Alabama Football: 30 Tide Greats who exceeded their 3-Star high school rankings

Alabama football players who exceeded 3 star ranking: 24. Brandon Deaderick

• Elizabethtown, KY
• Defensive Line, (2005-2009)
• 2005 Recruit Ranking: No. 288 Ranked Player in the Nation

Brandon Deaderick was a valued recruit despite only being rated as a 3-Star player. Besides Alabama, he had offers from Auburn, Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina State and Michigan State.

It took Brandon awhile to break into regular action for Alabama football. He redshirted in 2005 and played in only two games in 2006. He made seven starts in 2007 and was a starter the next two seasons, 2008 and 2009.

Less than a week before the season opener in 2009 Brandon was shot in the arm during an attempted robbery outside a Tuscaloosa apartment complex. The police report published by cbsnews.com quoted Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson.

"“the player (Deaderick) suffered a gunshot wound to the forearm. The player was in an apartment parking lot about 10 p.m. Monday when he was approached by a man wearing dark clothes, a dark ball cap and a blue bandanna over his face … Deaderick did not know the man, who pointed a gun and said ‘Give it up’, When Deaderick refused, the assailant fired the gun, striking the player in the arm.”"

Brandon spent one night in a Tuscaloosa hospital and only missed two football practices. Less than a week later, Deaderick played in the season opener against Virginia Tech. It is fitting that a player so dedicated would leave Tuscaloosa with a 2009 National Championship ring.

Brandon was drafted by New England in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played three seasons for the Patriots. In 2013 he played for Jacksonville and in 2014 Brandon played for the New Orleans Saints.

In his five-season NFL career, he played in 60 games and made 17 starts.