Here is an updated list of the 5 prospects I think will commit to the Tide before it is all said and done. Keep in mind spots are becoming very limited so any commitment from this point forward could impact the status of the others on the board regardless of position. Currently, the class sits at 23 commits and I believe the staff is willing to hold spots for 4 players…DT James Smith, LB Qua Russaw, DE Keon Keeley and CB Cormani McClain. If these 4 were to jump onboard then that’s a total of 27 commits and I get the feeling the staff is willing to take between 27-29 commits.
4-star OT Miles McVay, 4-star Edric Hill and 4-star Kelby Collins were all on my previous list of five. McVay and Hill committed to Bama. Roll Tide!! As expected in the days leading up to his announcement Collins committed to Florida. 4-star WR Jalen Hale was included in my “Keep an eye on” section and committed to Bama. Roll Tide!
Keep an eye on...
5-star OT Kadyn Proctor – this is a complete wildcard but if the Iowa season continues to unravel like I think it will then there is always the chance Proctor could rethink staying local with the Hawkeyes and do the smart thing and play his career in Tuscaloosa. I definitely feel the staff would make room for Proctor if he wanted to jump onboard. But again, this is a complete longshot at this time.
Random Musings
Does anyone else get the impression the Michigan State faithful might be starting to second guess the dump truck load of money the administration bestowed upon Mel Tucker after only two seasons at the helm? For those of you who may have forgotten about this record deal I’ll refresh your memory. Tucker was awarded a 10-year $95 million contract, which is fully guaranteed (this is not a typo). Essentially, this means MSU is on the hook for the entire amount if he’s fired without cause. This is the third largest deal ever given to a college football coach by a public university, behind Smart at Georgia ($112.5 million) and Brian Kelly at LSU. There is still a long way to go in the season but a 2-2 start that includes a recent blowout loss to Minnesota (34-7) certainly portends more disappointment to come this season. There is no administration out there willing to accept an ROI of 7-5 seasons based on a $95M investment.
Sticking with the Big Ten theme as well as the state of Michigan has anyone else noticed how easy the path is for the Wolverines to get to the Ohio State game with an unblemished record? Michigan plays virtually no one with the lone exception of Penn State. But I’m not buying the Nittany Lions are for real, especially with Sean Clifford at QB. Now, I’m not necessarily buying the Wolverines are the real deal either but rather their projected success is more of an indictment of just how bad the Big Ten is this year. Even Wisconsin is terrible. Of course, as usual the lone exception is…drum roll please…Ohio State.
4-star OT Miles McVay, 4-star Edric Hill and 4-star Kelby Collins were all on my previous list of five. McVay and Hill committed to Bama. Roll Tide!! As expected in the days leading up to his announcement Collins committed to Florida. 4-star WR Jalen Hale was included in my “Keep an eye on” section and committed to Bama. Roll Tide!
- 4-star DT James Smith – I’ll say it again…Smith is a 'must-get' player at a critical position of need. He’s got great size and strength but he’s light on his feet, which makes him a major disruptor on the interior. Smith and Oatis are going to make one heck of a dynamic duo on the interior one day
- 4-star LB Qua Russaw – package deal with Smith or not, Russaw understands there is no place better for his career than Alabama
- 5-star DE Keon Keely – a couple of recent visits to Columbus have certainly caught the attention of Keeley. And, since he was once committed to Notre Dame he’s proven he not necessarily concerned about going too far from home or playing in cold weather. But Keeley is expected to be back in T-town for his official visit for the A&M game and I believe Saban (and Ms. Terry) will close the deal
- 4-star LB Arion Carter – Carter is committed to Memphis but grew up a big fan of the Tide. The staff wants another ILB in this class and Carter is the guy
5. 4-star DE Kelby Collins, 4-star DE Daevin Hobbs, 5-star CB Cormani McClain or 3-star CB Tyler Scott – Let’s start with Collins (yeah, I’m still in homer mode here). He will take an unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa for the A&M game. I’m guessing the staff will get a much better understanding if they need to continue to pursue Collins or if he is 100% solid to the Gators. If Collins gives a strong indication he is still open to ending up in Tuscaloosa then I’m guessing the staff will give him some sort of ultimatum or timeline to commit as I do not believe they are willing to hold a spot for him until December. Hobbs is a bit more intriguing situation. If he were to announce today then I think it would be for Bama. Does the Tide have room for him? How do you turn down such a versatile player on the defensive line? How will the dominos fall? If Collins surprisingly comes to his senses and starts to indicate he wants to be in Tuscaloosa then what does this mean for Hobbs? If I had to pick today between the chances with Collins versus the chances with Hobbs I’d definitely lean Hobbs but we’ll know more after the A&M weekend. As mentioned above Cormani McClain is someone for whom the staff is willing to hold a spot but I’m not getting a Bama vide here…yet. I believe the Gators have some momentum but this could certainly change after his official on A&M weekend. Tyler Scott is currently committed to Arkansas State and doesn’t have a committable offer but has certainly caught the staff’s eye. I get the impression the staff really wants to add another corner in this class and if it strikes out with McClain then Scott could be next man up. If he does get an offer from the Tide then I’m sure Arky State HC Butch Jones will use his go-to pitch in an attempt to dissuade him from jumping ship.
Keep an eye on...
5-star OT Kadyn Proctor – this is a complete wildcard but if the Iowa season continues to unravel like I think it will then there is always the chance Proctor could rethink staying local with the Hawkeyes and do the smart thing and play his career in Tuscaloosa. I definitely feel the staff would make room for Proctor if he wanted to jump onboard. But again, this is a complete longshot at this time.
Random Musings
Does anyone else get the impression the Michigan State faithful might be starting to second guess the dump truck load of money the administration bestowed upon Mel Tucker after only two seasons at the helm? For those of you who may have forgotten about this record deal I’ll refresh your memory. Tucker was awarded a 10-year $95 million contract, which is fully guaranteed (this is not a typo). Essentially, this means MSU is on the hook for the entire amount if he’s fired without cause. This is the third largest deal ever given to a college football coach by a public university, behind Smart at Georgia ($112.5 million) and Brian Kelly at LSU. There is still a long way to go in the season but a 2-2 start that includes a recent blowout loss to Minnesota (34-7) certainly portends more disappointment to come this season. There is no administration out there willing to accept an ROI of 7-5 seasons based on a $95M investment.
Sticking with the Big Ten theme as well as the state of Michigan has anyone else noticed how easy the path is for the Wolverines to get to the Ohio State game with an unblemished record? Michigan plays virtually no one with the lone exception of Penn State. But I’m not buying the Nittany Lions are for real, especially with Sean Clifford at QB. Now, I’m not necessarily buying the Wolverines are the real deal either but rather their projected success is more of an indictment of just how bad the Big Ten is this year. Even Wisconsin is terrible. Of course, as usual the lone exception is…drum roll please…Ohio State.
Last edited:
