Advertisement
football Edit

Alabama Crimson Tide 2023 Big Board: Offensive line

Rivals100 OL Miles MvVay has high interest in Alabama.
Rivals100 OL Miles MvVay has high interest in Alabama.

The University of Alabama will aim to reload on the offensive front during the 2023 recruiting cycle. The Tide only signed three linemen in the 2022 class. Alabama recently replaced offensive line coach Doug Marrone with Eric Wolford who is already off to a fast start as far as communicating with several Tide targets.

Alabama has yet to add any offensive line commitments, but in a strong position with several players early in the process. More linemen will emerge in the coming months as players are evaluated and visit Tuscaloosa. Take a look at the early top candidates.

Advertisement

Proctor announced his top seven last week of Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State. Proctor is not in any rush to make a decision. He plans to take unofficial visits throughout the spring and summer. He will take official visits in the fall.

Proctor visited Alabama last summer. The five-star recently said he plans to return to Tuscaloosa "sometime soon." He has been in contact with new Alabama offensive line coach Eric Wolford who previously recruited him during his time at Kentucky.

"Alabama is Alabama," Proctor told BamaInsider last week. "Iowa kids don't get Bama offers. The coaches have been telling me to keep the recruiting process in-check and do what's best for me. They want to keep building relationships."

Watch junior season highlights!

Alabama has made a strong impression on Miles McVay after he has visited Alabama twice, and he is eager to return this spring. McVay attended the Tide's most recent Junior Day.

"I just feel comfortable there," he said. "It felt like home. Alabama feels like East Side (East St. Louis). What stands out to me is that Alabama reminds me of where I come from. It doesn't get much better.

"I like the mind-set of the players. It's not an arrogant attitude. It's a confident attitude. We know what we can do. You have a bunch of guys who all have the same mentality and all trying to reach the common goal. Alabama is up there. That's all I can really say. They are definitely up there. I am going to leave it at that.”

McVay hasn't named a leader or favorites just yet. The contenders appear as Alabama, Auburn, Michigan State, Missouri and Tennessee. He is planning visits to Oklahoma, Oregon and USC in the coming months rent along with a few more visits to Tuscaloosa after Coach Wolford was named the new OL coach.

"I was super hype (when Coach Wolford joined Alabama)," McVay said. "I know he is a great O-line coach. The possibilities are endless now that he's at Bama. I can see a Joe Moore Award (given annually to the nation's top offensive line. Alabama won the award in 2015 and 2020) in the future."

Watch junior season highlights!

Alabama was named the early leader for Olaus Alinen after his second visit to Tuscaloosa in late November. The Finnish lineman has received a lot of scholarship offers in the last few months since receiving his offer from the University of Alabama (11/12/21).

Alinen camped at Alabama last summer. He took another unofficial visit on November 30 and named Alabama the favorite after the visit.

"Everything was awesome," Alinen said after the last trip to Tuscaloosa. "The facilities are great and like the style of the campus. They have values and goals that fit for me. I like the place and people as well. It is a great opportunity to succeed."

The offers and heavy attention from numerous schools have caused Alinen to take a step back from having a 'leader.' Alabama, however, is in a great position. He plans to return for another visit with the Tide with his family this summer.

"It's been good," Alinen said of his relationship with Coach Wolford. "I knew him before as well from Kentucky. He was saying that Bama is a special place and that he believes that I can play there.

"Our connection is pretty good. The coaching change doesn't really effect me. I really liked Coach Marrone a lot. I want to take some time to get to know coach Wolford more."

His recent offers this month have included Cincinnati, Georgia, LSU, Mizzou and South Carolina.

Watch junior season highlights!

Alinen, McVay and Proctor are the national players most Alabama fans are familiar with in the early stages of the 2023 recruiting cycle. There are several others who have visited Alabama including Junior Day visitor Clay Wedin, four-star offensive tackle from Carrolwood Day in Tampa.

"It was good to hear and see how they are extremely individualized with everything,” he said. “It was something that was stressed in everything—academics, prehab, injury prevention and workout regimens. They go in and find your weaknesses and then attack those to eliminate the deficiencies."

