Tomorrow’s All-American: Alabama Crimson Tide Recruiting

Despite the final score of the LSU game, it was clear that the Crimson Tide defense is perhaps the best in the nation, even one of the best of all time. However, this Alabama defense could lose up to eight players off of this year’s defense. Bringing in the next wave of talented linemen to rush the passer is of the utmost priority.

When Marcel Dareus was a senior in high school, he was widely regarded as a low four-star prospect and even a three-star by some scouts. Dareus became the most coveted defensive linemen in the draft and proved all the so-called experts wrong. This is often the case when a recruit has just begun to scratch the surface of his abilities. In the 2012 class, there are several prospects signed to the Crimson Tide that fit this description.

During the summer, Alabama was preparing to host an offensive/defensive line camp in Tuscaloosa when they heard about this defensive tackle from Sumter County, Alabama that was at the Tennessee camp dominating the other prospects. The young man was the most impressive prospect at the event and Tennessee had no choice but to offer a scholarship.

Tide coaches had not even heard of this prospect in their own backyard, and he was immediately contacted and given a last minute invitation to Alabama’s upcoming camp. The young man causing such a buzz was a 6’4,” 325 pound defensive lineman named Darren Lake.

Lake had no film for the coaches to evaluate, and really nothing to give them an idea what to expect. When he showed up at camp with his coach, the first impression was that this kid is huge and carries his weight very well. He spoke with coach Saban and his shy, quiet personality was certainly unexpected but when he began to compete he turned into an absolute beast. Onlookers and coaches alike were blown away at the athleticism, strength and quickness displayed by this unknown kid from the small Alabama town.

The word frequently used to describe Darren Lake those two days was unblockable. Time after time he went up against the best offensive line prospects from around the country, and he dominated them all. Suddenly the kid nobody knew was all anyone could talk about, and Saban didn’t let him leave without offering him a scholarship. Being a lifelong Alabama fan and having family members that were Bama fans made Darren’s decision a no-brainer. He committed to coach Saban last June.

Trying to compare Lake to any former Alabama player isn’t hard when he so closely resembles Marcel Dareus. Lake is an absolute gem, a steal of a prospect that just fell into Alabama’s lap from out of nowhere. He is a quiet kid from a very humble background and he’s seen his share of struggles. Lake recorded a 40-yard dash time of five seconds flat, remarkable for a guy weighing  325 pounds. One of the top prospects at the camp was asked who the best player there was and without hesitation said, “That Lake guy. I couldn’t do anything with him, he was faster and stronger than anyone I’ve ever tried to block.” Darren Lake is without a doubt a prized recruit and perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2012 recruiting class.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball, we look at the guy recruited to play alongside Lake at the defensive end spot. Darius Philon is a 6’2″, 265-pound defensive end prospect out of Vigor, Alabama that has created a lot of buzz in this years recruiting class. Darius is regarded as a three-star prospect, but is another kid just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

Philon was recruited by both Alabama and Auburn and actually committed to the Tigers in May. In June he was invited to Alabama’s camp and decided to see what the Tide was all about. Philon impressed the staff with his quickness and relentless pursuit of the quarterback; so much so he earned an offer from coach Saban. This is where his recruitment begins to get interesting.

Philon said the Auburn coaches couldn’t believe he went to camp at Alabama when he had committed to the Tigers a month before. Apparently the Tide offer changed the way he looked at his future and he began to think his decision had been rushed and not well thought-out. In June the Vigor defensive end prospect de-committed to Auburn stating, “I was being hard-headed and rushed my decision.” He re-opened his recruitment placing Alabama at the top of his list.

Auburn fans were stunned and sour about this young man wanting to think things through a bit more and they began to lash out at him. The bitter fans quickly changed his view of life down on the Plains, and they were no longer in the mix for his signature. On the first day of September, Philon notified Tide coaches of his decision to attend Alabama and he became the eighteenth commitment of the 2012 class.

Darius has a motor that never stops and is very similar to current lineman Nick Gentry in his relentless pursuit of the quarterback. He was timed in the 40-yard dash at a surprising 4.78 seconds, and has the frame to add some really good weight when he begins training. For all his quickness and hand movement, he is deceptively strong and capable of manhandling much bigger offensive tackles, which will serve him well in the SEC.

These two defensive prospects are sure to be fan favorites with their on-field play and their quiet, shy personalities. Both of them are very similar in that way and leave no doubt that opposing quarterbacks will hate to play the Crimson Tide in the coming years. The ability of the coaching staff to bring in three star prospects with five star futures is why they’re the best in the business and the future has never looked better.

UPDATE: Josh Bean of the Mobile Press-Register is reporting that Philon is awaiting test results to determine the extent of a knee injury he suffered in the first half of last week’s first-round playoff victory over McAdory.