Alabama Football: 2018 recruiting, what’s next for the Tide?

After one day of the Early Signing Period, Nick Saban stated Alabama football has eight open slots in the 2018 class. Let’s look at the possibilities for eight more signees.

The numbers can be confusing. Most Alabama football fans are probably content to accept Nick’s calculation even if not fully understanding it. Other Tide fans are interested in more detail as to how 25 annual scholarships is not always 25 because of grayshirts and blueshirts. The ‘Most’ group may skip the next three paragraphs. For the ‘Other’ group, read on.

Alabama football signed 15 players on Dec. 20th. Fourteen of those players were 2018 recruits and one, Jarez Parks was a 2017 recruit. Parks was a 2017 grayshirt who counts against the 2018 class rather than the 2017 class. In addition, Alabama football has two, 2017 recruits who were ‘blueshirts’ and count against the 2018 class. Adding those players, Hunter Brannon and Joseph Bulovas to the 2018 group and the Tide has 17 signees in the new class. Hence, eight open slots – more on that below.

Any blueshirts or grayshirts in 2018?

We can only speculate but the best guess is yes. It is important to remember how the ‘blueshirts’ work. We’ll give a quick explanation but more detail can be found in What is a Blueshirt? In summary, a blueshirt allows an unrecruited player to enroll as a walk-on, be given a scholarship after the first fall practice, play in that same season and have their scholarship count in the following class. Blueshirts can only be used when a recruiting class is otherwise full.

The key point in qualifying for a blueshirt is they must not have been recruited. Not being recruited means did not have a letter of intent issued to them and did not make an official visit to the school.

17 Signees and 3 Commits

The 2018 Signees can be viewed here.

The additional three commits are 4-Star LB, Quay Walker, 3-Star ATH, (LB) Vernon Jackson and 3-Star TE, Michael Parker. Of the three only Jackson took an official visit to Alabama. Parker might be a player who would accept a grayshirt or blueshirt. If he does, then the apparent open slots of eight are for Walker, Jackson and six more new signees. Plus, there could be another 2018 recruit or two who might qualify for and accept a blueshirt or grayshirt

Remaining on the Tide’s Big Board

• Bobby Brown – 4-Star DE or DT. Brown decommitted from Texas A&M and will announce on Dec. 22nd. He is a high priority recruit for the Tide who are battling TAMU and Oklahoma. Reports are his mother prefers he choose Alabama.
• Jaylen Waddle; 4-Star WR, Tide and TAMU battle
• Penei Sewell or Nicholas Petit-Frere; 4-Star OL (Tide projected to only add one)
• Tyler Friday; 4-Star DT. Tide, Michigan and Ohio State battle.
• Tyson Campbell; 5-Star CB. Tide might lead, other top schools are close behind.
• Justyn Ross; 4-Star WR. Probably the Tide or Clemson.
• Patrick Surtain Jr.; 5-Star CB. LSU is the current favorite.
• Malik Langham; 3-Star DE or DT. The Tide favored for Antonio’s cousin.
• J.J. Peterson; 4-Star LB. Tennessee probably leads because of Jeremy Pruitt.
• Jacob Copeland; 4-Star WR. Tide and Tennessee battle
• Issac Taylor-Stuart; 4-Star CB. Tide one of several top schools after ITS.
• James Foster; 4-Star QB. It is not clear if the Tide will add another QB after missing on Emory Jones.

Alabama football is looking at other players as well. The interval to February is long. Other than hopefully adding Bobby Brown, recruiting will soon take a backseat to winning another championship.

Next: The Eyabi Anoma story is a good read.

Our coverage will soon concentrate on Clemson, but we will continue to report on recruiting developments. Plus the Crimson Tide has a big basketball game against Texas on Dec. 22nd.