Alabama Football Recruiting: Saban adapts and Champions Cookout
By Ronald Evans
As the NCAA recruiting rules evolve, so does Alabama football coach, Nick Saban. Crimson Tide recruiting prospers because Saban is always open to change.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban miscalculated on the 2018 recruiting class and the Tide fell to the nation’s sixth-best class. Most schools would consider a No. 6 class a good year but not Alabama. Nick Saban recalibrated the Alabama football recruiting machine and so far the results are spectacular.
The 2018 coaching staff was rebuilt and filled with younger, even more, aggressive recruiters. After one year’s experience with the Early Signing Period, Saban learned most players will sign in December instead of February. So Nick tweaked the Tide’s recruiting calendar.
The annual Champions Cookout held in July has always been filled with an abundance of top prospects. The 2018, NCAA recruiting rules include a dead period from June 25th through July 24th. Instead of delaying the Cookout until after the dead period, Saban moved it forward to June 22nd. Insiders report Saban made another change to add a second Champions Cookout in late July.
Alabama football prospers because Nick Saban, at a time in life when most resist change, embraces it. New coaches bring new ideas and new energy. New rules bring some new restrictions and many new opportunities.
The 2019 results so far
Using the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings, Alabama football is No. 1 with 16 verbal commits and a team ranking of 271.76. Currently, Texas A&M at No. 2 has 18 verbal commits and a team ranking of 246.36. That is a significant gap between the Tide and TAMU. The Aggies are bursting with enthusiasm over Jimbo Fisher’s recruiting success. Alabama football fans just see 2019 as a return to normalcy.
From 2011-2017, Alabama football gained a No. 1 class each year. The team record for one year based on the 247Sports Composite is Florida in 2010 with a team rating of 324.62 from 28 signees. At the current level of success indicated by commits, Alabama football will break that record with the 2019 class.
First Champions Cookout expected recruits
The invitation-only event is always fluid in terms of actual attendance. Travel is a factor with the Tide attracting top players throughout the nation. Along with many current commits, a partial list of players expected this weekend includes: Jaylen McCollough; Jarrian Jones; Devonta Lee; Arik Gilbert; Noa-Pola Gates; Kane Patterson; Savell Smalls; Clay Webb; Nathan Pickering; Nolan Smith; Kayvon Thibodeaux; Faatui Tuitele and Ishmael Sopsher. Thibodeaux, Smith and Sopsher are the top three rated recruits in the 2019 class.
That list includes five, 5-Star recruits. Two other 5-Stars, Nakobe Dean and Daxton Hill visited Tuscaloosa recently. This post will be updated as new Cookout visitors become known.
Next: Verbal Commits - 2019 Class
Will Alabama football add to the 2019 verbal commits list this weekend? Insider buzz shows optimism a few recruits will announce their intentions within the next few days. It is too early to know for sure but indications are the 2019 class will hit more than 20 signees in the December Early Period.