Only a few days before Early Signing Day arrives and there is lots to be excited for, for the Crimson Tide. In a couple of weeks they play for a spot in the National Championship, but for now, they will 'settle' on trying to land another Nick Saban #1 masterclass.
When it comes to Alabama and recruiting, it's almost unheard of for Nick Saban and company to NOT be in the top 5. They currently find themselves ranked #3 (On3) and #4 (247 Sports) and have three 5-star recruits who have the opportunity to make an impact from Day 1. The question comes to fruition though, can Alabama pull off another #1 recruiting class? Of course. Is it likely? Let's take a look.
As mentioned previously, Alabama sits at #4 per 247 sports with 291.30 points. Georgia is currently #1 with a score of 315.9. As you can imagine, some pieces need to fall, as well as fall into place for Bama to make it happen.
Where Things Stand:
The Crimson Tide, as of Monday, December 18, 2023, have three 5-star players, fourteen 4-stars, and five 3-stars to equal 291.30 points. They also are in good standing with a few players who have yet to make their decision, and some transfers that could play a vital role in cementing a #1 class.
What Needs to Happen:
One of the first dominos to fall could be Georgia losing their 5-star QB commit, Dylan Raiola, to family legacy Nebraska. That would drop them 5 or 6 points to roughly 309.89 from where they are, but that is not all that needs to happen. Let's take a shot at some bold needs: Say 5-star DL Eddrick Houston flips from OSU to Alabama, it helps significantly, but only brings them to 298.77-- Good for third overall. As Ricky Bobby says in Talladega Nights, "If you aint first, your last".
Next, to get closer, a couple of stunners; starting with 5-star WR Perry Thompson flipping his committment BACK to Alabama. There has been some chatter about Thompson reassessing his college options, especially with Nick Saban and his staff going in home with Uno and his family. This would almost be a must have for Bama to go back-to-back as recruiting champs. At this point, Bama would be in second place at 305.16 points. Once again, second place is fun and all, but let's make it #1 while we're at it.
To Make It Even More Interesting:
Lastly, Alabama lands those guys that they have been working on for quite some time. Early Signing Day comes and first up is 4-star DL Steve Mboumoua from Canada. Following, would be 4-star edge rusher, Jayshawn Ross. Lastly, two running backs flip to the Tide--4-star running backs Jadan Baugh, as well as Tuscaloosa local, Kevin Riley.
This would have Alabama finishing at #1 overall per 247, with 311.29 points without any guys coming from the transfer portal.
Will Alabama be able to pull off the upset and unseat Georgia for another recruiting title? At the end of the day, we all know (myself included) that Nick Saban is not necessarily concerned with only being #1 at this, as much as fans want to be. It's all about precision for arguably the greatest coach of all time, and if there is any reason to not trust him, someone let me know. We get to sit back, watch fun all across the country on Wednesday and I believe Alabama will be snagging some great pieces for Nick Saban's chess game.
Note: Recruiting Ranking via 247 Sports.