Don’t say the wrong thing. That was just one of the thoughts going through Darryl Peterson’s head right before he met Alabama coach Nick Saban in person for the first time.
The 2021 defensive end from Akron, Ohio, wasn’t left looking for the right words for very long. The conversation quickly turned toward something he knew quite well: his home. The Crimson Tide head coach happened to drive a delivery truck for Coca Cola around that same area during several summers while Saban both played and coached for Kent State.
“It never missed a beat that the clutch would pop, and he’d have to fix the clutch and stuff like that on the truck,” Peterson said. “And we laughed about that, and he told some jokes.”
Why missing on McKinnley Jackson does not affect the Alabama Crimson Tide
Peterson’s first face-to-face meeting with the Saban took place on Feb. 1, when the 2021 three-star prospect attended Alabama’s Junior Day. Peterson declined to reveal his other top schools when reached on Saturday, but he said Alabama is one of three or four programs in the mix.
Before his visit, Alabama special teams coordinator Jeff Banks offered him a scholarship with plans to move him to outside linebacker. Peterson said Alabama coaches, including Saban, said they liked his strength, quick twitch and speed off the edge.
The biggest challenge for the defensive end will be learning to drop into coverage. That’s not something Peterson has a lot of experience with, but he’s prepared to learn.
“Being from Akron, Ohio, not a lot of people get an Alabama offer,” Peterson said. “A lot of people here are like ‘you’re gonna go there? You won’t play if you go there.’ But a lot of guys (currently on the team) are like ‘if you come here and work anything is possible.’”
The 2021 prospect said getting to talk with Alabama players on his visit was an eye-opening experience. He already knew the standards were high, but it carried a different weight, hearing things from guys living the life right now.
“Coming to Bama, you gotta bring your best every day,” Peterson said. “Because there’s three of you or four people just like you who can bring what you bring to the table so you gotta do stuff to set yourself apart … When you get around guys that enjoy competing, that’s when your best comes out, so I love stuff like that.”
Up Next
Peterson said the Alabama coaches asked him to come back and visit again when the team resumes practicing in the spring. Peterson didn’t confirm if that’s in the cards, but he said he plans on taking an official visit to Alabama in April or May.
WestGate Luxury Condos - To be any closer, you'd need a ticket
Andrew Bone, of BamaInsider.com, is a real estate broker in the state of Alabama.
Contact Andrew Bone for all of your real estate needs; buyers, sellers, investors, developers. Property management; BoneHomeTours.com Call 205-531-5577 or click here
