Early Signing Period Preview: Alabama targets' announcement plans, plus where they are trending

In three days, the Alabama Crimson Tide are hoping to add some more elite targets to their 2023 class.

The Early Signing Period begins on Wednesday, with a handful of uncommitted prospects on Bama’s radar set to announce either then or on Thursday. That includes the five-star duo of James Smith and Qua Russaw, the top two seniors in the state of Alabama.

Nick Saban‘s staff is also looking to receive some good news from targets currently committed elsewhere.

**BONE’s EARLY SIGNING DAY INSIDER REPORT: Where things currently stand with each remaining target**

With just over 48 hours left to go until the start of ESP, BamaInsider has a preview of what to expect next week. Down below are announcement dates for Alabama’s targets, who their finalists are, and where the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine says they are trending.

Five-stars James Smith and Qua Russaw

Announcement Date: Wednesday (expected)

Finalists: Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio State

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine reading for Russaw: Alabama: 87.1 percent; Auburn: 4.4 percent; Florida: 3.4 percent; Georgia: 2.2 percent

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine reading for Smith: Alabama: 83.4 percent; Auburn: 6.4 percent; Florida: 4.9 percent; Georgia: 2.8 percent

The Skinny: Smith and Russaw officially visited Auburn and Georgia over the summer. During the season, they took multiple game day visits to both Alabama and Auburn, with an official visit to Florida taken in mid-October. The dynamic duo, who are expected to sign with the same school, officially visited Alabama from Dec. 9-11, but opted not to take another one with the Tigers; they had the option to do so after the hiring of new head coach Hugh Freeze.

BamaInsider will make our final predictions for Russaw and Smith, as well as other targets, on Tuesday. In the meantime, read the latest on their recruitments in Bone’s Insider Report HERE.

Five-star DB Desmond Ricks

Announcement Date: Thursday

Finalists: Alabama, Florida, and LSU

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine Reading: LSU: 84.5 percent; Alabama: 6.0 percent; Florida: 3.3 percent

The Skinny: After reclassifying to the 2023 class in late October, Ricks took unofficial visits to Florida and LSU the following month. In December, he has taken official visits to all three of his finalists; the Gators received the first one, followed by Bama, and then finally LSU.

He is expected to both announce and sign this Thursday, and will enroll early at his future school. For clarification, Ricks and current Alabama defensive back Eli Ricks are not related.

Elite 2023 DL Jordan Hall

Announcement Date: Thursday

Finalists: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and LSU

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine Reading: Georgia: 85.6 percent; Florida: 4.5 percent; Alabama: 3.1 percent; LSU: 1.2 percent

The Skinny: Like Ricks, Jordan Hall will be announcing his college destination the day after Early Signing Period begins. Hall began his official visit schedule with a trip to Alabama during the weekend of the Mississippi State game in October. He would go on to take officials to LSU (Nov. 17-19), Florida (Dec. 2-4), and Georgia (Dec. 9-11).

Hall told On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons on Friday that his “mind is made up” and he knows where he’s going to play at the next level.

Four-star DB Damari Brown

Announcement Date: Wednesday (expected)

Finalists: Alabama, Florida State, and Miami

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine Reading: Miami: 69.1 percent; Alabama: 26.9 percent; Florida State: 1.8 percent

The Skinny: Momentum for Alabama in Damari Brown’s recruitment has picked up in recent months. The Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage prospect visited Bama twice during the season, those being for the Iron Bowl and the Mississippi State game. With these two visits under his belt, the Tide went from having a 2.4 percent chance on the RPM to now having a 26.9 percent chance of landing Brown.

They’ll hope to pull off the upset for Brown, whose father played for the Miami Hurricanes.

Three-star DB Tyler Scott

Announcement Date: Jan. 7 at the All-American Bowl

Finalists: Alabama, Auburn, Louisville, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and USC

On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine Reading: Auburn: 66.7 percent; Tennessee: 27.6 percent; Alabama: 1.6 percent; Texas and USC: 1.0 percent each

The Skinny: In a similar fashion to now Tennessee commit Arion Carter, Tyler Scott’s recruitment blew up during his senior season. The former Arkansas State pledge earned an offer from Alabama a couple of days after visiting for the Texas A&M game. He made his return to Tuscaloosa for an official visit the first weekend of December, followed by officials to USC and Texas.

Interestingly enough, Scott will sign during the Early Signing Period, but will wait to announce until the All-American Bowl in San Antonio (Tx.) on Jan. 7. Bone wrote about Scott in his Sunday Insider Report, which you can read HERE.

Notes on prospects committed elsewhere

Of course, Alabama targets currently committed elsewhere do not have commitment dates in place for this upcoming week. That doesn’t mean, however, that the Crimson Tide aren’t hopeful for some early presents to arrive on Wednesday.

Iowa commit Kadyn Proctor: The five-star offensive lineman took an unofficial visit to Alabama this past weekend. He also made his way out to Oregon last month for their game against Washington. The On3 RPM currently gives the Ducks (18.7 percent) a slight edge over Alabama (14.2 percent) to flip Proctor.

Proctor is expected to sign his Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, with Alabama and Oregon still pushing to flip his commitment before then or on that day.

Arkansas pledge Luke Hasz: Alabama did not get Hasz on campus this fall or in December, but they’re continuing to recruit him. The borderline top-10 tight end was visited by the Tide’s coaching staff multiple times this month, including an in-home with Nick Saban last week.

Get the very latest on Hasz and Bama’s standing with him in Bone’s Insider Report!

Ole Miss commit Suntarine Perkins: Perkins tweeted last weekend during his official visit to Oxford that he is “1,000 percent” committed to Ole Miss. It is not quite clear yet, however, if Perkins will sign this upcoming week, or push it off until February. That latter option would seem to benefit Alabama the most as they’ve yet to get him on campus for an official visit.

The On3 RPM currently gives the Crimson Tide a 94.8 percent chance of flipping Perkins.

More Recruiting Coverage

Texas A&M makes final pitch to Tony Mitchell

Dylan Lonergan discusses in-home visit with Nick Saban

Alabama commits make their push for five-star OL Kadyn Proctor

Photo Gallery: Nick Saban completes in-home visits

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