Time for some fun with the Signees....
Brent Calloway- He will get a nickel tour at running back, but he has very little upside as a back. His probable home is Sam or Will with some time and bulking up. As a linebacker, he has good speed and he moves well with surprisingly little wasted motion for a guy who doesn't play it much. He is a fundamentally good tackler who uses good form and drive and very little arm tackling. He likes to blitz and is a north south guy and will need a little time and coaching to work on the reads and skills that it will take to play for Saban, but that is what redshirting and playing ST can do. If he is dead set on playing RB, he is in that Mike Marrow family of depth chart. I think he will see the light faster than BJ Scott and some others did.
Ha Ha Dix- Geez what a nickname. As far as style goes, he reminds me a lot of Barron in how he loves to pursue and seems to always be around the ball. Has been well coached because he moves to the action with almost 0 wasted steps or motions, if you wonder what that means, that is the difference in 4th down and 1st down 9 times out of 10. He gets called a headhunter by some, but he's not quite that big of a hitter, but he won't shirk a shot over the middle to some poor slot WR. It won't surprise me if he isn't the Money some this year or next as he transitions the same way Barron and Green and Lester have. He will benefit from playing behind those guys too. The one thing I have seen in video of him is that he's the typical ESPN SportsCenter generation guy who wants to get on TV for the hit more than just making the play. I would like to have seen more plays where he just wraps up and drives the carrier down instead of trying to load and pop. At the SEC level, that technique will work once and a while, and the rest of the time is a bounce off and extra YAC. He probably will play ST and mopup for the secondary this year as they groom him to transition after Barron is gone. Add Eddie Williams to Dix and you have a really good duo for the future.
Trey DePriest- This is one guy that I really like what I see. There are some guys that a program gets just because they are the home team, and others are a real work to get. Going to Ohio and yanking this guy out from OSU and Notre Dame is a great recruiting job. The thing I really like about Trey is that he can play on the line or back off the line and still disrupt from outside or inside. He really does a nice job of keeping linemen off his pads and getting inside them. He moves well to the ball, but like most HS LB's, he can be a little stiff and gets too high at times. I think he probably will be in the mix at Will or Mike in a year or two. He needs to RS due to depth and to learn the system a little more. Physically, he is D1 ready as he can do 28 reps and has a weight room ethic that Saban and Cochran will like.
Quinton Dial- The Tide was able to keep Dial on the hook 2 years later and he has matured and grown. He is a gap filler who can play the end and the tackle in the 3-4. He will be a good compliment to Upshaw and Square as well as whomever the NG ends up being if he plays end. If they use him at Nose, I think he can be a little bigger version of Chapman. That isn't a knock because I like Chapman in pass situations. He does a good job of getting low and exploding into the gap like most bull rushing linemen do. He will play this year and give more depth and options to the Tide front. I look for him to compete for the inside end and will help Upshaw out a great deal as he will require some double teams due to his size.
Xzavier Dickson- The state of Georgia represented well in recruiting and Bama did a nice job of getting this guy out from Tech and UGA. He is a Jack at the next level so he is almost a lock to redshirt because Upshaw and Hightower are available as well as Stinson. So they are deep there and it really is good for the X Man to learn the difference in Jack and Rush End. He is very athletic and could play TE if Jack is not his thing. He does remind me of Upshaw coming out of school in that he has so much upside, but has not been taught how to harness that talent. He, like Upshaw, can play lights out on one play and disappear for a while. He plays in a higher division of GA football so he is seeing top end players on a regular basis. That will pay dividends for him and the Tide because the speed won't be as much of an issue. I think a year in the weight room and grooming in practice, he'll be a contender for Jack next year.
Aaron Douglas- Douglas was probably the most hated recruit for about 3 days as Cyrusgate went on. Douglas is a great athlete for his size and while at UT was a really impressive Freshman. He took on some big name players and did well against them in 2009. He isn't going to just plow through guys like Andre Smith would, but he is going to be a major upgrade as a pass blocking LT. He has really good footwork and keeps his frame squared and low so that defenders don't get inside him or around him. Has a real thrust when he engages defenders and has a lot of power for a lineman under 300 pounds. He is enrolled and will probably open spring as the starting LT. His experience in the SEC and extra practice time will put him in a good position to win the job in the spring or summer.
