2021 OL Jaeden Roberts Adds To Alabama's Stellar Offensive Line Haul
The University of Alabama football program received a nice Christmas gift on Friday afternoon in the form of a 6-foot-4, 350-pound offensive lineman.
2021 prospect Jaeden Roberts has committed to the Crimson Tide per his social media and become the 26th pledge in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class according to Sports Illustrated All-American.
Roberts, a standout interior lineman from North Shore High School in Houston, is Alabama's seventh commit from the Lone Star State, joining linebacker Kendrick Blackshire, offensive linemen Tommy and James Brockermeyer, quarterback Jalen Milroe, wide receiver JoJo Earle, and running back Camar Wheaton.
As if the Crimson Tide's offensive line haul couldn't get any better, Roberts is the icing on top of a group that includes SIAA's top two tackles in Tommy Brockermeyer and JC Latham, the No. 3 interior lineman in James Brockermeyer, and the talented Terrence Ferguson.
Roberts is rated as the fifth-best interior offensive lineman in the country per SIAA. It is second year in a row that Alabama has landed an offensive lineman out of North Shore with Damieon George Jr. signing with the Crimson Tide in the 2020 cycle.
He was previously committed to Auburn before the Tigers made a coaching change and held offers from the likes of Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon, Wisconsin, among others.
Here is the full evaluation of Roberts' games from the team at SIAA:
Prospect: Jaeden Roberts
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 345 pounds
Position: Offensive Guard
School: Houston (Texas) North Shore
Committed to: Alabama
Projected Position: Offensive Guard
Frame: Tall with great mass in upper half. Broad shoulders with adequate length. Some muscle definition in arms and room to proportion into legs.
Athleticism: Moves better than one would expect, but not the quickest blocking prospect. Hand movement is functional out of deep stance. Quick to engage on double teams and down blocks with one-step force. Occasional reach ability once head gets around.
Instincts: Can get to the block point with flat back and considerable leverage due to size and strength. Naturally strong anchor with low center of gravity. One-way redirection ability with finishing power and despite to play through the whistle. Solid feel versus the blitz with wide contact potential.
Polish: Elite punch with great body control. Immovable against bull rush and owns high win rates versus head-up challengers. Methodical kick slide with extremely wide base, adding to patient approach as pass protector. Could stand to maximize extension when retreating. Can play high at times.
Bottom Line: Roberts has old-school interior offensive guard prospect DNA in his build, immense strength and grit in the trenches. He is a phone booth dominator with great success as a run blocker along with the tools to vastly improve his pass protection. As he trims and works to gain agility, has a chance to potentially play more than one position down the line.
