Star Quarterback Arch Manning Not the Only Elite Prospect in Tuscaloosa Over the Weekend
After trips to Texas and Georgia over the last two consecutive weekends, Alabama will get another crack at 2023 five-star quarterback Arch Manning on Saturday.
It will be Manning's third visit to Tuscaloosa during his recruitment, and first since the Ole Miss game last October. Could Alabama separate itself from the rest of the pack in Manning's eyes this weekend?
That remains to be seen but the Crimson Tide appears to be lagging behind the Longhorns in the race to land the NFL legacy. It could prove to be a pivotal visit as Alabama is also in the running, and could be considered the favorites, to land former Texas A&M commit Eli Holstein, who has visited the Capstone twice already in the last month.
SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network
Photo | Eli Holstein's Instagram account, @eli_holstein10
Holstein and Manning are clearly appear to be the top two targets for the Alabama coaching staff as the signal callers of the future.
Here are some of the others who will be joining Manning on campus this weekend at different points:
5-star DL Jayden Wayne (Lincoln – Tacoma, Wa.)
Photo | Jayden Wayne's Twitter account, @JaydenWayne8
Photo | Jayden Wayne's Twitter account, @JaydenWayne8
This weekend's visit to the Capstone marks the third trip overall for Wayne, who is the top player in the state of Washington and, arguably, the best defensive lineman prospect in the nation. “Alabama is on top for me,” Wayne told BamaCentral last month. “They set the standard, and they are the best. And then you’ve got Nick Saban. Nick Saban’s the GOAT. It’s been a while that Alabama’s been up there for me.” Washington, Miami and Oregon are the Crimson Tide's biggest threats to a commitment from Wayne.
4-star DL Hunter Osbourne (Hewitt-Trussville - Trussville, Ala.)
Hunter Osborne's Instagram, hunterosborne_
Photo | Hunter Osborne's Instagram account, @hunterosborne__
Osbourne, one of the highly-touted in-state prospects, visited Tuscaloosa on Thursday. "Things are going great with them,” Osborne told BamaCentral previously. “The relationship is still there. I talk with Coach Roach all the time... When you think about the program and the coaches that they have, the standard is Alabama, so why not put them in the top list of schools you’re interested in?” Following this visit to the Capstone, Osbourne will be at LSU. The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder recorded 74 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season as a junior.
5-star DB Caleb Downs (Mill Creek - Hoschton, Ga.)
Downs, who is considered the top safety in the nation, will also be on campus this weekend. After hanging out with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick last summer in Tuscaloosa, that trip might be hard to be beat, but the Crimson Tide has positioned itself well in his recruitment. “[Alabama’s] pitch is that they have done it before,” Downs told BamaCentral previously of how the Crimson Tide is recruiting him. “They see the talent that I have and want to critique the things I need to work on to be the best I can be. They have developed a lot of other guys who have been in the same position as me, so why not do it here?”
4-star WR Hykeem Williams (Stranahan - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)
All Seminoles on Sports Illustrated
Programs like Florida State and Miami appear to be the leaders for the gifted 6-foot-3, 200-pound pass catcher but that could very well change after a visit to Tuscaloosa this weekend. Would it really be an Alabama recruiting class without some South Florida flavor?
4-star QB Dylan Lonergan (Brookwood – Snellville, Ga.)
Manning won't be the only signal caller in town over the weekend. Lonergan, who is a dual-sport star, is expected to make his first trip to Tuscaloosa since he camped and worked out for the coaching staff last June. Lonergan threw for over 3,400 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior and is also a standout on the diamond, where his fastball can touch lower 90's already.
