson and McKinstry can arguably push to start the first year.
Perhaps as impressive as the overall talent pool is when we look at the overall body of work, how the AU accomplished the feat and where the program has plunged is arguably as remarkable.
The Tide not only used its talent pool within the state, but went to Florida and Texas to guarantee the best talent in each state. At Lone Star State, Bama hired four of the top 13 players, including the best candidate in Tommy Brockermeyer. In Florida, the AU signed five of the top 15 candidates, including the recruit ranked first in the State of the Sun, JC Latham.
Alabama may not have finished on National Signing Day yet with 247Sports five-star security Terrion Arnold set to announce between Alabama, Georgia and Florida at 3 pm CT on ESPN2. Adding Arnold would give the UA a score of 327.91. And don’t forget the overview in Top247, the defensive edge of five star JT Tuimoloau, which can add up in total. He will not advertise until spring.
So despite the somewhat slow start to the AU’s 2021 recruitment campaign, Nick Saban and the team once again proved to be successful, setting a brand that is unlikely to be achieved in the near future.