Do-it-all 5-star safety Jireh Edwards signs with the Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama came on strong in this race. Jireh Edwards was thought to be an Oregon-lean at one time. Georgia and Texas A&M had some juice in this race too. Alabama stayed consistent, got him down to Tuscaloosa for a couple of visits, and when it came decision time, the five-star safety out of Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy chose the Crimson Tide.

On Wednesday, he made it official and signed.

He is ready to be a part of what Alabama has built over time in T-Town.

“Just the culture,” Edwards said. “The culture really stood out for me. Them producing the guys they produced already and seeing them do so well in the league.”

The staff played a big role too. From Kalen DeBoer to Maurice Linguist to Jason Jones – many played a role.

“The guys, Coach DeBoer, he’s a real winning coach. He wants to win badly. I feel me and him will match perfect.

“The way they brought my family in with open arms. They love my family. I feel that’s perfect. They did stuff other schools didn’t do. They welcomed me with warm hugs and all that other stuff.”

His dream will come true in a few weeks. The No. 21 prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking will enroll at the school he followed as a kid early in January.

“I grew up being a Bama fan, watching Bama play,” he said. “Them doing all the great things on TV. Me having an opportunity to be part of that, you can’t go past.”