Under Nick Saban, Alabama has signed 50 five-star recruits since 2007.
It’s a large part of the reason why the Crimson Tide has signed eight of the last nine No. 1 classes, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings.
Already in the 2020 cycle, UA has two 247Sports Composite five-star commitments in Chris Braswell and Drew Sanders, and another just on the brink in Quandarrius Robinson.
Even though space limited in the Tide’s 2020 class, Alabama remains in the mix for a number of five-star recruits both in the 247Sports Composite and within 247Sports’ own rankings.
Chris Braswell, 5-star WDE, Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
Rating: No. 1 WDE, No. 16 overall player
Longtime Alabama pledge Chris Braswell remains locked in with the Tide. He used an official visit to the Capstone in June. One school that’s still in the mix for the five-star edge rusher is LSU. Braswell has teammates committed to the Tigers, however, he’s shown no signs of wavering to this point.
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Drew Sanders, 5-star ATH, Denton (Texas) Ryan
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 232 pounds
Rating: No. 2 ATH, No. 28 overall player
The five-star, do-it-all athlete flipped to Alabama from Oklahoma in April and hasn’t looked back. He doesn’t plan to take anymore visits as he focuses on his senior season.
Jordan Burch, DL, Columbia (S.C.) Hammond
Five-star DE Jordan Burch (Photo: Michael Clark, Scout.com)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 250 pounds
Rating: No. 1 SDE, No. 2 overall player
It starts right near the top as the nation’s No. 2 overall player has Alabama among his top contenders alongside programs like hometown South Carolina, Clemson, and Georgia. How good are the Crimson Tide’s chances? There are few recruitments more tight-lipped than Burch’s, so it’s hard to tell. But, if you’re tracking visits, Alabama has hosted Burch twice so far in 2019 and is gunning for an official visit this fall. Another note of optimism for Tide fans, a commitment has yet to be made despite 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions favoring Burch staying in-state. The longer this goes on, you have to imagine the harder Burch is considering leaving home.
Zachary Evans, RB, Houston (Texas) North Shore
Five-star RB Zachary Evans
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 200 pounds
Rating: No. 1 RB, No. 6 overall player
It’s a new week in the recruitment of Zachary Evans. Anything and everything is possible. Just kidding … sort of. There have been all sorts of rumors and chatter about where the five-star back is leaning in the last few weeks. Alabama had the momentum in the summer; Texas A&M has picked up its efforts as of late after being left out of his top five (the Aggies are back in Evans’ top five now); and Georgia trending up as of late after getting the Houston standout on campus at the end of July. When could a decision be made? Evans himself admitted anytime depending on when he feels right about it. He said earlier this week that he isn’t planning to make a commitment anytime soon. No matter what takes place over the course of the next few weeks, this is a recruitment that will more than likely head into December before it’s finally wrapped up.
Arik Gilbert, TE, Marietta (Ga.)
Five-star TE Arik Gilbert.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 253 pounds
Rating: No. 1 TE, No. 10 overall player
One of the recruits Alabama has made the most progress with in 2019, Gilbert has visited Tuscaloosa three times since February, most recently for the Champions Cookout at the end of July. The Tide’s production at the tight end position, coupled with the need are important selling points for the nation’s top-ranked player at the position. Gilbert has juggled the idea of making a decision before his senior season, but as it stands he’s decided to wait a little longer and take more visits into the season. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Clemson are vying for his pledge. I recently changed my 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction to “foggy”, but would be hard-pressed not to predict Alabama if today were decision day.
Bryce Young, QB, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei — USC commit
Bryce Young
Five-star QB Bryce Young.
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 183 pounds
Rating: No. 1 dual-threat QB, No. 10 overall player, per 247Sports
Getting the five-star bump following his performance at The Opening Finals last month, Young is 247Sports’ No. 1-ranked dual-threat quarterback. He’s also Alabama’s No. 1 QB on the board. While spending the last year and change as a USC commit, the Crimson Tide has remained in play, and is a serious contender for the California signal caller. A lot could be determined by on-the-field play at USC this year, but either way the Tide is in the mix.
Darnell Washington, ATH, Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines
Five-star ATH/TE Darnell Washington.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-7.5, 261 pounds
Rating: No. 1 ATH, No. 12 overall player
Another recruitment that could go in a few different directions, Washington is likely SEC bound when it’s all said and done. Whether that will be at a program like Alabama, Georgia or Tennessee, that remains uncertain. The Bulldogs have earned the buzz in recent weeks, and Washington made his return to Athens in July. However, Washington has trekked to Tuscaloosa twice so far in 2019 and is expected back for an official visit this fall — possibly for the LSU game. The five-star athlete, recruited at tight end, has hinted on Instagram about going ahead and making a commitment, but this is a recruitment that will probably continue on into the fall decision made or not.
Elias Ricks, 5-star CB, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy — LSU commit
Five-star CB Elias Ricks.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 192 pounds
Rating: No. 2 CB, No. 15 overall player
Ricks is on this list because he does plan to take an official visit to Tuscaloosa. In fact, it was two visits the five-star corner told BamaOnLine he planned to make to Tuscaloosa before he finished high school. Will both come to fruition? It remains to be seen, but it’s possible considering Ricks transferred to IMG Academy from Mater Dei for his senior season and is in closer proximity to making the trip over. Another contender to potentially flip Ricks’ commitment to the Tigers is Ohio State.
Noah Sewell, 5-star ILB, Orem (Utah)
Five-star ILB Noah Sewell.
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 266 pounds
Rating: No. 2 ILB, No. 22 overall player
Alabama is still working to lock in an official visit date for the five-star inside linebacker after hosting Sewell on an unofficial visit in June. Oregon, where Sewell’s older brother plays, and Georgia have momentum in this recruitment, but the Utah native’s family has a long-standing relationship with Nick Saban and have a lot of admiration for the Alabama program. The Tide is hanging around in this one.
Jase McClellan, 5-star RB, Aledo (Texas) — Oklahoma commit
Five-star RB Jase McClellan. (Photo: 247Sports)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10.5, 202 pounds
Rating: No. 5 RB, No. 24 overall player
Alabama flipped one five-star Oklahoma commit already in 2020. Can it do it again? It’s possible as Jase McClellan is listening to the Crimson Tide staff and even made a visit out to Tuscaloosa at the end of June. The Aledo (Texas) standout plans to return to the Capstone for an official visit, likely for the LSU game in November before enrolling at his next stop in January. When asked what the Tide’s chances were to change his mind, McClellan replied “good” at The Opening Finals.
Names to keep in your back pocket
Five-star OLB Sav’ell Smalls.
Kelee Ringo, 5-star CB, Saguaro (Ariz.)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
Rating: No. 1 CB, No. 8 overall player
I’ll preface this by saying I do not anticipate Ringo in Alabama’s 2020 class. The prevailing thought is the five-star corner is leaning to Georgia, and if not the Bulldogs than Texas. Why is he on the list? Ringo included the Tide in his top five, and assuming an official visit could be set up to Tuscaloosa, it’s worth keeping an eye on the recruitment.
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Sav’ell Smalls, 5-star OLB, Burien (Wash.) Kennedy Catholic
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
Rating: No. 1 OLB, No. 9 overall player
Arguably a one-time Alabama lean early in his recruitment, things have seemingly faded a bit interest-wise on both sides. Could that change? Absolutely. But for now it looks like Bama isn’t necessarily pressing for the Washington standout after adding as many outside linebacker/edge types that it did in the month of June. Smalls had been hoping to get to Tuscaloosa in the month of June, but never made it. When he did travel to the Southeast in July, he stopped off at Florida State and Tennessee.
