Mac Jones flips to Alabama?!?!

[SchmidtyNole_rivals]

Until the University decides to make a full commitment to the football program, top athletes will continue to take more lucrative positions. Mac Jones to Bama with that staff, in 3 years he could be the number 1 overall draft pick. Currently at UK, he might go undrafted after 4 years.

Lol!! When is the last 1st Round pick Bama has had at Quarterback? Jones will be good but he wasn't Bama's first option at Quarterback in this recruiting cycle. Bama first got beat out by FSU at Quarterback for a guy from Georgia named Bailey Hockman who committed to us back in April after he had Decommitted from Georgia previously. Bama doesn't get everyone they want. We've probably beat them head to head on recruits almost as often in fact maybe more often than they beat us on recruits. Jameis Winston ring a bell? A lot of their top rated recruits are guys we didn't offer and a lot of our top recruits are guys they didn't offer. But I would say half of our recruits every year and half of their recruits every year are players we both wanted and offered and on players that us and Bama are both after we each win about half the time.

But the thing Kentucky has to do is they have to get their program better. Recruits want to go to a place that is winning. Until/Unless Kentucky starts winning they'll continue to lose their better recruits when a place like Bama comes calling.

 

[railroadkat_1]

Good luck Mac Jones, I understand.
UK was on this kid early and stayed with him. He seemed to be going UK's way. Recruiting is hard to do. Just like loosing the transfer from Michigan. It's a long time to February. We will be fine and I like the staff. Be patient and they will .

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Lol!! When is the last 1st Round pick Bama has had at Quarterback? Jones will be good but he wasn't Bama's first option at Quarterback in this recruiting cycle. Bama first got beat out by FSU at Quarterback for a guy from Georgia named Bailey Hockman who committed to us back in April after he had Decommitted from Georgia previously. Bama doesn't get everyone they want. We've probably beat them head to head on recruits almost as often in fact maybe more often than they beat us on recruits. Jameis Winston ring a bell? A lot of their top rated recruits are guys we didn't offer and a lot of our top recruits are guys they didn't offer. But I would say half of our recruits every year and half of their recruits every year are players we both wanted and offered and on players that us and Bama are both after we each win about half the time.

But the thing Kentucky has to do is they have to get their program better. Recruits want to go to a place that is winning. Until/Unless Kentucky starts winning they'll continue to lose their better recruits when a place like Bama comes calling.

Hockman isn't the top qb in Georgia this year, top 5. Last year was the year of the DL in Georgia, this year appears to be the qb. Davis Mills who is committed to Stanford will likely end up being the top guy. Jake Fromm who was committed to Bama before flipping to UGA is number 1 now but will likely end up 2, Trey Bishop a dual threat type is next and Hockman very likely follows him. He committed to Richt and his staff and for whatever reason Kirby and Chaney didn't like him much and basically didn't contact him when they came on board, they went after Fromm, Hockman decommitted, Fromm flipped. I don't know how bad Bama wanted Hockman, but they did contact him. Unless his school has hit the recruiting trail hard during the off season it could be a tough year for him, his HS lost a lot of kids, quite a few D1 guys including a couple of WR and OL.

To add a little to that, Richt and his staff didn't like Fromm or Mills and UGA, not sure Mills was interested but Fromm would have committed to UGA instead of Bama to begin with instead of Bama. But Richt and Schotty like Hockman better.

 

[RammerJammer91_rivals23256]

Hockman isn't the top qb in Georgia this year, top 5. Last year was the year of the DL in Georgia, this year appears to be the qb. Davis Mills who is committed to Stanford will likely end up being the top guy. Jake Fromm who was committed to Bama before flipping to UGA is number 1 now but will likely end up 2, Trey Bishop a dual threat type is next and Hockman very likely follows him. He committed to Richt and his staff and for whatever reason Kirby and Chaney didn't like him much and basically didn't contact him when they came on board, they went after Fromm, Hockman decommitted, Fromm flipped. I don't know how bad Bama wanted Hockman, but they did contact him. Unless his school has hit the recruiting trail hard during the off season it could be a tough year for him, his HS lost a lot of kids, quite a few D1 guys including a couple of WR and OL.

