Alabama Football: Top targets needed to fill needs in 2020 class

The Alabama football 2020 recruiting class will be a huge success if the Crimson Tide can pull in most of this group of 10 key targets.

Heading into June camp season, Alabama football has 17 verbal commitments in the 2020 recruiting class. Assuming the final class number is 25 or 26, remaining open slots are probably around 10. Some attrition is normal and flips are always a risk/reward situation in recruiting.

The 2020 class is already solid. The complete list, provided by 247Sports is strong enough to be ranked No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 in the nation.

As always, Nick Saban and the Alabama football staff must balance signing the most elite players available versus filling roster needs. The Tide’s elite players list is an independent assessment. It is not driven by the star rankings of any media recruiting service. Nick Saban and the staff will choose some players considered elite even if not at a position of greatest need for the Crimson Tide.

Along with wide receiver, the other positions of need in the 2020 class are on defense. Roughly 15 of the eventual 25 or 26 slots in the 2020 class will be defensive players. Defensive tackles, outside and inside linebackers and defensive backs (especially cornerbacks) are priorities.

In the current group of 2020 commits, two guys stand out as being both elite and filling positions of need. They are 5-Star Chris Braswell and 4-Star, Drew Sanders. Braswell at defensive end and Sanders at outside linebacker are among the top recruits in the 2020 class; Braswell, No. 12 Overall and Sanders, No. 34 Overall. Holding on to the pair is important.

Ten recruits who fit  Alabama football ‘most needed’ list

• Zachary Evans; 5-Star RB, No. 1 RB and No. player Overall in the 2020 class
• Justin Flowe; 5-Star, ILB; No. 3 player Overall
• Sav’ell Smalls; 5-Star, OLB; No. 4 player Overall

Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia and a host of other schools have Evans as their top priority.

Almost no recruiting experts believe the Crimson Tide leads for either Flowe or Smalls. Nick Saban will battle all comers to close these two guys but no decision is expected soon.

• Darnell Washington; 5-Star; No. 14 Overall, rated as an athlete but projected as a tight end
• Bryce Young; 4-Star, Dual QB; No. 1 rated dual QB and No. 33 player Overall

Young is a USC commit and has not visited Tuscaloosa. He was scheduled for a spring visit but is now expected this summer. How well the Trojans do or don’t do in 2019 and Clay Helton’s resulting job security could lead Young to de-commit.

• Jacquelin Roy; 4-Star DT; No. 63 player Overall
• McKinnley Jackson; 4-Star DT; No. 75 player Overall
• Quandarrius Robinson; 4-Star OLB; No. 131 player Overall

Gaining a Roy or Jackson commit will not stop defensive tackle recruiting. The Tide has room for both. Robinson appears to be a strong lean to the Tide who could commit this summer. He has the frame to grow into an inside linebacker.

• Ethan Pouncey; 4-Star CB; No. 237 player Overall
• Kayshon Boutte; 4-Star WR; No. 40 player Overall

The Crimson Tide needs corners and the Alabama football staff rates Pouncey much higher than do the rating services. He could be a summer commit. Boutte is a LSU commit and may be a tough pull away from his home state.

Much will change over the next six-plus months until the December Early Signing Period. At least for now, tracking the ten recruits above will be a good barometer on the quality of the final Alabama football 2020 signing class.

There will be lots of recruiting news in June and late July. Bama Hammer will keep Alabama Crimson Tide fans apprised of the latest developments.