Alabama 2022 signees shine during Under Armour All-American practices
ORLANDO – Four practices are complete ahead of the Under Armour All-American Game, which takes place at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. The all-star game once again features several Alabama signees.
After viewing multiple position drills, one-on-ones, seven-on-seven, inside run drills, and full 11-on-11 scrimmages, here are some observations on what the next crop of Crimson Tide recruits bring to the field.
Alabama 2022 class observations from All-American practice
LB/EDGE Jihaad Campbell– Jihaad Campbell was one of the more impressive defensive prospects in attendance. First off, he has one of the best frames and dimensions of the group. Campbell looks taller than the listed 6-foot-3 and has plus length. We saw his athleticism show up consistently as he was playing in space at linebacker. He had one of the better plays on day two with an interception while covering Luther Burden – a wide recevier. We also saw Campbell look good rushing the passer some in 1-on-1’s on day three. The frame, athleticism, positional versatility and upside as a pass rusher make him one of the more intriuging prospects in Orlando, in our opinion. He looks like a clear “stock up” type and was a huge steal for Alabama to get in his recruitment so late in the process.
IOL Tyler Booker– Campbell’s IMG Academy teammate Tyler Booker was right there as Alabama’s most impressive signee. Booker was the top offensive lineman on Team Icons all week. He played both tackle spots and guard and looked natural at all three. Booker is a burly 6-foot-5, 325 pounds with long arms. He’s strong and highly technical. We rarely saw him get beaten throughout the week. Some of the other top offensive linemen may be better pure athletes, but Booker is further along and plays with an awareness and edge that makes him a safe projection to be a multi-year impact player on Alabama’s front. Booker is a leader who practices with an attention to detail that stood out among the group.
EDGE Jeremiah Alexander– Jeremiah Alexander was Alabama’s highest-rated signee entering the week. He worked at EDGE and was the smallest player of the group, looking to be around 6-foot-1, 235 pounds. I thought Alexander got better as the week went on. He’s been much more of an edge setter and pursuit player than a pure pass rusher at Thompson High. With that said, he had to make a bit of an adjustment when taking pass rush reps. I thought his best showing was on day three. Alexander got Texas A&M offensive tackle signee with a very nice spin move in 1-on-1’s. We also saw him make some plays in 11-on-11 due to his hustle and motor.
WR Aaron Alexander– Alexander was a top three receiver on Team Legends, in our opinion. He was the shortest receiver in attendance, looking a hair over 5-foot-8 with a compact, filled out build. Alexander showed some cat-quick route-running on the first two days. He was able to separate with his change of direction in addition to good long speed. What maybe impressed me the most with Anderson was his ball skills. He is a bouncy vertical athlete and has the coordination to elevate and expand his catch radius while high-pointing. Alexander missed day three with a hamstring tweak.
WR Shazz Preston– Shazz Preston was playing in one of the better wide receiver groups I’ve seen at one of these games, but still made some standout plays. He had one of the best catches of the week with a diving one-handed grab in the end zone on day two. Preston’s strong hands look to be his best attribute right now. He can track the ball and adjust to some off target throws. He is not a burner but has some route-running acuity.
RB Emmanuel Henderson– The running backs are always a little hard to judge in these non-contact setting. We can mainly assess their build, overall movement skills and receiving ability. I thought Emmanuel Henderson looked thicker than expected. He looks closer to 200 pounds than the listed 185, which is a good thing. Henderson is a long-strider who looks like a good fit as an outside zone runner. I thought he had some of the best ball skills of the running backs, which shouldn’t be a huge surprise given his basketball background. He had the best catch I saw from a running back during the week, with a one-handed grab on a wheel route.
DL Jaheim Oatis– This is not breaking news, but Jaheim Oatis is absolutely massive. It took them a day to find him a helmet that fit. Oatis looks to be all of 6-foot-4, 375-plus pounds. He will certainly need to trim down at the college level. With that said, he does not have a ton of bad weight, as crazy as that may sound. Oatis is a pure block-eating nose tackle, He’s at his best as a run defender and is still work in progress as a pass rusher and first-step disruptor. His best sequences came in 11-on-11 and inside drills when he could clog up space on the interior. Oatis is a develomental prospect who could pay dividends in a few years with Alabama’s coaching and strength and conditioning.
LB Shawn Murphy– Similar to running backs, the linebackers can be a bit tougher to gauge in the non-contact practices. Murphy looks to be around the listed 6-foot-3 and moved around well in drills. He worked as the middle linebacker for Team Legends, mirroring where we see him playing long-term. We’ll watch Murphy and the other linebackers closely in the game.
CB Trequon Fegans– Fegans had a solid if not good week. He’s a taller corner at arond 6-foot-1 with good ball and tracking skills. I saw him make his fair share of plays on the ball and get a several pass break ups over the week. He looks to have average long speed. I could see Fegans potentially lining up at a number of spots in Alabama’s secondary, given his skill set.