With Auburn's Coaching Situation Handled, Alabama Football Primed to Take Advantage of Stellar In-State Recruiting Class
Auburn's Bryan Harsin and his job are safe as it was reported by ESPN earlier on Friday morning that the embattled coach would be returning for a second season on the Plains amidst much controversy.
The last week and a half have been filled with drama, rumors and speculation. However, at least for now, the Tigers are set on their guy and everyone involved with the program will need to do their part in helping rebuild and restore. But one has to wonder how this saga has affected Auburn on the recruiting trail given the fact that, on the traditional national signing day on Feb. 2, the Tigers signed no players.
Bryan Harsin at 2021 SEC Media Days
Southeastern Conference
Bryan Harsin at the 2021 Iron Bowl
Auburn Athletics
Meanwhile, Coach Nick Saban and the rest of the Alabama coaching staff seem primed to take advantage of a stellar in-state class in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
As pointed out by Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel, the powers that be at Auburn have done it to themselves.
The Crimson Tide is coming off of a second-place finish in the 2022 recruiting class, only second behind Texas A&M, according to Sports Illustrated All-American. In 2023, if Alabama solely recruited its own state, there is a case to be made it could be a top-10 class just on that.
Let's check out the 247Sports composite rankings, which take three recruiting services into account. For the first time in the 20-year history of those rankings, the top 11 players in the Yellowhammer State rank inside the top 100 nationally.
- DL James Smith (Carver - Montgomery, Ala.) No. 1 state, No. 10 overall
- DB Tony Mitchell (Thompson - Alabaster, Ala.) No. 2 state, No. 12 overall
- DB AJ Harris (Central Phenix-City - Phenix City, Ala.) No. 3 state, No. 17 overall
- DL Peter Woods (Thompson - Alabaster, Ala.) No. 4 state, No. 22 overall
- DB Jahlil Hurley (Florence - Florence, Ala.) No. 5 state, No. 23 overall
- DL Jaquavious Russaw (Carver - Montgomery, Ala.) No. 6 state, No. 37 overall
- DL Kelby Collins (Gardendale - Gardendale, Ala.) No. 7 state, No. 70 overall
- QB Chris Vizzina (Briarwood - Birmingham, Ala.) No. 8 state, No. 84 overall
- DL Tomarrion Parker (Central Phenix-City - Phenix City, Ala.) No. 9 state, No. 88 overall
- WR Karmello English (Central Phenix-City - Phenix City, Ala.) No. 10 state, No. 89 overall
- DL Keldric Faulk (Highland Home - Highland Home, Ala.) No. 11 state, No. 91 overall
See a theme?
It's a list of who's who at premier positions of need, no matter what school you are and Alabama is a great position to land the majority of them. Smith, Mitchell, Harris, Woods and Hurley are all listed as five-stars, and as of now, one could project three of them to the Crimson Tide. Maybe four.
For many of them, Auburn isn't even a part of the discussion at this very moment.
DB Jahlil Hurley
DL Peter Woods
Peter Woods (Twitter)
DL Kelby Collins
@kelby_collins on Twitter
DB Tony Mitchell
Tony Mitchell's Instagram, tmitch3ll
On top of that, in the 2022 recruiting cycle, Alabama secured the signatures of six of the top 10 players in the state. In 2021, it only had three of the top 10 after landing seven of the top 10 in 2020.
Not to mention, as long as Alabama continues to find itself in the College Football Playoff time and time again, it will continue to own the state. Results on the field absolutely matter to these prospects, and if the Crimson Tide's biggest rival continues to put out an average to below-average product and prove to be one of college football's biggest laughing stocks, it would put the Tigers behind the eight ball for years to come.
It's still early on in the cycle and things can shift drastically in the ever-changing world of recruiting but Harsin and company have to get to work quickly to change the narrative.
However, you best believe Saban and his staff are ready to make the in-state talent in the 2023 class a point of emphasis moving forward. Locking up the talent at home will play a large role for the Crimson Tide in its quest for another recruiting title.
