Cup of Joe: Five Alabama recruiting storylines we're tracking ahead of Early Signing Period
Welcome to “Cup of Joe,” a recruiting series that runs weekly on BamaInsider. Every Thursday, we will provide the latest Alabama recruiting intel and tidbits that we’ve gathered behind the scenes.
In this special edition, we highlight the five recruiting storylines that we’re closely following ahead of Early Signing Period. ESP begins next Wednesday and ends that Friday, with roughly a dozen targets remaining on Alabama’s big board.
Mentioned in this piece are multiple five-star targets, several prospects committed elsewhere, a discussion on the Tide’s recent misses, and more!
THURSDAY CUP OF JOE: FIVE KEY ALABAMA RECRUITING STORYLINES (FULL PIECE)
5. Alabama’s path to signing the No. 1 class
Last cycle, Alabama finished with the second-ranked class on the 2022 On3 Consensus Football Team Recruiting Rankings. That was nothing for them to be too upset about as Texas A&M signed what was, at the time, one of the greatest classes ever as it featured nine five-stars.
In this cycle, Bama appears well on their way to signing the No. 1 class.
The program has a 95.156 class score, which is 0.906 higher than the second-place Georgia Bulldogs. They also hold commitments from three more On3 Consensus five-stars than UGA, with the Tide having a higher average rating (93.09) per commit than Georgia (92.53).
So, what does Alabama need to do to hold on to this top-ranked class?
First of all, signing James Smith and Qua Russaw would essentially close the deal. Not only would Bama add two of the top 20 players in the country, but they would also prevent Georgia from closing the gap with them on the rankings. Assuming all national rankings hold, Alabama will then have five five-stars in this class, which should be more than enough to finish with the top spot.
The second things that has to happen is Bama keeping most of their current commitments in the fold. Caleb Downs and Justice Haynes are solid in their pledges, but having them finally put pen to paper will be of great relief for Alabama fans. Also, Bama weathering the storm and keeping Tony Mitchell on board after his upcoming official visit to Texas A&M will be pivotal.
Finally, any other addition should not greatly impact the Crimson Tide one way or the other. The average number of commits used in the Rankings Score is 18. So, even if Tyler Scott (currently a three-star) joins the class, it won’t significantly lower Alabama in the rankings.
In summation, landing a couple of more five-stars and holding on to their current pledges should be enough for Alabama to sign the No. 1 class.
4. Will Nick Saban’s staff extend new offers following recent misses?
This week, 2023 prospects Arion Carter, CJ Blocker, and Rueben Bain all committed elsewhere. Carter committed to Tennessee, Bain opted for the hometown Miami Hurricanes, and Blocker recommitted to Utah.
Alabama had other priorities at cornerback, but Bain and Carter were two of their top overall targets in this cycle.
As such…
To continue reading this edition of Cup of Joe, click HERE!
Check out our other great Alabama recruiting content from this week!
*** Alabama Stock Report: Where things stand a week before the Early Signing Period
*** 5-star RB Justice Haynes cancels Ohio State visit, locked in with Alabama
** Thursday Scoop: Alabama visiting key five-star targets
** Alabama Football Recruiting Chat Recap
* Inside look into how Alabama landed 5-star EDGE Keon Keeley
* What Keon Keeley’s commitment means for Alabama
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