2022 DL Aaron Bryant on Alabama Offer: "This is What Every Kid Dreams Of"
Upon sending film demonstrating his agility to University of Alabama assistant coach Freddie Roach, recruiting Class of 2022 defensive lineman Aaron Bryant received his most impressive scholarship offer yet.
"So I got a call from Coach Roach and he talked to my parents," Bryant told BamaCentral. "He asked me how many offers I had at this point, and I said, 'Nine,' then he said, 'Well, I want to be your tenth.' Then he offered me a full-ride scholarship to Alabama.
"It's one of those offers that holds more weight than anybody else in the country, especially if you are a defensive lineman. Alabama is 'D-Line U' in my mind. The feeling I got when Coach Roach told me I had an offer was unbelievable. This is what every kid dreams of."
Bryant is a 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman out of Southhaven, Miss., who has also received SEC offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Arkansas.
His other offers include Indiana, South Florida, Liberty, Georgia State, Memphis and Southern Miss.
"Coach Roach said he likes my agility, how I use my hands, and he said I have good speed for a big guy," Bryant said.
Despite growing up in the Magnolia State and being a Rebels fan, Bryant admires the tradition that Alabama coach Nick Saban has built during his time at the Capstone.
"I could see myself at Alabama because they are a culture that wants to win," Bryant said. "And I love to win. They've won so many national championships. Nick Saban is a great coach and they develop great players. I believe if I went there, whatever I lack in, would become some of my strengths. They are a great university and I see the players they have in the NFL. I would love to be at Alabama. It's a great offer to have."
After his junior season at Southaven High School saw 68 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks and four forced fumbles, Bryant only had one offer to his name. Over the course of the last month, he's blown up on the recruiting trail.
Georgia became the most recent school to offer him on Thursday afternoon.
"It's just an amazing feeling to have an offer from the reigning national champions," Bryant said. "Before this, just a few weeks ago, I only had two offers. For a while, I just thought that I wouldn't get much and that would be ok but now it's kinda just exploded for me. I never expected this to happen for me. It's important that they are the national champions. It's a great honor because not everybody can't get an offer from Alabama."
Former Alabama standout and current New York Jets star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is a player that Bryant studies a lot, and aspires to be like on the field.
"He's an animal," Bryant said. "He uses his hands really well. He is extremely fast off the ball. He's just a monster.
"I wanna be just like that dude."
Once the NCAA-mandated recruiting dead period ends on May 31, Bryant and his family hope they are able to get to Tuscaloosa as soon as possible.
"I really want to do an official visit to Alabama whenever they open that up in the summer," Bryant said. "Even if I can't, I still want to go check out the campus. I wanna meet all the great coaches and all the players that I see on TV, who are NFL Draft prospects. It would be a great thing to experience."
While it's still early on in his recruitment, Bryant has an idea of what he is looking for in a future home.
"I want to go somewhere where I can be the best me I can be," he said. "Somewhere that I feel like can develop me into a great player and a place that has a great team environment."
