Alabama Football: Tide adds offers in late recruiting push
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football coach Nick Saban is making sure the Tide has plenty of options for its last spots in the 2018 Signing Class.
The Alabama football coaching staff has made a late flurry of offers for the 2018 Signing Class. There is one more weekend for recruit visits and five more days for off-campus visits before the last 2018 ‘Quiet Period.’
The Tide staff is closing out January with recruit visits and new offers from lesser-known prospects. Does this mean bad news for the Tide? What it likely shows is a very fluid situation with many top prospects as yet undecided. The ‘always have a plan’ Nick Saban is making sure the 2018 class is full on February 7th.
Very few current Tide prospects will announce before the final National Signing Day (NSD2). Quarterback prospects Brock Purdy and Brevin White may announce earlier. 4-Star Safety prospect, Julius Irvin is scheduled to announce on January 31st. The rest of the 2018 class will fill NSD2 with suspense.
Visitors for last recruiting weekend
So far, the only scheduled visitor for the last Tuscaloosa recruiting weekend is 3-Star, ILB Jaylen Moody. A recent push for Moody indicates, as we previously suggested, Tide commits Quay Walker and Vernon Jackson may flip to other schools. Moody does not have an offer but that could change.
Another option at ILB is 4-Star Dax Hollifield. Hollifield was given a Tide offer last February. He will likely choose Stanford, North Carolina or Virginia Tech. Insiders report Alabama football coaches are trying to persuade Hollifield to visit Tuscaloosa this weekend.
Glenn Beal, 3-Star TE visited Tuscaloosa last weekend. Alabama football recruiting insiders are surprised there may be room for a tight end. Apparently, there may be space because the Tide also offered 3-Star TE, Matt Alaimo on January 30th.
How many spots are left?
It is debatable how many, or more accurately how few, spots are left in the 2018 class. Various estimates range from seven to ten more players will be signed. The numbers do not show room for ten, or even nine, but grayshirts and perhaps even a blueshirt could still happen.
The number crunch appears to affect receivers and secondary players the most. Past estimates had the Tide taking up to three wide receivers. Current rumors are Nick Saban wants to add four more defensive backs. Given the highly rated top Tide DB prospects, (including three, 5-Star CB’s) some are too good to turn away. If the Tide takes four DB’s, the wide receiver slots could drop to just one. The Tide is in a strong position for three of the top 12 WR’s in the nation, Jaylen Waddle, Justyn Ross and Jacob Copeland.
The fallback position to get to four DB’s appears to now include 4-Star CB, Taiyon Palmer and 4-Star, Safety, Leon O’Neal. O’Neal may visit Tuscaloosa this weekend. Palmer got a Tide offer on January 21st. At this point, Palmer is best labeled at longshot for the Tide.
UPDATED: SEC Country reported O’Neal will make an official visit to Tuscaloosa this weekend.
ADDITIONAL UPDATE: Alabama has given an offer to 3-Star DT, Moro Ojomo from Texas. This is expected to be a contingency to either Tide commit, Bobby Brown or Malik Langham not choosing the Tide. Brown is scheduled to visit TAMU and Langham, Auburn this weekend.
Next: 30 Best-Ever Tide 3-Star Recruits
The last in-person contacts allowed are February 4th. Starting February 5th, the ‘Dead Period’ begins and communication can only be electronic and technically also regular mail.