Gardendale Standout, 2023 DE Kelby Collins a Priority for Alabama
Last Friday, Kelby Collins, a in-state standout defensive end from Gardendale High School in the recruiting class of 2023, got the scholarship offer he's been waiting for the longest for, which came from the reigning College Football Playoff national champions.
Alabama coach Nick Saban met virtually with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound rising junior and informed him of the news he would indeed be adding the Crimson Tide to long offer sheet.
"Once I called the number my coach gave me, it turns out it was Coach Saban," Collins told Bama Central. "He said he liked my film, how I come off the edge, how I move for my size and that he wanted to give me a scholarship.
"It felt amazing because that was the first actual head coach to give me an offer personally. All the other ones have come from assistant coaches."
"It feels good now," Collins said. "I have been kinda waiting on it. I'm just so excited for it. Everybody kept asking me, 'When I was going to get it?' So now it feels like a weight off my shoulders."
With the Alabama offer in tow, Collins now has 13 of the 14 SEC schools recruiting him, along with Michigan, USC, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Nebraska, Georgia Tech and others.
"I was a big Alabama fan growing up," Collins said. "Still am. It's a cool feeling to have the team you rooted for growing up wanting you to play for them now."
The Yellow Hammer State product concluded his sophomore season with the Rockets by recording 85 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks and one forced fumble.
As a freshman, Collins notched 60 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, and three forced fumbles, helping led Gardendale to the second round of the 6A AHSAA state playoffs.
The NCAA recruiting dead period is set to end on June 1 and Collins is in line to get back to Tuscaloosa for a visit, when it opens back up.
"I'm just looking forward to talking with Coach Saban more," Collins said. "He said he wanted to get me down there and meet my family and everything. I want to see the new locker rooms and all the upgrades that they have."
Along with getting back to the Capstone, Collins is planning on trips to Texas A&M, Clemson, LSU, Florida, Florida State, UCF, among others.
"It's going to be a busy summer," Collins said.
The Gardendale standout will begin narrowing down his options after he takes those visits. Collins is sure to be a name to watch for Crimson Tide fans in the very near future.
"Since the offer came from Coach Saban, it makes me think that I am a priority for them in the 2023 class," Collins added. "I mean, he took the time out of his day to reach out and talk to me. It would be amazing to play for him."
