Recruiting Corner: Alabama WR Targets in the 2021 Class to Watch

The University of Alabama football program recruits itself around this time of year. And by that, you can just watch the NFL draft year in and year out.

After Round 1 of Thursday's night event, when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., and wide recievers Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy went off the board within the first 15 picks, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban now has developed 33 first-round selections during his time in Tuscaloosa.

Recruiting departments sending out draft graphics, and the Crimson Tide's is no different. Just take a look here:

‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/DFO3IzLC1u
— BIG QUIN(55)🦍 (@AnquinBarnes) April 24, 2020

2020 marked the first two Alabama wideouts went in the first round, and 2021 could be the same with DeVonta Smith and rising junior Jaylen Waddle.

Last week, Saban and company picked up a commitment from one of the best pass catchers in the 2021 recruiting class — four-star Agiye Hall. But he will not be the only wide receiver in this group due to the need at the position moving forward, so here are just a few names to keep an eye on:

Four-star WR Brian Thomas Jr. (Walker - Walker, LA)

A little taste of Walker High School wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., now entering his junior season with the Wildcats. Walker was hosting 7 on 7 action Wednesday morning. pic.twitter.com/tkLTCunuzr
— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) June 19, 2019

Standing at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Thomas is a physical freak when you mix his size and speed. Possess an elite ability to catch passes in traffic and route running is crisp. It appears his recruitment will come down to LSU and Alabama, barring any surprises. He took a visit to the Capstone back in February and the coaching staff has been on him for a while now. 247Sports ranks him as the second pass receiver in this class and the No. 43 overall prospect nationally.

Four-star WR Christian Leary (Edgewater - Orlando, Fla.)

COMMITMENT JUNE 6th , love you ma .
— Christian Leary (@ChristianLeary4) April 24, 2020

Now, the Crimson Tide knows a thing or two about finding elite playmakers in the Sunshine State a la Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper, and the aforementioned Jeudy. Leary only sits at 5-foot-9, but his speed and ability in the open field is what makes him dangerous. As a junior, he scored 16 total touchdowns to go along with 1,564 total yards from scrimmage. He announced on Friday that he would be committing on June 6. Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida are near the top of his list.

Four-star WR Chris Hilton (Zachary - Zachary, LA)

A couple weeks ago on Easter, Hilton included the Crimson Tide inside his top six finalists along with home state LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida, and Notre Dame. The Tigers have two wideouts already in their 2021 class with recent commit, JoJo Earle and four-star Deion Smith, meaning that Hilton could very well end up leaving the state of Louisiana. On the 247Sports Composite, he is the eleventh ranked pass catcher and 65th best overall prospect.