Commitment breakdown: Dallas Turner chooses Alabama

Rivals250 defensive end Dallas Turner announced his commitment to Alabama on Wednesday, ending a recruitment that involved a long list of college football’s heavy hitters. Below, we take a look at what Bama is getting in the four-star prospect that chose the Tide over Georgia, Michigan, Florida and others.

WHAT ALABAMA IS GETTING

Turner has some growing left to do when it comes to adding muscle and becoming more polished, but there are few defensive ends with more upside. A two-sport athlete, Turner is a truly elite athlete and flashes the reasons for that reputation on both the football field and the basketball court. Turner has some (limited) experience playing linebacker, but will definitely play defensive end at the college level. As of now, his elite quickness off the edge is his defining trait and he’ll be hard to handle should he retain that speed as he adds size. The four-star prospect would likely benefit from a redshirt year to add muscle and adjust to the physicality of the SEC. That said, he comes equipped with an all-conference level of athleticism, which should be wildly encouraging for Alabama fans.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE

Besting the Florida-based powers for in-state talent is becoming ho-hum for Alabama, but it’s still worth noting here. A lot of the program’s recent success has been built on the backs of Sunshine State prospects, after all, so the fact that the beat goes on is encouraging. Turner was a high-priority target for Miami and UF, but neither had much of a chance here. The real victory for Nick Saban in this situation, however, is a win over Georgia and Kirby Smart, which has bested him in a handful of head-to-head battles over the last few years. The Tide is still the team to beat in the SEC -- on both the field and the recruiting trail -- and moments like this only help ensure it stays that way.