Alabama Football: Tide in great position with nine 2021 recruiting targets

Alabama football 2021, No. 12 recruiting class keeps getting better

There has been plenty of recent buzz from inside and outside the Alabama football program. The Alabama Crimson Tide is currently ranked having the No. 12, 2021 verbal commits. The ranking comes from just 10 guys and the group is expected to grow quickly.

Based on the 247Sports Composite team rankings, the talent level of Tide’s current commits is No. 3 in the 2021 class. The Crimson Tide has an average player rating of 94.09. Only Ohio State (95.91) and Clemson (94.32) have higher averages.

Alabama football running back, assistant coach, Charles Huff leads the Tide staff in verbal commits. He also leads all FBS recruiters, having brought J. C. Latham (5-Star), Jacory Brooks (5-Star), Dallas Turner (4-Star) and Devonta Smith (3-Star) to the Crimson Tide.

Smith is another example of the Crimson Tide coaching staff valuing players independent of their star ranking. The Alabama football staff believes Smith is one of the top players in the 2021 class.

College football recruiting is rarely predictable. It is more unpredictable this year. In-person contact with players, on and off campus, has been suspended since March. Summer evaluation camps were canceled. There have been no summer cookouts. When campus visits will be allowed is speculative. Before the start of the season appears unlikely.

So what will prospects do? Some will continue to wait. Others will not wait for visits. As more July commitments occur, numbers will become tight in certain position groups. For some players, waiting too long could mean missing an opportunity to join the Crimson Tide.

Among the nine top targets listed below, the Crimson Tide can be expected to hold slots for three of them. They are 5-Stars, Tommy Brockermeyer, ‘Kool-Aid’ McKinstry and Damon Payne. Room will be made for six others, up to a point. That point might not be very far into the fall; maybe not past August. The seven are 4-Stars, Kendrick Blackshire, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavian Story, Khyree Jackson (JUCO), Shemar Turner and James Brockermeyer.

Current buzz from Alabama football, recruiting insiders has Blackshire and Brian Thomas Jr. announcing for the Crimson Tide soon. Until recently, Shemar Turner seemed to be the least likely of the group. Recruiting experts predicted he would not leave the state of Texas. The NCAA punishment of Jimbo Fisher might change those predictions. Due to an NCAA show-cause, Jimbo cannot recruit off-campus until 2021. No home visits before the Early Signing Period may not severely damage the Aggies’ recruiting, but any NCAA sanction casts doubt over a program.

The Crimson Tide would love to take advantage of the situation by luring Shemar Turner to Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide will also be looking to flip some commits of other schools. Flipping will not be easy with current recruiting restrictions in place. Flips are more likely to be later than sooner.

All the top Tide targets were not listed in this post. There are at least three or four others likely to join Alabama football. And, as always, there will be good and bad surprises.