Handful of PWO offers sign with Alabama on National Signing Day
With 28 scholarship prospects signed during Early Signing Period in December, it’s not a surprise that Alabama did not sign another one during Wednesday’s National Signing Day.
The program did, however, receive signatures from a handful of in-state prospects who will be preferred walk-ons. Those were Antonio Ross, Billy Roby, Braylon Chatman, Brock O’Quinn, J.R. Gardner, Kolby Peavy, Reed Harradine, and Sawyer Deerman.
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Interestingly enough, Gardner and Ross train at Gulf Coast Athletics in Orange Beach (Ala.), where 2025 Alabama commit Ryan Williams and 2025 target K.J. Lacey train. Also, Chatman attends Hewitt-Trussville High School, which is where Crimson Tide early enrollee Hunter Osborne played at.
In the story below, BamaInsider has everything you need to know about Alabama’s preferred walk-on signees.
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** Note: This isn’t a final list of preferred walk-ons joining Alabama football this year. More will likely join the team later on.
J.R. Gardner Signing Profile
Name: J.R. Gardner
High School: Gulf Shores High School in Gulf Shores (Ala.)
Height and Weight: 5-foot-11, 193 pounds
Expected Position at Alabama: Running Back
Why Gardner chose Alabama: “I was originally going to go to South Alabama. I was ready to commit, but the coach told me that they didn’t have enough room for another running back. A few days went by, and my offensive coordinator called me and said Bama was interested. I eventually got a chance and took it.”
Gardner’s excitement about joining Bama: “I’m extremely excited to join up with one of my former teammates, Deontae Lawson. I can’t wait to get on campus and compete with the other guys on the team.”
Senior season stats: 157 rushes for 931 yards (5.93 yards per carry) and 199 receiving yards on 9 catches.
Click HERE to watch Gardner’s senior season highlights!
Kolby Peavy Signing Profile
Name: Kolby Peavy
High School: Excel High School in Excel (Ala.)
Height and Weight: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds
Expected Position at Alabama: Safety
Why Peavy chose Alabama: “To play football at Alabama is something I’ve wanted my entire life. The opportunity to play for Coach Saban and be a part of the best dynasty in college football overshadowed any other option. Iron sharpens iron, and getting to go against some of the nation’s top athletes will help me grow to be the best that I can be for this game that I love. Alabama is the standard and I am so thankful that Tuscaloosa will be my home for the next few years.”
“Always bet on yourself and never let negativity bring you down! I kept saying it’s all God’s timing.”
Other options on the table for Peavy?: “Bama is the only school who took a chance on me!”
Senior season stats: Offense – 131 rushes for 954 yards, 12 touchdowns, 5 catches for 102 yards, 356 return yards, and 1,412 all-purpose yards.
Defense — 52 tackles, 3 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 2 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery, and only allowed 4 catches this season.
Click HERE to watch Peavy’s senior season offensive highlights!
Click HERE to watch Peavy’s senior season defensive highlights!
Braylon Chatman Signing Profile
Name: Braylon Chatman
High School: Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville (Ala.)
Height and Weight: 6-foot, 215 pounds
Expected Position at Alabama: Linebacker
Why Chatman chose Alabama: “I want to go somewhere where I can be coached and developed the best. I feel like Bama is the place. I also chose Bama because it’s a winning program and I want to surround myself around winners and the best players in the country. Also, it gave me the feeling like I was at home. Not too far from my hometown and a childhood dream of mine, so I’m just blessed to have the opportunity.”
Other options on the table for Chatman?: “I had a Division 2 opportunity at The University of Charleston in West Virginia, which is about eight hours away. Toward the end of my recruitment, I was getting recruited by a few Division 1 schools. One canceled my visit and took a commitment. The others just didn’t offer.”
Click HERE to watch Chatman’s senior season highlights!
Antonio Ross Signing Profile
Name: Antonio Ross
High School: Alexandria High School in Alexandria (Ala.)
Height and Weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Expected Position at Alabama: Safety
Ross explains decision to sign with Bama: “Well, to me, I just pretty much had to narrow things down. With my offers, I had Tulane, Memphis, Jacksonville State, UAB, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, and Liberty. I was recently committed to Liberty and decommitted from them when I heard the head coach was leaving. So, I had to go with another option. I was thinking about Tulane and then Memphis and also Jacksonville State, but I had to think about what made me feel like I’m at home and what fits my lifestyle and makes me happy and also the environment.
“So, that took away Memphis and Tulane. Jacksonville State is only just down the road, so I know pretty much everywhere around and about the college. I just wanted to wait it out and see what others I would get, so then I got the Alabama preferred walk-on. I thought about it a lot and then made the decision.”
Senior season stats: 227 rushes for 1,381 yards and 27 touchdowns. 17 catches for 200 yards and a receiving touchdown. 11 returns for 323 yards and two touchdowns. 1,904 all-purpose yards.
Click HERE to watch Ross’ senior season highlights!
Sawyer Deerman Signing Profile
Name: Sawyer Deerman
High School: Tuscaloosa County High School in Northport (Ala.)
Height and Weight: 5-foot-10, 175 pounds
Expected Position at Alabama: Unsure
Click HERE to watch Deerman’s senior season highlights!
Billy Roby Signing Profile
Name: Billy Roby
High School: Huntsville High School in Huntsville (Ala.)
Expected Position at Alabama: Offensive lineman
Why Roby chose Alabama: “I’ve grown up being around Alabama football my entire life and going to the games every fall since I was six. It’s always been a dream of mine to play college football for Alabama. When the opportunity came for me to join the team it was immediate. There was no other option. Alabama is an opportunity to play and compete with the best every day and there is no other place like it.”
Other options for Roby?: ”I spoke with several smaller schools. However, I’ve been in contact with the staff at Bama for over a year now, so I really always intended to go to UA.”
Click HERE to watch Roby’s senior season highlights!
Reed Harradine Signing Profile
Name: Reed Harradine
High School: Mountain Brook High School
Height and Weight: 6-foot-4, 220-pounds
Expected position at Alabama: Long snapper
Click HERE to watch Harradine’s senior highlights
Brock O’Quinn Signing Profile
Name: Brock O’Quinn
High School: Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas
Height and Weight: 6-1, 210Expected Position at Alabama: Long snapper
Click HERE to watch O’Quinn senior and junior season highlights
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