Alabama Football Recruit Update: Offensive line and Linebackers

Alabama football recruiting has narrowed down to a small number of prospects at OL and LB. Check out the latest information on possible signees.

Less than a week away from Early Signing Day (ESD), Alabama football looks to add a couple of linebackers and one or two offensive linemen.

The new ESD is not one day. It is a three-day signing period that begins on Dec. 20th. Leading up to ESD, we are providing detailed information on top targets, by position group.

Previously published and updated position group details: Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, Cornerbacks and Safeties, Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends.

UPDATED 12/17/17 (see below)

2018 Offensive Line Commits (all ratings are from the 247Sports Composite)

Alabama football has two verbally committed offensive linemen.

• Tommy Brown – OT; 4-Star, No. 14 OT and No. 176 Overall. Brown is believed to be firm in his decision to join Alabama football.
• Emil Ekiyor – C; 4-Star; No. 2 Center and No. 105 Overall. Ekiyor can also play guard in college. Emil committed to Michigan last fall but the Tide pulled off a big flip.

Both Brown and Ekiyor will sign early but will not enroll until summer. Brown will be busy in the spring trying to repeat as the California Shot Put champion.

Top Offensive Line Prospects

• Penei Sewell – OT; 4-Star; No. 5 OT and No. 51 Overall. Alabama has been tabbed as the leader for Sewell for a good while. Utah has pushed to keep him in-state and Oregon made a push through Mario Cristobal. Sewell is predicted to choose the Tide on Dec. 20th.
• Nicholas Petit-Frere – OT; 4-Star; No. 4 OT and No. 42 Overall. Alabama coaches are very high on Petit-Frere and would like to sign both he and Sewell. Petit-Frere is not expected to sign early.

Linebackers

Alabama football is blessed with a deep roster of highly rated linebackers. Rashaan Evans and Shaun Dion Hamilton will not return in 2018 but former 5-Stars and an abundance of 4-Stars are waiting for their turn.

Alabama football commits

• Quay Walker – OLB- 4-Star; No. 6 OLB; No. 127 Overall. Walker is being heavily pursued by Georgia, Florida State and Auburn. He will not sign early.
• Vernon Jackson – ATH – 3-Star, No. 17 ATH; No. 329 Overall. Jackson has varied talents and could play multiple positions but the Tide intends to use him as a linebacker. The Texas player may be hard to pull out of his home state. Jackson is not expected to sign early.

Since 2018 numbers are so tight, Alabama football may only take one or two more linebackers in the 2018 class.

• J. J. Peterson – LB; 4-Star; No. 1 OLB and No. 42 Overall. The Tide has led for Peterson for a long period and some insiders believe that is still the case. Jeremy Pruitt is trying hard to pull Peterson to Tennessee and he may succeed.
• Adam Anderson – LB; 4-Star; No. 2 OLB and No. 43 Overall. Anderson picked Georgia but Alabama has stayed after the Peach State player. He is not likely to flip, but late surprises happen.
• Brandon Kaho – LB; 4-Star; No. 6 ILB and No. 137 Overall. The BYU commit is very interested in Alabama and he may flip. Tosh Lupoi does great work in the west and Kaho would be a great pickup for the Tide. UPDATE – Kaho commits to Washington

Next: The 50 Best Alabama Football Players Ever!

All the detailed, position groups will be updated as new information becomes available. Be sure to check with us on Dec. 18 when we make our final ESD projections.