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Cecil Hurt: Saban took what he wanted, for the most part

Nick Saban landed another No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2017.
Nick Saban landed another No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2017. (Gary Cosby Jr. | The Tuscaloosa News)

There is supposed to be an inherent drama in recruiting. That's part of the tremendous interest it generates among college football fans, and also part of the reason that the recruiting industry sometimes generates storylines that aren't always as compelling as they sound.

Then there's Alabama. They kill drama like the patron in the front row at "Hamilton" whose cellphone keeps constantly ringing during the performance. Ultimately, everyone watching gets fed up, but the rude guy is 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds and the ushers simply shrug their shoulders out of self-preservation.
Nothing is perfect and Nick Saban can never quite be satisfied because a class could always be better with one more guy or one more decision. But with Alabama signing yet another No. 1 class – unanimous across all the recognized services – and setting a record for ESPN 300 signees, Alabama fatigue is back. Clemson's win in the CFP Championship Game relieved the symptoms, but clearly didn't cure the national disease.
In fact, frustration is becoming the new counter-strategy. More and more, prospects are being told that they should eschew Alabama and be different. Whether they'll watch Julio Jones and Donta Hightower in the Super Bowl this Sunday and decide "you know, I don't want to end up like that" is debatable. For the most part, players want to compete and win at the highest level, which Alabama has done for a decade now. (By the way, I think there are other schools – Clemson, Florida State and Ohio State, among others – who succeeded in recruiting because of their success on the field.)

In the interest of fair play, though, let's take a quick look at how Alabama didn't quite get Every. Single. Thing that it wanted on National Signing Day.

"We wanted another corner," Saban grumbled, although it was one of his few grumbles and was in keeping with his hands-on role in the secondary. Cornerbacks are one of the premium commodities at every level, and Alabama will no doubt make them a priority next year.

There were players that Alabama didn't get. Georgia defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon ended up signing with Michigan after a recruitment that saw him change "leaders" as fast as gym socks. Cam Akers out of Mississippi, a one-time Alabama commitment, wound up at FSU, although that always seemed like it was going to be an either-or with Najee Harris. (Also, Brian Robinson of Hillcrest is going to surprise people when his turn comes.) Tre Smith signed with Tennessee, and there were others. Alabama did, for the most part, work from the top of its recruiting board, rarely relying on a contingency plan.

Also, it's not correct to say that Alabama got everyone it wanted out of Louisiana. The Crimson Tide didn't sign Emeril Lagasse, or any of the Duck Dynasty dudes, or Lil Wayne. Everyone else Alabama wanted – especially if you include Baton Rouge native Dylan Moses as the real No. 1 Louisiana prospect, despite his year at IMG Academy – Alabama signed.

Coming less than a month after the loss to Clemson, the No. 1 recruiting class didn't set off wild celebrations in Tuscaloosa. That sort of elation is usually reserved for new coaches looking to sell a fan base on the promise of the future.

For Alabama, it was more "business as usual," not to be taken for granted – too much hard work is involved for that – but as a sign that the Crimson Tide world is still on its axis.
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