Alabama Football: Daily Recruiting Update Dec. 12

Check out the Bama Hammer Alabama football ‘Daily Recruiting Update’ for Dec. 12, as we count down to the Early Signing period on Dec. 19.

Alabama football recruiting is of so much interest to Crimson Tide fans it is almost like another season. At Bama Hammer, we follow it carefully as well. For the benefit of our readers, a daily update will be offered beginning with this Dec. 12 update and continuing through the Early Signing Period.

Understand we do not claim any inside scoops. We do not communicate with recruits. We do carefully follow what a dozen or so good sources believe is happening on any given day. None of those sources are soothsayers and none have a direct line to Nick Saban’s Big Board. So don’t wager any money on our predictions. There are a few very capable sources who make solid predictions season after season, but even they are not always correct.

Where the Crimson Tide 2019 recruiting class stands today with 24 verbal commits. The magic number for the 2019 class is 28. That is 25 new commits plus three slots carried over from last season. Does the Crimson Tide have only four open slots? We don’t think so.

We guess two (maybe as many as four) of the current 24 verbal commits will flip to other schools. So 22 verbal commits leaves room for six more players. Another guess is a couple of grayshirts will mean the working number is eight more players. Beginning today and continuing through Dec. 18, we will provide a list of ten players for those eight slots. We will add a second list of a few contingency players. Both lists and any needed adjustments in projected open slots will be will be updated daily.

1. 5-Star, DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – announcement on Dec. 15. The Tide leads but Thib is hard to predict.
2. 5-Star, ILB Nakobe Dean – announcement Dec. 19. Tide and LSU battle with Tide lead.
3. 5-Star, RB Trey Sanders – announcement on Dec. 19. Tide leads but UGA pushing.
4. 5-Star, OL Evan Neal – announcement on Dec. 19. The Tide leads with UGA pushing hard.
5. 5-Star, DT Ishmael Sopsher – no decision until February. The Tide leads but LSU will try to broker a package, making room for his brother.
6. 4-Star, DB Jordan Battle – another flip, this time from Ohio State
7. 4-Star, DB Nola Pola-Gates – announcement planned for January. The Tide leads but probably only room for either Battle or Pola-Gates.
8. 5-Star, OL Darnell Wright – no decision until February. Tennessee probably leads.
9. 4-Star, LB Henry To’oto’o – Even potentially pulling in Nakobe Dean, the Alabama football staff wants to add To’oto’o.
10. 4-Star, DE Kris Bogle – announcement in January. Bogle would come close to making up for a miss on Thibodeaux.

If Sanders does not choose the Tide, 4-Star, RB Deondrick Glass is a good option. Glass will not commit elsewhere until Sanders makes a decision. if there is room, the Alabama football staff would like to add another tight end, 4-Star, Keon Zipperer. If Battle and Pola-Gates fall through, 4-Star, CB Marcus Banks is a strong option.

There are other names that are a  priority for the Alabama football staff. They are also top players but the Crimson Tide only has so much room.

All the star ratings in this post come from the 247Sports Composite.

Stay connected with Bama Hammer as we follow the ebb and flow run-up to the Early Signing Period. We will provide a new update daily.