Resetting expectations for Alabama football recruiting: The Crimson Tide’s early signing period expectations
Over the weekend, Alabama started preparing for the College Football Playoffs, and the team will have over half of its 2024 recruiting class participate in these drills.
The first round of early enrollees, according to On3, consists of 13 signees: offensive lineman Casey Poe, Joseph Ionata, and William Sanders; quarterback Julian Sayin; and tight end Caleb Odom. Linebacker Sterling Dixon (who will not play due to injury) and defensive backs Zabien Brown, Jameer Grimsley, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Rydarrius Morgan, and Peyton Woodyard make up the defense.After participating in national all-star games, three more players, linebackers Cayden Jones and Justin Okoronkwo and defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe, are anticipated to enroll in January.
Notable additionally is the fact that Okoronkwo, a native of Germany, is the first prospect from Europe to be invited to and participate in the All American Bowl (formerly known as the U.S. Army All-American Game).Monday is the start of the recruiting dead period, and Wednesday through Friday is the early signing period. There shouldn’t be any turmoil surrounding Alabama’s verbal commitments. The five players still on the waiting list who will not be enrolling early are defensive lineman Quinton Reese, tight end Jay Lindsey, and receivers Amari Jefferson, Rico Scott, and Ryan Williams. Alabama’s recruiting class is currently rated No.
4 in the country by 247Sports Composite. Only twice since 2010 (2010, 2018) have the Crimson Tide placed outside the top three, although they might still advance.
The final weekend before the dead period arrived, and Alabama welcomed a number of recruits. These included official visits from committed prospects and players who have already committed to another school, transfer portal visits, and unofficial visits from top 2025 prospects like defensive back and fellow 2025 five-star prospect Bryce Underwood, who is ranked as the top player in the class of 2025 by 247Sports Composite. Additionally, there was considerable movement on Alabama’s existing roster.
The upcoming week appears to be headed toward more Alabama team additions through the 2024 recruiting class. Though the possibility of the Tide peeking through the transfer portal never goes away, signing day victories could offset such needs. Last year’s acquisition of Iowa’s Kadyn Proctor, for instance, eliminated the need for a transfer offensive lineman.
Ahead of the early signing period, there are a few narratives to follow that will influence how Alabama completes its 2024 roster. This is what to look out for:
The first Alabama portal entrants are covered in dust.Elijah Pritchett, a redshirt freshman offensive tackle, made headlines over the weekend when he decided to rejoin the team despite initially stating that he intended to use the transfer portal. It is not in Pritchett’s best interest to transfer, he said to Hayes Fawcett of On3. I sincerely regret for any trouble caused. I’m completely confined. “Roll Tide!” Given the possibility of participating in 2024, the original statement was a little unexpected, but Pritchett is back with the squad, so it’s a win that he was retained.
Other players who left Tuscaloosa for the transfer portal include defensive lineman Anquin Barnes, who committed to Colorado, and wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, who committed to Louisville. It’s doubtful that Alabama will have any more portal entries until after the season.
A commit using a wild cardAs stated earlier, it is anticipated that Jefferson, Scott, Lindsey, and Reese would enroll in the summer. They are all dependable. Williams, who recently reclassified to the 2024 class and is currently the top-ranked recruit in Alabama’s class, is the wild card. He is expected to sign in February. This past weekend, he paid an unofficial visit to Auburn; prior to signing, he may explore
other universities. Williams keeps proving himself on the field as one of the top receivers in the country. He pledged to participate in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game the day after reclassifying, which was held this past Saturday. With eight catches for 92 yards and two scores, he was the MVP of the
contest.
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