Alabama Football: Big Bump for 2018 class, Tide adds DT Bobby Brown

Alabama football added an important commitment Friday night, flipping DT Bobby Brown from Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies to the Tide.

Texan Bobby Brown has been an Alabama football priority for several months. The Tide extended an offer to Brown last March. It was his camp visit in June that convinced Tide coaches Brown was key in the Tide’s 2018 defensive line recruiting.

Brown received six offers in 2016, including Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Texas. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher offered Brown last May. Brown committed to Kevin Sumlin and the Aggies in October. Alabama football did not back off and neither did the Sooners, Texas and FSU. Staying close to home was believed to have an impact on Brown’s choice of the Aggies.

Nick Saban and even more so, Tosh Lupoi were relentless in pursuit of Brown. In the process, they picked up some strong assistance. Brown’s mother became a vocal proponent that Tuscaloosa would be a good next home for her son.

Kevin Sumlin’s uncertain future in College Station was a concern for the Browns. In the interval between Sumlin’s dismissal, Alabama football took the recruiting lead. Immediately after Jimbo Fisher was hired as the Aggies head man he pushed Brown to sign early. Earlier this week, Booby scheduled to commit and possibly sign Friday afternoon. Friday morning he tweeted that would not happen.

Then early Friday evening, this tweet,

https://twitter.com/tre_brown8700/status/944356860093784065

Was the tweet a direct messages to coaches not named Nick and Tosh? Alabama fans certainly hope so. Brown committed but as we write this post, he has not signed. What happens next?

Brown could sign before midnight Friday night. He could enroll at Alabama in January and sign in February. He could sign in February and enroll in the summer. Or he could change his mind and flip again.

Unlike a certain recruit with a hyphenated last name, Bobby Brown is no diva. It is clear the decision process has been agonizing for him. For the sake of Alabama football and likewise for Bobby Brown’s future, he will hopefully stick with the Tide.

One thing is certain, Bobby is a big fan of Tosh Lupoi. Hank South of Bama Online credits Tosh and Karl Dunbar for swaying Brown. Speaking about Lupoi, Brown said,

"That man, he’s crazy. We was there (at Alabama), I was talking to my momma, and I was messing with him a little bit, and I had said ‘Momma, what position do you think Coach Lupoi played?’ and she was like ‘Linebacker’ and I was like ‘Yep, because he’s got that block head like all linebackers.’ I told him she said it. He was like ‘Blockhead brothers,’ and we took a picture together. He was like ‘You got a block head, too.’ I got a real good relationship with him."

Brown is a 4-Star recruit and the No. 16 rated defensive tackle in the nation based on the 247Sports Composite. Tide coaches rate him even higher. Once viewed as a defensive end, Brown is up to 285 pounds. Insiders believe at 6-foot-4, he will play for the Tide at around 300 pounds.

Until he signs, Brown’s request to respect his decision to roll with the Tide will probably be ignored.

Next: 2018 Crimson Tide Football Commits

Stay tuned Tide fans. If (we should say when) Brown signs, we’ll post the news on the main site and also on Facebook.