Alabama Football: The 11 names to watch in the final 2019 recruiting

From Friday through Sunday, Alabama football has 72 hours to make its final pitches and final choices for the 2019 Signing Class. Here are the 11 players to follow.

Less than a month ago, Alabama football failed to close the deal against Clemson. That description is being kind to an Alabama football team that was dominated on college football’s biggest stage. In response, job one for Nick Saban has been to rebuild the Alabama football staff.

Concurrent with ‘job one’ has been a National Signing Day finish that fills roster needs with highly talented players. The staff rebuild has gone well. So well, it may be helping the final recruiting push.

After the Early Signing Period, Alabama football had 24 new signees on board. That left room for four more, given carryover numbers from last season. Repeated rumors have spread that neither Paul Tyson or Will Reichard will be scholarship players in 2019. If true, that leaves room for six more signees.

Grayshirt and blueshirt options might mean the class has space for as many as eight more signees. Our best guess is the actual number is around six, maybe five or maybe seven. There are almost always late surprises but for now, we believe the final members of the 2019 class will come from a group of eleven players.

First, the current Alabama football verbal commits

• 4-Star, DT, Byron Young. Young is rated the No. 8 defensive tackle and the No. 77 player overall. Byron is visiting LSU this weekend but the Crimson Tide appears to be in a very strong position.
• 4-Star, DE, Khris Bogle. Bogle is the No. 3 rated weakside defensive end and the No. 71 player overall. The coaching staff changes may cost the Tide with Bogle. Or he may stick – no one really knows, but the South Florida player is visiting Miami this weekend.
• 4-Star, RB, Keilan Robinson. Robinson has been skipping opportunities to visit other schools but will visit USC this weekend. The prospect of 5-Star Jerrion Ealy joining the Tide may be troubling to Robinson.
• 4-Star, CB, Christian Williams is expected to sign elsewhere.

The next eight to watch

• The Crimson Tide staff wants Young and at least one more defensive lineman. The options are 4-Star players, Ishmael Sopsher, Nathan Pickering, Quashon Young and Jaquaze Sorrells. Sopsher is visiting LSU this weekend. The other three are expected to be in Tuscaloosa. New coach, Brian Baker is believed to be boosting Tide chances with Pickering. UPDATED, Friday morning – Matt Zenitz of al.com reported Pickering has canceled his visit and will be sticking with his commitment to Mississippi State.
• At inside linebacker, the Crimson Tide wants to close with 4-Star, No. 44 rated player overall, Henry To’oto’o. The Tide appears to be in a strong position. It is possible, the staff will choose two more ILBs if it can add 4-Star, Daniel Heimuli. Washington is still battling for To’oto’o who visited last weekend. Heimuli will be in Tuscaloosa.
• 5-Star, RB Jerrion Ealy is visiting for the final weekend. New coach Charles Huff has improved the Tide’s chances. Ealy may opt for professional baseball or play football and baseball for the Crimson Tide.
• 3-Star, TE, Brett Seither fits in a position of the need. Georgia is also making a late push. The possible options above will determine if Nick Saban has room for Seither.

All the player rankings in this post are from the 247Sports Composite.

Alabama football fans have little reason to worry about a NSD collapse like last year. The Crimson Tide will finish strong with the No. 1, 2019 Signing Class.