Alabama Football: Wide receiver recruits impressed with Tide, NFL success
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football is well-known as a path to the NFL. Success by former Crimson Tide wide receivers is impressing wideout recruits.
Much of college football recruiting comes down to convincing a prospect a school enhances his NFL chances. Under Nick Saban, Alabama football has made that claim and backed it up with proof.
Primed by another NFL Draft bonanza, wide receiver prospects are paying extra attention to the Crimson Tide. And well they should, given the successes for former Alabama football wide receivers in the NFL. Add to that is the expectation four Alabama football wideouts will be first-round picks in the next two NFL Drafts.
Recent buzz about former Alabama football players was ramped up by Amari Cooper’s new contract. Amari got a $100M deal from the Cowboys, with an average salary of $20M per season. Among NFL wide receivers, only former Crimson Tide player, Julio Jones has a higher annual salary. The contract Julio and the Falcons executed a few months ago pays Jones, $22M annually.
Calvin Ridley may not get Amari or Julio money after his fourth NFL season, but he will be handsomely paid as one of the top rising wideouts in the league. Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III are first-round locks in the 2020 Draft. Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith should continue the run of Crimson Tide first-rounders with Waddle a likely top ten selection.
The Crimson Tide added three wideouts in the 2020 class. Three more will be needed in 2021 and 2022. One top prospect considering the Crimson Tide is Agiye Hall, 4-Star from IMG Academy. Hall is scheduled to announce a verbal commitment in August. It looks like an Alabama, LSU, Georgia and maybe Arizona State battle.
The Alabama football staff is also chasing three more Top 100, 4-Stars in Mario Williams, Brian Thomas Jr. and Chris Hilton. At this point, it appears to be an Alabama – LSU contest for Hilton. Oklahoma, Georgia and LSU are the top competition for Williams. Thomas has not narrowed down his choices much, but LSU will fight to keep him (and Hilton) in the state of Louisiana.
It is a long time until the December Early Signing Period. Much will change. The Crimson Tide being in contention for four wide receivers in 2021, top-70 prospects is promising.
Another 2021, 4-Star, Christian Leary received a recent offer from the Crimson Tide. In interviews after he included the Crimson Tide among his six finalists, Leary admitted the NFL success of former Tide wideouts is big in his mind.
Next. New NFL Deals for former Tide players. dark
How much will the coronavirus stall progress in 2021 class recruiting? There are too many unknowns to even guess at this point.