Arguably the Fastest Player in the 2021 Recruiting Class, WR Christian Leary, Signs With Alabama
With Jaylen Waddle likely going off to the NFL after the 2020 season, the University of Alabama is losing, arguably, the fastest man in college football.
Players like Waddle are almost impossible to replace, but in terms of speed, the Crimson Tide might have found a comparable receiver in 2021 prospect Christian Leary, who signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday.
For comparison, former Alabama wideout Henry Ruggs III ran a 10.58 100-meter race in high school and this year, Leary ran a 10.50 in the same event.
That kind of speed will grace the gridiron for the Crimson Tide as soon as next season.
After signing on Wednesday, Leary and Edgewater High School (Orlando) will take on future teammate Dallas Turner and St. Thomas Aquinas in the Florida 7A state title game on Friday.
So far in 2020, Leary has 32 catches for 551 yards for five touchdowns, while carrying the ball 38 times for 264 yards and one additional score through nine games.
Leary will be an early enrollee, so fans can look forward to seeing him in Tuscaloosa next month. He had been a part of the Crimson Tide's 2021 group since mid-June.
The team at Sports Illustrated All-American has rated Leary as the No. 42 overall player in the country and No. 2 slot wide receiver in the 2021 class.
SIAA takes a deeper look into his game below:
Prospect: Christian Leary
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater
Committed to: Alabama
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
Frame: Compact build with an upper-body definition. Some length as well as room to add mass at the next level.
Athleticism: Electric athlete in every sense of the word. Extremely strong out of the blocks with elite top-end speed, validated by a 10.5-second 100-meter dash time to his credit. Lower-body explosion largely unmatched in the class of 2021 and gets to top speed sooner rather than later.
Instincts: Natural playmaker with the football in his hands. Not just a track guy even though he doesn’t get caught from behind. Subtle movement skill in space to break tackles beyond pure torque. Excellent after the catch, largely due to positional versatility. Lined up as run-first quarterback considerably during 2019 season, helping his team to a state title appearance.
Polish: When it comes to after the catch ability, the return game and flat out covering the ground, few in America can contend with Leary. Good vision with uncanny cut-back ability without wasted motion. As a wide receiver, room to improve fundamentals at the position, particularly the ability to combat press and short to intermediate routes.
Bottom Line: Leary is headed to Alabama and it’s hard not to liken his game to that of recent Crimson Tide star and first-round NFL Draft pick Henry Ruggs. Each played multiple positions on the football field and played multiple sports at the prep level with undeniable explosive play-making ability regardless of setting. As Leary polishes up his game as a passing target, particularly his route-running and ability to vary releases at the line of scrimmage, he’ll be the type of athlete an offensive coordinator designs plays for without fail.
