Recruiting Rundown: Alabama Begins Camping Season with Big Weekend of Visitors
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Camp season has arrived in Tuscaloosa. Alabama began its summer camps Wednesday and will host several of the nation’s top athletes as it has nine camps scheduled over the next few weeks.
After a slow start to its 2023 class, the Crimson Tide should begin to see things heat up on the recruiting trail as more offers are doled out and recruits start making their way onto campus. There’s plenty of intrigue for next week when Alabama will host recent quarterback commit Eli Holstein as well as No. 1 overall recruit Arch Manning. However, there will also be plenty of high-profile visitors in Tuscaloosa this weekend.
BamaCentral will break all of that down in this week’s Recruiting Rundown.
Photo | Brandon Inniss' Instagram account, @_.showtime1
Plenty of big names on campus
Alabama will welcome several high-profile campers to campus over the weekend. Here are a few notable names to keep an eye on.
Brandon Inniss (five-star WR, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.): After having to cancel a few previously-planned trips to Alabama, Inniss will finally be making his way to Tuscaloosa for an official visit. The 6-foot, 190-pound receiver is one of Alabama’s biggest targets and has the ability to contribute immediately at the college level. Alabama is currently battling both Ohio State and Southern California for his commitment. This weekend could see the Crimson Tide make a significant push.
Dylan Lonergan (four-star QB, Snellville, Ga.): Alabama’s pursuit of Lonergan could be somewhat subdued following Holstein’s commitment. Still, the Crimson Tide is looking for two quarterbacks in this class. Ideally, that additional passer would be Manning. However, if the No. 1 overall recruit decides to pass on Alabama, the Tide could make a serious push for Lonergan to join Holstein in next year’s class. Lonergan is also a talented prospect in baseball where he throws in the low 90s off the mound.
Malik Bryant (four-star LB, Orlando, Fla.): After visiting Alabama in April, Bryant is returning to Tuscaloosa for the second time this year. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound defender is rated as the No. 2 linebacker in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Alabama appears to be in good position for Bryant, who will take official visits to Central Florida, Florida, Miami and Southern California before announcing his decision on July 23. This weekend’s trip to Tuscaloosa won’t be an official visit as Bryant plans to return to Alabama for an official visit this fall.
Riley Williams (four-star TE, Portland, Ore.): Alabama has had trouble reeling in elite tight ends in recent years. The Crimson Tide faces an uphill battle in trying to pull Williams from his home state of Oregon. However, getting the prized tight end on campus is a good first step.
Luke Hasz (four-star TE, Bixby, Okla.): Hasz is committed to Arkansas and has two siblings currently attending school in Fayetteville. Still, Alabama’s need for an elite tight end will see it continue to push hard for the top-100 recruit.
Holstein the helper
Could Holstein’s commitment create a snowball effect on Alabama’s 2023 class? Generally, having a top quarterback on board helps draw in other commitments. The Crimson Tide will hope that remains the case as it currently doesn’t have an offensive skill player outside of Holstein in next year’s class. As mentioned above, the quarterback could help sway Inniss’ decision. Holstein might be even more influential in Alabama’s pursuit of fellow Lousiana native Shelton Sampson as the five-star receiver is set to travel to Tuscaloosa later this month.
Ultimately, it will be up to the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff to do the heavy lifting, but Holstein could serve as a nice complementary piece in Alabama’s recruiting efforts moving forward. If he’s able to reel in a few big names, it should help him become a fan favorite before he even arrives on campus.
Jake Crandall/ Advertiser-USA TODAY NETWORK
Will there be breakout camp performers?
Last year, Kobe Prentice ran his way onto Alabama’s radar, posting a 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash during one of the Crimson Tide’s camps. That ultimately led to him receiving an offer and becoming a member of this year’s class. While bigger names will generate the bulk of the attention, Alabama is sure to see its target list grow as more hidden gems are unearthed over the next few weeks.
Jahlil Hurley's Twitter account, @jahlilhurley_
Hanging on to Hurley
Jahlil Hurley became Alabama’s second 2023 commit when he chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas A&M among others in late February.
Recently, there have been rumors of the five-star cornerback flipping to Auburn. That would be especially concerning for the Crimson Tide considering fellow 2023 defensive back commit Elliot Washington II announced last week that he “will be visiting more schools to fully evaluate and compare all my opportunities as a student-athlete.”
While Hurley’s commitment will continue to be in question, it is key that the Crimson Tide gets the Florence, Ala., native in town this weekend to improve its momentum moving forward.
Here’s what Hurley told BamaCentral about Alabama after committing to the Crimson Tide:
"They produce DBs, safeties, every position in the backend they can put in the NFL. I want to be a versatile secondary player, and they can do that with me. Cornerback coach T-Rob [Travaris Robinson] just got there, and I've been cool with him for a minute since he's been at Miami. I love Coach Saban and how he'll coach me really hard.
"Then, why not Bama? Why wouldn't you choose a school like that?"
