The big recruiting run Alabama football fans have been waiting for appears to finally be here. Kalen DeBoer and company are finishing up a busy weekend in Tuscaloosa with some of the top prospects in the country, including the three best from the state of Alabama, visiting.
Earlier on Sunday, Alabama picked up a commitment from 3-star DL JJ Finch out of Indianapolis. Finch chose the Crimson Tide over Tennessee and Michigan.
Early Sunday afternoon, On3's Steve Wiltfong logged expert predictions for the Crimson Tide to land three additional prospects, all of whom were in town for official visits over the weekend.
Steve Wiltfong predicts Alabama to land RB Javari Barnett, WR Owen Cabell, and S Rihyael Kelly
Wiltfong's RPMs may not be for the prospects Alabama fans have been waiting on, but all three are prospects high on the Crimson Tide's board.
3-star WR Owen Cabell from Nashville camped in Tuscaloosa earlier in the month, earning an offer from WR coach JaMarcus Shephard. Shephard has proven to be one of the best in the country at evaluating talent, and he came away incredibly impressed from Cabell's workout.
Cabell has track speed, running a 22.4 200 meter.
Along with Cabell, Wiltfong logged predictions for Alabama to flip two prospects currently committed elsewhere.
The first is Tampa, Florida native Javari Barnett, a 3-star RB currently committed to Illinois. Alabama would like to take two running backs in this class, and Barnett would be a nice complementary option for the Crimson Tide's top target at the position: 5-star in-state star Ezavier Crowell. Barnett and Crowell were both in town this weekend, and DeBoer and company wouldn't take a commitment from Barnett if it was going to negatively impact Crowell's decision. Crowell is scheduled to commit on Thursday.
The third prediction came in for Rutgers commit Rihyael Kelley, a 3-star safety from Cincinnati, Ohio. Kelley has great size at 6-foot-3, which has been a consistent theme in Alabama's defensive back targets. Kelley committed to the Scarlet Knights two weeks ago, but Alabama's recent offer and his weekend visit to Tuscaloosa appear to have changed things for him.
Kelley's offer list isn't all that impressive, but Maurice Linguist has a proven track record in evaluating talent, and his eval will have to be trusted here. Linguist and DC Kane Wommack have prioritized size and versatility in DB prospects, and Kelley has that. He might be a project, but his long-term upside is high.
Early returns from this weekend have been excellent for DeBoer and company. More good news continues to pour in as the Tide pushes for a second consecutive top-five recruiting class.