Alabama Football: Final take on National Signing Day and 2020 class

Alabama football once again signed a tremendous class in the 2020 cycle. Check out how the Tide compares to other top programs and the SEC.

Many Alabama football fans are already in deep-dive mode for the 2021 and 2022 future Crimson Tide signing classes. Before casting 2020 recruiting aside, a summary is in order.

First is an admission the main title of this post is flawed. While Feb. 5, 2020 was National Signing Day, that annual date no longer signals finality. Recruiting and roster moves have been forever changed by the transfer portal. Within specific dates for eligibility, players join and leave programs throughout the year.

Nick Saban may say the Crimson Tide is finished with the 2020 class, but that could just mean, he is finished for now. One oddity in this era of NCAA rules is one member of the Tide’s 2020 class did not sign today. Carl Tucker did not have to sign. As a graduate transfer, he only needs to enroll to later officially join the Alabama football roster.

Alabama football fans are mostly (but not totally) happy with a No. 2 class. That team ranking is based on the 247Sports Composite. Tide fans are never happy about not being No. 1, especially when a rival like Georgia wins that distinction. There is some consolation in Tide signees having the highest average rating. Looking at the top classes, Alabama football had more 5-Stars and 4-Stars combined than any other school. The Tide has 21, Georgia 19, Clemson and LSU, only 17.

The SEC repeated its annual recruiting dominance. Six of the top eight classes and seven of the top ten are SEC schools. Following Georgia and Alabama are LSU (No. 4); Texas A&M (No. 6); Auburn (No. 7); Florida (No. 8) and Tennessee (No. 10.) Four more SEC schools made it into the top 30 classes. South Carolina is No. 18; Kentucky (No. 23); Mississippi State (No. 27) and Arkansas at No. 30.

Vanderbilt (No. 57) edged out Missouri (No. 50) for the lowest-ranked, SEC signing class. The Missouri Tigers were four spots higher than the Tide’s season-opening, opponent, Southern Cal. Speaking about 2020, Crimson Tide opponents, the lowest-rated class among them belongs to No. 183,  UT-Martin. The Skyhawks added two players so far, one was a 3-Star. They have another 3-Star commit who has not signed.

As Nick Saban said in his late afternoon review of the 2020 class, much has changed. Saban called NSD, “Limited Edition Day.” Speaking about the impact of the transfer portal, Saban said,

"The only thing that is certain now is the uncertainty because of the way we have established how people can leave your organization."

By using ‘we’ Nick mostly means the majority of college football decision-makers. He warned the transfer portal would create something akin to professional free agency. He was right.

Anyone thinking Saban is slowing down is mistaken. He said over the past two days he talked to 22, future prospects.