Alabama Fills Key Positions of Needs in Newest Signing Class
The traditional National Signing Day did not go how most Crimson Tide fans thought it would, but still, the University of Alabama football coaching staff was able to deliver one of the best classes in the country.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban only added three more players to his roster on Wednesday, four-star wide receiver Javon Baker, four-star defensive tackle Jamil Burroughs, and three-star offensive tackle Damieon George, while the other 22 prospects signed back in December during the Early Signing Period.
SI-All American, Rivals, and ESPN ranked this Crimson Tide class at No. 3, while 247Sports puts them at No. 2, behind Georgia.
Just A Minute: Has the Early Signing Period Ruined National Signing Day?
This class, however, does feature the top ranked prospect in the nation, five-star quarterback Bryce Young, along with four other five-star recruits, 17 four-stars, and three three-stars according to the 247Composite rankings.
Let’s take a deeper look at where Alabama filled positions of need in this class:
Is Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa’s Heir Apparent?
The aforementioned Young is clearly the crown jewel of the class, and rightfully so. The SI All-American put up video game numbers during his senior year at Mater Dei High School. He threw for 4,258 yards, 58 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He was a threat with his legs, too, running for another 357 yards and 10 scores.
Now his 5-foot-11,183 pound build might be a concern, but the other-worldly abilities are there - arm strength, elite accuracy, and a football IQ higher than most.
The question every Crimson Tide fan wants to know, will Young start in 2020 as a freshman?
Being an early enrollee helps a lot, but with Mac Jones playing at the high level that he did to close the 2019 campaign, it is hard to see Young overtaking him for the starting job so soon.
Looking at Saban’s track record of starting true freshman quarterbacks would support that idea. There was the exception of Jalen Hurts, who came off the bench to replace, then redshirt freshman Blake Barnett, back in the 2016 season opener against USC.
Playmakers on the outside
Half of the “Rydeouts” are gone and replacing the on-field production of Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III will not be easy, but four-star pass catchers Thaiu Jones-Bell, Traeshon Holden, and Javon Baker are next in line.
Jones-Bell joins former Crimson Tide receivers like Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, and Jeudy to be from the South Florida area. His breakout junior year saw him catch 17 touchdowns on only 38 receptions. His speed and great release could only him to see the field early on in his Alabama career.
Holden possesses the vertical threat down the field, standing at 6-foot-3, and 193 pounds. Catching the ball in traffic is Holden’s specialty. He can climb the ladder and is the perfect candidate for that goal line fade route in the endzone.
Like Holden, Baker is another red zone or third down option as a 6-foot-1, 194 pound pass catcher. He is just a terrific athlete, who also played defensive back at times for McEachern. He caught 11 touchdown receptions in 2019.
Best running back haul in the nation?
The running back position was not a position of “need” per say, but now the Crimson Tide has no shortage of workhorses out of the backfield in 2020. A running back room that featured Najee Harris, Brian Robinson, and Kelian Robinson, added four-stars Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams, and three-star Kyle Edwards.
Out of the incoming freshman, the headliner is McClellan. Alabama was able to flip the longtime Oklahoma commit during the Early Signing Period and he draws comparison to former Crimson Tide back T.J Yeldon. He finished his senior year with 1,268 yards and 27 touchdowns.
On the other hand, Williams is a back that can line up out wide, and in the slot, as well as carrying the rock every down if needed. His toughness and underrated speed will remind Crimson Tide fans of Josh Jacobs.
Edwards, a tough, powerful runner, signed in December, but did not enroll early like Williams or McClellan. All he did during in his final season at Destrehan was produce. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2019, leading the Wildcats to an appearance in the Louisiana 5A state title game.
Rebuilding in the Trenches: Offensive Tackles
Alabama lost right tackle Jedrick Wills to the NFL Draft, but added two of the most impressive offensive tackle prospects, in four-star Javion Cohen and three-star Damieon George.
Cohen, the Phenix City, Ala. native was the No. 1 player at his position in the Yellowhammer State. He is a pure left tackle, who has outstanding size at 6-foot-5, and 295 pounds. With starting left tackle Alex Leatherwood returning in 2020, barring injury, it will be hard for Cohen to see the field, but in 2021 and beyond, he is the name to watch at that position.
George commited the Crimson Tide back in the summer and during his senior season and at the Under Armour All-American Game he shined against the nation’s premier talent. At 6-foot-6, and 345 pounds, George is a monster of a man, who is a force to be reckoned with.
Defensive front seven will be a force for the Crimson Tide in 2020
Injuries and inexperience haunted the Alabama defensive front seven in 2019.
With junior linebacker Dylan Moses and senior Joshua McMillion returning, and Raekwon Davis being the only defensive linemen leaving, this unit should go back to being the dominant force it was in previous years, especially with this crop of incoming freshman.
Five of the six five-star recruits Alabama signed are either on the defensive line or a linebacker. This group includes defensive tackle Tim Smith, edge rushers Chris Braswell and Will Anderson, and linebackers Demouy Kennedy and Drew Sanders.
Smith was one of the highest risers throughout his senior year. He jumped a total of 208 spots on the 247Sports rankings since the start of 2019. The Sebastian River standout recorded 62 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, 10 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.
If there is any attrition in the middle of the Crimson Tide's defensive line throughout 2020, look for Smith to be the one who steps in to clog the gaps, and help generate a pass rush.
Joining Smith on the interior of the defensive line is four-stars Jah-Marien Latham and Jamil Burroughs.
The second-highest ranked recruit of the Crimson Tide's class was Anderson, who finished as the 17th best over player. The elite edge rusher had 22 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in his final prep season.
As for the linebacking corp, it is considered the very best group in the nation altogether. Along with Sanders and Kennedy, are four-stars inside backer Jackson Bratton and outside backer Quandarrius Robinson. All of them were ranked inside of 247Sports Top 150.
Overall, this entire unit will have something it did not have last year: depth.
Key replacements in the secondary
When a junior college prospects transfer to Alabama, the idea and hope is that they can contribute almost immediately. To help fill Trevon Diggs absence, the Crimson Tide picked up four-star Ronald Williams, Jr. from Hutchinson Community College.
The 6-foot-2, 188 pound corner finished 2019 with three interceptions, 31 tackles, and five pass breakups in his All-American campaign for the Dragons.
After he signed in December, four-star cornerback Jahquez Robinson joined the Crimson Tide for bowl practices leading up to its game against Michigan. That valuable time could go along way in Robinson's chances to see playing time early on.
Safety Xavier McKinney is headed for the NFL and the Crimson Tide signed four-stars Malachi Moore and Brian Branch to replace him. Four-star athlete Kristian Story will also see time in the defensive backfield, along with reps on offense at quarterback.