To add a little to that, Richt and his staff didn't like Fromm or Mills and UGA, not sure Mills was interested but Fromm would have committed to UGA instead of Bama to begin with instead of Bama. But Richt and Schotty like Hockman better.

I'm glad that both Bama and UGA didn't end up with Hockman. While talented, IMO he's the most overrated QB in the 2017 class. Fromm and Tua are both better prospects. Kirby's done a great job for y'all. Kept Eason in 2016 and got Fromm in 2017 who is a great player and a great leader.

 

[jauk11]

Interesting, I just read a story from a "recruiting expert" that covered the Elite Eleven that raved about Bama's QB commit, said he was by far the best QB there.

Funny thing is, he wasn't talking about Jones, he wasn't even mentioned. You guys should be wishing him good luck, I think he might need it at Bama.

 

[SchmidtyNole_rivals]

Hockman isn't the top qb in Georgia this year, top 5. Last year was the year of the DL in Georgia, this year appears to be the qb. Davis Mills who is committed to Stanford will likely end up being the top guy. Jake Fromm who was committed to Bama before flipping to UGA is number 1 now but will likely end up 2, Trey Bishop a dual threat type is next and Hockman very likely follows him. He committed to Richt and his staff and for whatever reason Kirby and Chaney didn't like him much and basically didn't contact him when they came on board, they went after Fromm, Hockman decommitted, Fromm flipped. I don't know how bad Bama wanted Hockman, but they did contact him. Unless his school has hit the recruiting trail hard during the off season it could be a tough year for him, his HS lost a lot of kids, quite a few D1 guys including a couple of WR and OL.

To add a little to that, Richt and his staff didn't like Fromm or Mills and UGA, not sure Mills was interested but Fromm would have committed to UGA instead of Bama to begin with instead of Bama. But Richt and Schotty like Hockman better.

Well, I just know Jimbo Fisher liked Hockman enough for him to be the only QB we've offered so far in this recruiting cycle. FSU doesn't offer many QB's in each cycle. They do a thorough evaluation and usually once they target a QB they usually land either their first or second choice. At least this recruiting cycle Hockman was Jimbo's first choice and offer.

But the thing about the top QB's is they are very hard to evaluate. Obviously Kirby likes Fromm better. Bama ended up with a good QB too in Jones and Tagovailoa. In a lot of cases among the top 10 or 15 QBs in the country coming out of high school you can almost flip a coin and its a crapshoot. I'm sure those guys are elite too. But I usually just trust Jimbo's evaluation especially when it comes to QBs.

 

[Mr Schwump]

Interesting, I just read a story from a "recruiting expert" that covered the Elite Eleven that raved about Bama's QB commit, said he was by far the best QB there.

Funny thing is, he wasn't talking about Jones, he wasn't even mentioned. You guys should be wishing him good luck, I think he might need it at Bama.

For whatever reason Jones didn't have a good showing at the Elite 11. He didn't make the top 11, didn't even make HM.

It's good a kid agrees to participate in those types of camps. Shows they'll compete, maybe shows leadership. But I look at those contests much as I do 3-point shooting or dunk contests. Big deal, do it in games. It's all well and good but there's a big difference in throwing in shorts/tee-shirts and having a 6'6" 270 SEC DE in your face. Maybe this works out for him, maybe not. We'll find out in a few years.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I'm glad that both Bama and UGA didn't end up with Hockman. While talented, IMO he's the most overrated QB in the 2017 class. Fromm and Tua are both better prospects. Kirby's done a great job for y'all. Kept Eason in 2016 and got Fromm in 2017 who is a great player and a great leader.

I think Hockman had the most talent around him last year as for as receivers go, Mills probably had the best team for his classification and from is near a huge air force base, most of those kids go to Warner Robbins. Mills is tearing it up on the camping circuit, Fromm is doing well, I don't hear much from Hockman anymore.

