Alabama Football: Ten Days to Early Signing Period, where the Tide stands
By Ronald Evans
As Alabama football recruiting escalates toward the Early Signing Period, check out nine top priority recruits for the Tide.
Recruiting days are numbered for FBS schools as the first NCAA Early Signing Period starts December 20th. Alabama football can entertain prospects on campus one more weekend as in-person recruiting process reaches a Quiet Day on December 17th.
After the 17th, the December Dead Period begins and there can be no in-person contact between schools and players. The Early Signing Period is a 72-hour window, December 20-22.
No one knows how the new early period will affect the complete 2018 recruiting cycle. Many experts believe up to 75 percent of the eventual 2018 class will sign in December. That estimate goes up to 90 percent for those players intending to enroll early.
Alabama football currently has 14 verbal commits: 2018 Verbal Commits. Of the 14, 10 are 4-Star players and four are 3-Star players.
Based upon 247Sports 2018 Team Rankings, Alabama football is No. 9 in the FBS. Ohio State, Texas, Miami, Georgia and Penn State currently have the top five 2018 recruiting classes. The eight teams currently ranked above Alabama football have 17-21 verbal commits compared to just 14 for the Crimson Tide.
Can Alabama football reload with another top class in 2018? Will it be a No.1 class? A top five class? Alabama football fans need not be overly concerned. Due to last season’s blueshirt and grayshirt decisions, the total of new signees will likely be 22 or 23. Additional grayshirts or blueshirts could increase the 2018 total to 25.
Even with a numbers limitation, Alabama football will have a top class in 2018. The Tide is in play for a number of top prospects in the nation.
Positions of greatest need for 2018
The top priority positions for Alabama football are defensive line and cornerbacks. In the 14 verbal commits, the Tide has three defensive ends: Stephon Wynn, Jordan Davis and Cameron Latu. The Tide has three defensive back verbals from Saivion Smith, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Nadab Joseph. All six are rated as 4-Star recruits.
Alabama football will try to sign three or four more defensive lineman and three or four more defensive backs.
The numbers game
Any recruiting list is fluid and late in the cycle changes occur almost daily. Based on multiple sources, Alabama football is primarily focused on 34 players for the 22-25 available 2018 slots.
Among the list of 34 players are nine recruits the Tide is pushing hard to close soon. Many of them will sign in the early Signing Period. The nine are 5-Star DE Brenton Cox; 5-Star DE Eyabi Anoma; 4-Star DT Christian Barmore; 4-Star QB Emory Jones; 4-Star OL Penei Sewell; 4-Star DT Tyler Friday; 4-Star DB Josh Jobe; 4-Star CB Issac Taylor-Stuart and 3-Star DT Billy Ferrell.
Other high priorities for the Tide that are not expected to make a decision until January of February.
Next: How Shaun Dion Hamilton injury hurts the Tide vs. Clemson
Beginning on Monday, December 11th, Bama Hammer will publish seven days of detailed updates by position groups. The first position group covered will be defensive tackles. Check in with us each day as every position group report will be updated with the latest news.