Recruiting Corner: 2022 Alabama Targets Announce Plans and 2023 Targets Emerge

This week, Alabama football was involved in both its 2022 targets and, for the first time, its 2023 targets as it looks to carry momentum on the recruiting trail it created this summer.

Alabama football has 14 verbal commitments in its 2022 class, and there's good reason to believe 10 or more names will be added to it by the latest National Signing Day in February of 2022. 

But who is added is the question, particularly when looking at the positions of the prospects who've already pledged. The Crimson Tide has three defensive lineman, two wide receivers, two offensive lineman, two linebackers, two athletes, and then one quarterback, running back and defensive back all committed to the program.

And that means how the Alabama coaching staff rounds out this year's class will be interesting considering which position groups will be reinforced. 

This week, though, there's been news of recent plans in both a final announcement date and an added visitor to an official weekend visit later in the fall. 

Alabama target and offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett of Carver High in Columbus, Georgia, announced via Twitter the date and time of his college decision going public, and the Crimson Tide is in contention along with other finalists Georgia, Florida State, and Southern Cal.

He'd be the first pledge to Alabama since fellow Peach State product and defensive back Jake Pope made his decision public last month.

Meanwhile, 2022 defensive edge rusher Cyrus Moss of Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, Nevada, made his plans known this week of an official visit to Alabama the weekend of its home game with LSU on November 6. 

So, with the Crimson Tide's 2021 class skill player-heavy, you will likely see its coaching staff pursue more prospects along the line, and particularly the defensive line with a relatively veteran group currently on campus.

Let's jump ahead to next year, though, and let's take a look at some of the prospects of the 2023 class that were able to make contact via phone calls with the Alabama coaches for the first time this week. Keep in mind, over 80 high school juniors have heard from Alabama just since mid-week.

Richard Young, one of the top-rated running backs nationally, is a an Alabama target and a player who heard from the Crimson Tide a couple days ago on September 1, the first day coaches were able to personally call junior prospects. 

Another 2023 target of Alabama is in-state defensive lineman Kelby Collins of Gardendale. At 6-foot-5, 350 pounds, Collins was offered by the Crimson Tide in April, and the junior lineman is one of the top-rated recruits in-state that Alabama usually prioritizes.

Now move to the state of Washington, where 2023 target Jayden Wayne of Tacoma resides. Also a defensive lineman, Wayne joins the large group of fellow juniors who've recently heard from Alabama football. 

And, judging by the quantity of content, its promotional team for social media does quite the job to satisfy recruits.

Alabama football currently has the third-ranked recruiting class of 2022, per SI All-American, and all in all, it remains to be seen which seniors pledge to the Crimson Tide, but the program clearly has its sights set on the year beyond that.