Alabama Football: What to look for on National Signing Day

Alabama Football: Beyond what players the Tide inks on Wednesday there are details to follow more important than overall team ranking.

Alabama Football is expected to add to its already outstanding 2021 class on Wednesday. With 25 players signed and one additional verbal commit, the Crimson Tide has the No. 1 class of all-time, based on the 247Sports Composite.

If the verbal commit, 5-Star, running back, Camar Wheaton signs, Alabama Football will beat its best-ever class and top the 2010 Florida Gators class as the overall best of all-time. Or, if Wheaton flips, the Crimson Tide could still have the best all-time class by adding 4-Star, Terrion Arnold.

UPDATE: Camar Wheaton signed with the Tide Wednesday morning.

The Alabama football staff wants to add more than Arnold. 4-Star, wide receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. is a top target. So is the nation’s No. 3 ranked player, J.T. Tulmoloau. Tulmoloau does not plan on signing Wednesday and is hoping to visit schools sometime in the spring.

Players waiting, though few in number, happens every recruiting cycle. National Signing Day is not when teams close a recruiting cycle. With top players waiting and the growth of the transfer market, many team rosters are fluid in the spring and the summer.

National Signing Day is the traditional milestone for measuring team rankings. Beyond the overall team rankings, college football fans are interested in other numbers. With or without Camar Wheaton the Crimson Tide will have the most 5-Stars in the 2021 class. With Wheaton, the number is seven. The Ohio State Buckeyes have five. In the 5-Star challenge for 2021, the worst the Crimson Tide can finish with is six. The best the Buckeyes can finish with is six, depending on what eventually happens with Tulmoloau.

It is good to remember overall team rankings can mislead. For example, Tennessee currently has the No. 15 class, filled mostly with 3-Star players. The Vols have no 5-Stars, no players in the Top 50 and only one player in the Top 100. In terms of ‘elite’ players, the Vols have come close to a strikeout. The result is a No. 15 class not likely to improve the already, shrunk by transfer, Vols roster.

At the top of ‘elite’ player recruitment is Alabama Football. The Crimson Tide has or could have seven or eight 5-Stars, depending Tulmoloau.

Check out how other schools compare.

2021 Class 5-Stars

• Alabama Crimson Tide – Seven with Wheaton and eight with Tulmoloau
• Ohio State; Five, 5-Stars (maybe six with Tulmoloau)
• Georgia – Four 5-Stars
• Clemson – Three 5-Stars
• LSU – Two 5-Stars
• Miami – Two 5-Stars
• no other school has more than one

2021 Top 50 Players

• Alabama – 10 or 11 Top 50 players, depending on Tulmoloau
• Ohio State – Six or seven, Top 50, depending on Tulmoloau
• Georgia – Six Top 50
• Clemson – Four Top 50
• Oklahoma – Four Top 50
• Oregon – Three Top 50
• Miami – Three Top 50
• LSU – Two Top 50
• Texas A&M – Two Top 50
• no other school has more than one

2021 Top 100 Players

• Alabama – 15, Top 100 players
• Ohio State – 12, Top 100
• Georgia – Eight, Top 100
• LSU – Eight, Top 100
• Clemson – Seven, Top 100
• Texas A&M – Four, Top 100
• Oregon – Four, Top 100
• Florida – Three, Top 100
• Notre Dame – Three, Top 100
• Michigan – Three, Top 100

The numbers will change when six currently uncommitted, Top 100 players sign either on Wednesday or later. So far, 50 of the 94, signed or committed, 2021 Top 100 recruits will join just five schools. The Alabama Crimson Tide leads the way.

Unless something unforeseen changes in college football recruiting, the universe of legitimate, CFB Playoff teams will remain small. Recruiting is only one factor in building a championship team, but it is a big factor.