Last week brought the latest recruiting wins for Alabama among the class of 2023. Four-stars Jordan Renaud and Jalen Hale announced as Alabama addressed a few positions of need. The Crimson Tide also brought itself one step closer to history.
Nick Saban’s group ranks first per 247Sports Composite team rankings. The Tide has a team score of 309.14 as of late September and — with a new NCAA wrinkle this cycle — has a slim chance to top the highest-rated group per 247′s metrics: Texas A&M’s 2022 (333.13).
Programs are graded by the number of recruits added with an emphasis placed on quality, per 247Sports’ class calculator. Alabama has earned 23 verbal commitments, with the country’s most five-stars pledged (five). Below is an analysis of how Alabama is once again made itself the sport’s premier destination for high schoolers and how it can beat the Aggies:
How we got here?
There was a point this summer where Alabama’s spot on 247′s big board was 48th. While a few panic buttons were pressed on social media, the wave came in July. The Tide didn’t end up securing all of the nation’s premier recruits, but it instead opted for depth among four- and five-star players.
Two of the most significant impacts have been made by defensive line coach Freddie Roach and offensive line coach Eric Wolford. Roach’s work in-state led to two of its key pieces in the secondary: Florence’s Jahlil Hurley and Thompson’s Tony Mitchell. Wolford also made waves in his short time in Tuscaloosa with five offensive line commits.
Between the public spats of Saban and A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher regarding NIL, Alabama has simply put in the work in the nation’s hotspots. The hashtag #RingsOverLambos has trickled through the social media accounts of Tide recruits, a veiled shot at the rumored NIL deals influencing some seniors.
Fun rivalry aside, a key piece of Alabama’s quest to the top of 247′s all-time class started with an NCAA decision this past spring. The governing body ruled that teams can sign more than 25 athletes to scholarships before getting more slots via the transfer portal, while retaining the cap of 85 overall scholarship players in one program, opening the floodgates for a staff up to the challenge.
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What’s needed for history?
Before breaking down the players Alabama can secure or flip, it’s worth stating the obvious that the Tide needs to retain the crop of 23 it currently has. That can be tricky with multiple stars at similar positions — five OL, four DBs, a pair of QBs and running backs. Numerous players, as in any cycle, have opposing coaches angling to pull them elsewhere.
Florida’s Richard Young and Mitchell have taken multiple visits to Florida and Texas A&M, respectively. On the flip side, however, Alabama remains in the hunt for priority targets that have already chosen elsewhere like Thompson five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods (Clemson) and four-star cornerback Malik Muhammad (Texas).
In addition to Woods and Muhammad, here’s a dream scenario, albeit an unlikely one, for Alabama that would register a 247Sports team score of 333.73 and above A&M’s 333.13. It would bring the class to 33 commits (for reference, the Aggies brought on 30 last year).
- Cormani McClain, No. 4 overall, No. 1 CB
- Keon Keely, No. 7, No. 1 EDGE
- James Smith, No. 18, No. 2 DL
- Damon Wilson, No. 39, No. 6 EDGE
- Qua Russaw, No. 58, No. 8 EDGE
- Rueben Bain, No. 130, No. 16 DL
- Daevin Hobbs, No. 137, No. 20 DL
- Bryce Thornton, No. 478, NO. 44 S
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.
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