Alabama Summer Enrollee Spotlight: Jake Pope
After welcoming in a dozen early enrollees in January, the rest of Alabama’s 2022 class arrived on campus over the weekend. The Crimson Tide is joined by 11 freshmen summer arrivals as well as junior college transfer Miles Kitselman, who committed to Alabama earlier this month.
BamaCentral will break down the arrivals one by one. Next up is a versatile defensive back from the state of Georgia, Jake Pope.
The player
Pope is one of the potential sleepers in Alabama’s 2023 class. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back is only rated as a three-star prospect but has the traits to suggest he can rise above that evaluation at the next level.
A two-way player at Buford High School, he served as both a safety and a receiver while also spending time as a kick returner. Pope will stick to defense at Alabama. His high school coach compares him to former Crimson Tide defensive back Vinnie Sunseri and believes he would be a perfect fit at the Star position in Nick Saban’s defense.
Pope’s father, Brad, played safety at Clemson alongside eventual NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins during the mid-1990s. Despite growing up rooting for the Tigers, Jake wasn’t offered by Clemson.
Pope’s lack of recognition has built a chip on his shoulder which is evident in the way he plays. The hard-hitting defender demonstrates relentlessness until the whistle and has the athleticism to make plays at multiple positions on the field. He also has a nice football IQ which allows him to diagnose offensive setups before the snap.
Pope was high school teammates with fellow summer arrival Isaiah Bond. The two helped lead Buford to a 14-1 record and a Georgia 6A state championship last season. In addition to football, Pope is a talented baseball player.
How he fits into Alabama
Pope has the size and athleticism to play every spot across the secondary. However, he’s best suited for the Star position where he can capitalize on his pre-snap savvy as well as his tackling ability in open space. His versatility could also see him drop back to a safety role if needed.
Pope served as a kick returner in high school. While Alabama has more explosive players for that role on its roster, his full-tilt playing style should translate to other duties on special teams as he has the ability to chase down returners on kickoffs or serve as a mobile blocker on returns. At the moment, Pope’s biggest trait is his versatility. Expect Alabama to use it in several ways moving forward.
What to expect next year
Alabama has openings at both its cornerback spots, but those roles figure to be filled by Kool-Aid McKinstry, Eli Ricks and Khyree Jackson. The rest of the Crimson Tide’s secondary is pretty locked down as starters Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams return at the safety positions while Brian Branch and Malachi Moore compete for the Star and Money roles.
Pope likely won’t see the field on defense during his freshman season as he looks to learn Alabama’s playbook and get acclimated to the college level. Still, his athleticism could see him carve out a role on special teams where he can be used in a variety of ways.
Key quote
“Jake is a very smart player, and as smart as he is, he’s just as athletic and fast. He checks all the boxes. We use him on special teams a lot. We use him on offense and defense. I think he’ll have no problem going to college and playing SEC football.” — Buford High School head coach Bryant Appling.
Gallery: Jake Pope
Photo | Jake Pope's Instagram account, @jakerpope
Photo | Jake Pope's Twitter account, @JakePope24
Photo | Jake Pope's Twitter account, @JakePope24
Photo | Jake Pope's Twitter account, @JakePope24
