SAN ANTONIO – Among the big college selections announced at the All-American Bowl on Saturday was Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons four-star defensive end Khris Bogle, who came into the announcement with a final four of Alabama, Florida, Miami and Tennessee. Bogle chose Alabama during the second quarter on Saturday.
MORE: All-American Bowl announcement guide
WHY IT’S BIG FOR ALABAMA
Alabama’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class already has three defensive ends signed, but none quite like Bogle. The tall and lean edge rusher looks like he should be playing small forward on the basketball court, but surprises you with his level of strength at the point of attack for a skinny defensive end.
Bogle does bring that bouncy athleticism to the position that is difficult for offensive tackles to handle, and combined with his strength proves to be a very effective pass rusher. Alabama is holding onto a slim lead over SEC foe Georgia for the No. 1 recruiting class in 2019. Adding Bogle to its numbers is a big boost in its quest to regain the top spot after a one-year hiatus.
OTHER SCHOOLS IMPACTED
Tennessee hosted Bogle for an official visit last spring and was part of his final four, but this would have been a huge shock had the South Florida native picked the Volunteers. Jeremy Pruitt and his staff are still looking for defensive ends in this class, but they already have their sights set elsewhere. For Dan Mullen at Florida, the goal is to rack up wins in-state. The Gators did not get this one, but have already signed a dozen from their home territory in the 2019 class and continue to contend for others.
The biggest impact here is undoubtedly felt by Miami. The Hurricanes have had a tumultuous last month, with several big misses on National Signing Day, Mark Richt stepping down as head coach and Manny Diaz being named his replacement. Diaz was also the primary recruiter for Bogle before he left for a brief stint as Temple’s head coach, and not being able to reel him in late will sting for the Hurricanes' new head coach.