Phillip Ely- Here is the thing that I really like about him, he played against the nation's best teams as Plant traveled across the area to play the best of the best. He is from the same school as Aaron Murray and Robert Marve. He is a little small, but he has good speed and is smart. Yes, he probably is a game manager. He will get a lot of comparisons to McElroy because he's less big arm QB and more system and ball control oriented. That part I like. He isn't quite as football smart as McElroy was coming out of HS, but who was? He will win the staff over if he can be accurate and manage the huddle. That's what Saban and McElwain want. Not pretty boy highlight chasing. The one thing that worries me is that he's a spread QB. He has very little pro style QB time under his belt and will take a while to get used to being under center. This wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't uncertainty about QB depth. McElroy had the same issue, but nobody worried about Wilson going anywhere. Ely needs 2 years on the side to get up to speed and bulk up some. He may hang in there and be a competitor down the road, but the 2012 QB class could shadow him fast too.
Malcom Faciane- Meet the next Michael Williams folks. He isn't quite as big physically as Williams was coming in, but that's where he's headed. He tore his ACL this past year, so he will not be expected to contribute now. That's not a problem because Bama has 4 TEs that can. He has good hands and is really athletic for his size. He is ok as a blocker, but with a RS he can learn how to be a real down hill blocker. Most folks won't think about him in this class as far as a "name" recruit, but like Williams he can be a big on field contributor in time. With a little coaching, and weight room ethic he will be one of those guys.
LaMichael Fanning- Another big get from Georgia, and as a GA resident I take a little swelled chest pride about. He's a big kid and will be a rush end at the next level. He is about as raw a recruit as you will find, and that isn't surprising given he played for 4 teams in 4 years. I fear he may never see a field due to grades though.
Dee Hart- I know a lot of folks had high hopes for snagging Isaiah Crowell, but this was the guy I liked best. He is going to be a nice fill in for Ingram because he does some of the things that Ingram did so well. His vision, and cutback move are similar. He is a multiple threat as he had 2200 yards rushing, 500 receiving, and can return kicks. He probably is the starter at returning kicks by default. He also reminds me some of Maurice Jones Drew and Michael Turner because he can bounce off hits and keep pinballing forward to get first downs. He isn't going to bust out an 80 yard dash, but he can get 80 yards on 7 carries and wear out a linebacker core. When put in with TR, he will be a nice balance to him and will give Trent a push just as TR did for Ingram.
Chris Jones- This may be the most anyone will talk about Jones all year. Jones is overlooked because his grades are pretty iffy. If he makes it on the field, he is a really really sound DB. He has a quick backpeddle and turn, he is a ball hawk. Plays for a great program, and has zone coverage skills which is rare. He isn't afraid to hit, but is a corner quality tackler. He is well coached and does a really good job of doing the little things that a lot of players don't do like look at the QB and not the WR's eyes, looking for the ball, and taking the right angles to break up routes. If he can find the will, and an A, I would like to see him on the field some this fall.
Ryan Kelly- Like Jones, this may be the most anyone talks about him too because he's a center. Centers rarely rate high on recruiting boards, but when you have a shitty one (Britt anyone), you know it. He won't play for a few years, and with the ACL injury, he won't be expected to. He is big but needs to bulk up and get stronger (16 reps for a lineman?). He is aggressive and plays downhill well, but I really like that he's good at keeping his pads low and his hands inside. He is a really well coached guy when I watch him. He just needs a lot of polish in the weight room area to get to the next level as a starting center because the mechanics look good to me.