Chase Bisontis, Rivals100 offensive guard from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, announced a top 15 last month which included Alabama. He visited Tuscaloosa last summer. Austin Siereveld, four-star offensive guard from Lakota East High School in Liberty Township, Ohio, included Alabama in his recent top six.

"They've developed lots of guys to the NFL, and they win national championships," Siereveld said why Alabama in his top group. "They would do everything to help me develop as a player and student.

Heavily pursued in-state linemen

Alabama has offered several in-state prospects in the 2023 class including two offensive linemen, both of grew up fans of the Crimson Tide. Ryqueze McElderry committed to Georgia less than two weeks after he received an offer from Alabama.

McElderry had his commitment date set and a top five (which did not include Alabama) prior to receiving his offer from Nick Saban. Georgia was considered the heavy favorite, but the Anniston High School star has not closed the door on his childhood favorite.

He visited Alabama in January and plans to return to Tuscaloosa multiple times this spring. He has a close relationship with Coach Wolford, the first coach to communicate with him during his time at South Carolina. Kentucky was a top contender for McElderry prior to his commitment due to his connection with Coach Wolford.

"It’s been great," McElderry said of his contact with Coach Wolford since joining the Alabama staff. "He’s just ready for the dead period to end so I can come back and visit during the spring. It’s been really good knowing him since I was a freshman, and he’s real cool and fun to be around."

Georgia offered McElderry last summer and has recruited him longer than Alabama. The Crimson Tide waited to evaluate McElderry during the fall. The Tide signed his former teammate, Antonio Kite, in December.

"My commitment is pretty solid, but there were a few things that were a little different that I saw on my visit to Alabama that I didn't see while I was at Georgia that stood out to me," he said after the recent visit to Tuscaloosa. "I won’t say exactly what it is, but it really got my attention. I am still committed to Georgia, but I am still considering Alabama."

Wilkin Formby is a local target for Alabama receiving an offer from Nick Saban during Junior Day last month. His grandfather, Rod Wilkin, was a punter for Coach Paul W. ‘Bear’ Bryant, and his family resides in Tuscaloosa.

The mammoth 6-foot-8, 305-pound lineman recently received offers from Cincinnati, Miami and Oklahoma. He also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, USC, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

"I was excited because I accomplished a goal of mine which was to get both in-state SEC schools to offer me," Formby said after receiving both offers. "It was good to spend time with the great coaches at Alabama as well.

"Coach Saban said he was impressed with my improvement and how I am developing. He likes my work ethic and the way I approach improving myself."

Formby has been in contact with Coach Wolford and plans to return to Alabama's campus for spring practice.

Wait-and-see

There are several offensive linemen throughout the country who have received offers from Alabama. Some have visited while others expect to make their way to Tuscaloosa at some point in the next few months.

Francis Mauigoa, the No. 2 offensive tackle in the country from IMG Academy, received an offer from Alabama in December. Many expect him to return to the West Coast, but the Tide has been very successful recruiting linemen from the powerhouse program.

His teammate, Knijeah Harris and a three-star guard, visited the Tuscaloosa last summer. The communication has not been very heavy in the last few months. Alabama has turned up the heat with Payton Kirkland after he visited in November. Kirkland did not include Alabama in his top seven (prior to the offer), but said he is considering a return visit especially after Alabama hired Coach Wolford.

"We have talked about four or five times," Kirkland said regarding his conversations with Coach Wolford. "He wants me to be a part of the family. He said the entire staff will continue to be on me."

A few others to keep a eye on in the next few months in regards to visits to Tuscaloosa include TJ Shanahan, five-star tackle from Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, Jaydon Chatman, four-star tackle from Harker Heights High School in Texas, Harris Sewell, four-star guard from Permian High School in Odessa, Texas, and Zechariah Owens, four-star tackle from Eagle's Landing Christian in McDonough, Georgia.

More 'Big Board' position breakdowns

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Order Andrew Bone's book: ‘The Road to Bama’

Order Andrew Bone's book now through Amazon. Click this photo to jump to the order page
Order Andrew Bone's book now through Amazon. Click this photo to jump to the order page (Order Andrew Bone's book now through Amazon. Click this photo to jump to the order page)
Advertisement