Another great cycle of Alabama Football recruiting did not end for the Crimson Tide on the first day of the Early Signing Period. Nick Saban and the Alabama football staff gained 22 signees on Wednesday. A 23rd signature is expected on Friday from a current commit.
Nationally, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia are 1,2 and 3 based on the 247Sports Composite team rankings. Other SEC teams, also ranked in the Top 25 in team rankings are Kentucky (No. 11), Missouri (No. 12), Tennessee (No. 13), Auburn (No. 14), LSU (No. 18), Arkansas (No. 19), Mississippi State (No. 22), South Carolina (No. 23) and Ole Miss (No. 24).
Though the Aggies currently sit at No. 1, the Alabama Football, 2022 class is the No. 1 team in average player rankings. The average player ranking for the Crimson Tide’s ’22 class is 95.17. The average for the Aggies is 94.18; Georgia is at 92.93.
Alabama Football is not finished adding players
Nick Saban is expected to officially add Jaleel Skinner to the ’22 class on Friday. Like Skinner, as another Top 100, 4-Star prospect, Kendrick Law is expected to announce and possibly sign on Friday. If Law and Skinner come on board Friday, the Crimson Tide class will at 24 players. Another player or two could be added this week, but more likely, additional players will be added with January and February announcements and signings.
No one outside the Tide’s recruiting inner circle ever knows how many slots are available. It is expected there will be room in the spring for two or three players from the transfer Portal. The first Portal plum was picked Wednesday night when former LSU cornerback, Eli Ricks announced he was joining the Crimson Tide. The other most mentioned names are former Georgia Tech, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and possibly former LSU 5-Star, wide receiver, Kayshon Boutte.
Something to remember about the Transfer Portal is Nick Saban is not inclined to use it for depth. Saban is interested in players he is confident can work themselves into starting or rotational roles. Most players in the Portal are quite simply, not good enough to leapfrog over players already on the Crimson Tide roster. Roster rebuilds will not always yield a boost of two starters as Henry To’o To’o and Jameson Williams did this season.
SEC teams did well on Wednesday. Missouri and Kentucky made big progress with strong classes. Even Auburn, once way down the team list, gained a late recruiting boost.
How far apart are the Crimson Tide at No. 2 and Auburn at No. 14. The top-rated player in the Tigers’ current group of 17 signees is a former Alabama verbal commit, linebacker Robert Woodyard. Woodyard is a 4-Star and the No. 137 player overall in the 247Sports Composite. The Alabama class currently has 15 signees ranked higher than Woodyard, including 13, Top 100 recruits.
NIL discussions dominated Wednesday’s national media coverage of signees. Unlike many programs, NIL was not a topic in coverage of the Crimson Tide’s class.