The college football season is on the horizon, and the recruiting season will start to pick up steam as players resume college visits this fall. We have taken an in-depth look at the biggest recruiting questions for the University of Alabama. Below is part two of our two-part series at an in-depth look at where things currently stand with top targets on Alabama's recruiting board.
What will happen in the trenches?
The offensive line isn't as much of a mystery as the defensive front. Alabama has three offensive line commitments: Xavier Hill, Dameion George and Seth McLaughlin. Alabama could shut it down at this position and happy with its current class. The Tide coaches haven’t stopped recruiting a few players, and recently extended a new offer.
Sedrick Van Pran was on the short list of remaining targets for Alabama. He was considered a take by the Tide, but also a long shot as Georgia and LSU were considered his top two schools. Van Pran recently committed to the Dawgs. He is off the board.
Jonah Monheim is another offensive lineman who has received attention from Alabama. He visited Tuscaloosa during the spring. He did not visit during the summer, but he has remained in close contact. USC and Oklahoma are considered the front-runners. Monheim is expected to return to Tuscaloosa for an official visit sometime this fall.
Alabama recently extended an offer to Reuben Adams, a Penn State commitment. It doesn't necessarily mean Adams can commit at any time. He will likely need to wait for now if he wants to flip. There is certainly strong interest from Alabama's perspective. Numbers are also extremely tight across the board. Alabama wants Adams on campus for an official visit during or after the season.
Marcus Dumervil, from St. Thomas Aquinas, has expressed interest in Alabama. He is former teammates with Alabama freshmen Jordan Battle and Braylen Ingraham. A strong senior season could turn Dumervil into a top target for the Tide.
Alabama also has to work on keeping its current commitments intact. McLaughlin has completely shut down his recruitment. He does not plan to take any additional visits. George is still recruited by other programs including LSU and Texas A&M. Hill is also receiving in-state attention. The offensive line class is most likely complete unless the Tide loses one of its current commitments and decides to make a push elsewhere.
The defensive line certainly remains a mystery. Alabama hit a home run this summer with two extremely talented commitments: Timothy Smith and William Anderson. Smith is a monster defensive tackle who can become a big run stuffer in the future. Anderson recorded 22 sacks as a junior. He is an elite pass rusher who can play Jack or defensive end.
It seems there is more uncertainty on what will happen with the remainder of the class. There are some top end players who have high interest in Alabama such has Jordan Burch and McKinnley Jackson. Burch keeps things extremely quiet, but most assume his top four is Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and South Carolina. Jackson recently released a top five of Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. They do not expect to make a decision any time soon.