Well, I just know Jimbo Fisher liked Hockman enough for him to be the only QB we've offered so far in this recruiting cycle. FSU doesn't offer many QB's in each cycle. They do a thorough evaluation and usually once they target a QB they usually land either their first or second choice. At least this recruiting cycle Hockman was Jimbo's first choice and offer.

But the thing about the top QB's is they are very hard to evaluate. Obviously Kirby likes Fromm better. Bama ended up with a good QB too in Jones and Tagovailoa. In a lot of cases among the top 10 or 15 QBs in the country coming out of high school you can almost flip a coin and its a crapshoot. I'm sure those guys are elite too. But I usually just trust Jimbo's evaluation especially when it comes to QBs.

I am not in on why Smart and Chaney weren't thrilled with Hockman. Clearly Richt and Schottenheimer were, he was their first offer and he took it. Richt/Schottenheimer and UGA went separate directions and the new UGA staff and Hockman did the same. Clearly FSU is happy with Hockman, Stanford should be happy with Mills and UGA is excited about Fromm. Mills is probably the most polished, Fromm the best athlete and Hockman is a lefthander not that that means anything. With only 3 qbs on scholarship this fall and 1 leaving we would like a 2nd qb in this class, most likely a dual threat guy who can play a 2nd position like WR, Trey Bishop is the top target for that position but AU is telling him he will get a shot at QB and he is listening. No idea who the next in line is, like everyone else, Trevor Lawrence is at the top of the 18 wish list.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

another kick in the gut......Until Stoops can beat City College and Vandy on a consistent basis, expect more of this crap.

 

[ukalum1988]

another kick in the gut......Until Stoops can beat City College and Vandy on a consistent basis, expect more of this crap.

Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts.

 

[Soupbean]

As some of you know I was a Mac Jones promoter very early in the process. And as disappointed as I was with his de-commitment, I am not going to bash the kid because I know he was really excited about his commitment as was his family, and he remained committed and continued to be excited about it despite a coaching change and others chasing after him. He didn't just chose UK because we were on him early, he was really excited about it and loved his choice even up until he made the change.

Flipping to BAMA didn't mean he suddenly started hating UK or even lost any love for this place. It just meant a bigger opportunity came along that I believe he was just getting too much pressure not to pass up. When your stars blow up and you start going elite camps, and the big boys start calling, and everybody starts asking why are you going to there . . . it's hard. Then when the opportunity is presented to you that everybody says is "the chance of a lifetime" that you've always worked for . . . and that also just happens to be much closer to home, that's even harder to ignore.

So stop with the notion that the kid did UK wrong, or led us on etc. . . .it's nothing of the sort. The kid put UK ahead of almost every place in college football and did so genuinely. When he said he was all in he meant it because that' show much he felt about the place at the time and if not for the 9 year olds that have trashed him on twitter etc these last few days, would probably tell you he still feels that way. The only thing that changed was BAMA came calling and the way I look at is, that's the only thing that could turn Mac away from UK. That's a compliment guys not a slight.

So I say good luck Mac. The doors always open. It's going to be hard down there, competition is going to be hard. If things don't go as planned between now and signing day, or even after that, you know who to call.

 

[jauk11]

For whatever reason Jones didn't have a good showing at the Elite 11. He didn't make the top 11, didn't even make HM.

It's good a kid agrees to participate in those types of camps. Shows they'll compete, maybe shows leadership. But I look at those contests much as I do 3-point shooting or dunk contests. Big deal, do it in games. It's all well and good but there's a big difference in throwing in shorts/tee-shirts and having a 6'6" 270 SEC DE in your face. Maybe this works out for him, maybe not. We'll find out in a few years.

So, did he have a 6' 6' 270# guy in his face when he didn't at all the other camps he dominated? I don't know, but if so that makes it sound even worse for him. Like you said a lot of difference, and there will be 6' 6" DL in his face every SEC game.