Alabama Football: How the Crimson Tide stands with 2021 elite players

Check out the latest on Alabama football, 2021 elite player prospects

Alabama football already has verbal commits from three Top 100 recruits, as rated by the 247Sports Composite. Two are 5-Stars, No. 17 player overall, J.C. Latham and No. 27 player overall, Jacorey Brooks. The third is 4-Star and No. 70 player overall, Aglye Hall. Latham is an offensive tackle and the other two are wide receivers.

The definition of an elite player is one inside the Top 100 in the 2021 class. Two points to remember are there are great recruits outside the Top 100 and a highly rated 4-Star is not much different than a 5-Star.

By definition, Alabama football, having three verbals from elite recruits, is pursuing 12 more. The Crimson Tide will not get them all. It will get more than its share. Based on the 247Sports rating, let’s review where the Crimson Tide appears to be with each of the 12.

• No. 5 overall, 5-Star, OT, Tommy Brockermeyer – A Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide battle, leaning to the Tide
• No. 6 overall; 5-Star, OT, Amarius Mims – The Georgia Bulldogs lead for the Cochrane, GA recruit, with the Crimson Tide still battling
• No. 18 overall, 5-Star, DT, Damon Payne – The Crimson Tide and Ohio State are believed to be his leaders
• No. 20 overall, 5-Star, DT, Maason Smith – LSU leads for the Houma, LA recruit. The Alabama football staff is pressing
• No. 22 overall, 5-Star, GaQuincy McKinstry – Alabama is his leader with LSU also making a hard push. ‘Kool Aid’ also has an offer to walk-on for Nate Oats.
• No. 31 overall, 5-Star, Jason Marshall – Strong lean to leave the Miami area, but only move north as far as Gainesville
• No. 44 overall, 5-Star, DE, Dallas Turner – Recruiting experts are mostly picking Georgia but the Alabama football staff is very confident
• No. 47 overall, 4-Star, OG, Terrence Ferguson – Strong lean the Georgia Bulldogs will keep Ferguson in-state.
• No. 60 overall, 4-Star, WR, Brian Thomas Jr. – From Louisiana, all indications are he will pick LSU
• No. 63 overall, 4-Star, Xavian Sorey – High probability the Crimson Tide beats out Florida, Georgia and Auburn. Sorey is versatile and able to play multiple positions. With Sal Sunseri as his lead recruiter, OLB is his expected position.
• No. 83 overall, 4-Star, QB, Jalen Milroe – Milroe is committed to the Texas Longhorns. The Alabama football staff is working hard to flip him. If he decommits from Texas, it should be to join the Tide.
• No. 91 overall, 4-Star, TE, Thomas Fidone – Once thought to quite interested in the Crimson Tide, he is now expected to stay in the midwest.

JUCO players are more difficult to rate for the recruiting services. One the Crimson Tide appears to be high on is cornerback, Kyree Jackson from East Mississippi C.C. With Florida as a strong leader for Jason Marshall, Jackson may be a top priority for the Crimson Tide. He is expected to announce a decision in mid-July.

The always tough question is – who’s next? A best guess is maybe Dallas Turner or 4-Star, LB, Kendrick Blackshire. After that pair, possibly Sorey or McKinstry.

There will be surprises before the 2021 class is complete. The Alabama football staff never slows down with numerous offers to top 2022 players.