Cyrus Kouandjio- The soap opera has ended and the fans love him again. I think the hype has blurred the bar a bit for Cyrus, but the potential does meet the hype. He has all the measurements, numbers, and stats you want in a future LT. He has some of the best footwork I've seen out of a high schooler and when he did the drills at the UA game, it sent a message. He will get a lot of comparisons to DJ Fluker or Andre Smith just because that's what recruiting freaks measure to, but he's not either. Smith was a lot more game ready than Cyrus is physically and played LT before. He's ahead of Fluker from a football standpoint but is nowhere near the physical talent that DJ was. He played RT and there is some difference between LT and RT, but it isn't something that will keep him from playing if he's the best available. He is a true 5 star player, and has earned that mark. What will keep him from being Tyler Love is the one unmeasurable that folks miss- Cyrus Kouandjio has a mean streak and wants to kill you. I like watching him run block, he does everything almost textbook. I would like to see him look more comfortable in the pass block. I thought against Clowney he looked good at times, but lost containment a little more than I would want from a starter at LT. Clowney is a good litmus test, but there are a lot better, experienced, ends and linebackers that he will see in the SEC that will expose him more early and hopefully he can learn and adjust to it. I would expect him to redshirt or just do mop up as Douglas is game ready and with a green QB, he will need that more than potential. Also, the redshirt will give him a chance to get up to the speed while trying to block Bama's defenders.
Isaac Luatua- If he is a Hawaii type lineman, Bama fans and myself will love him. The taste of that ass kicking they put on Bama several years ago is still fresh on my mind. He is a little short but has a lot of power and is a pure pull trap guard. I know the talk of center is there, and he may be it, but I think his atheltic ability may have him at LG to pull and trap more. While he is a little short, he uses his body as a weapon and is so strong he can take on much bigger linemen and stand them up. He is really dominating at times and plays mean. I think he could start at a WAC type school right away, but he wants to win and learn. I like his attitude and his playing style. I think folks discount him cause he's a 3 star player in most rankings, but don't forget him. He's got all the things that a coach wants and I can see him pushing for PT next year. He may push Steen out of the rotation this year if he plays for it.
Jeoffery Pagan- I know he was a signing day surprise and the star thing plays up, but the knee thing worries me with him. He tore 2 ligaments in his right knee and is a little unknown. This is the part where some will say trust in Saban....How'd that Chris Bonds thing work? He also is pretty raw and lacks a lot of fundamentals from a coaching standpoint. He's big and what I have seen of him, he likes to use his size to get through, but he won't be as big at the next level. The biggest positive is that before the injury, he has the athelticism and motor to be a real pass rushing end. He is big enough to put on some weight and really anchor down an end. He does need a lot of coaching though so don't expect him to show up for a couple of years because the stars don't match the player right now, but will in 3 years.
DJ Pettaway- He was forgotten about because he committed so early, but he is a player. I could see him bulked up and playing end or working towards being a Jack. DJ loves to use his hands and drive blockers back. He does a real good job of closing on the carrier and once he gets inside on a blocker, it is over. He is the typical HS prospect though, he is inconsistent. He will get too high and lets his hands drop, both result in him getting beat. I have heard him compared to Luther Davis, that's probably close but I hope he isn't as flaky.
Marvin Shinn- I like Shinn and if there wasn't a guy named Julio Jones, he'd be the biggest thing in years to the Tide. That's really where the comparisons to JJ end too. I know a lot of folks compare him to Jones, but he isn't nearly as strong and physical as Jones was. He is more of a vertical threat and more of a ski step runner than a galloper, whereas Jones was more of an over the middle and gallop runner. Shinn is probably a lot more consistent in how he catches and runs routes. He has a great stride and can jump out of the stadium to get a ball. He reminds me more of D Rogers at UT in that regard. I haven't seen a corner jam him because he uses his hands to keep them off him and his hips to buck them off his stride. I also haven't seen him get beat for a ball in the air either. The thing to remember about him is that he's not a life long ball player like many big time WRs. He's a Basketballer turned WR. He also played Wildcat QB some too so he is a little raw at WR. He may get overwhelmed by the playbook. I think he gets in the rotation this fall, but he could be the next great WR at Bama and he could be BJ Scott.
Vinnie Sunseri- Ain't no worrying about coaching with this guy. Sunseri's dad is one of my personal favorites and his son is a good ball player too that turned heads when given the chance to show off. For all the Will Lowery posts out there about how great he is, Sunseri is probably the next Rudy type. He's a bit small, but he has all the instincts and intangibles to be a great contributor even if he never starts. Everything about him is likeable too. He moves to the ball well, plays bigger than he is, and always seems to make the play when the team needs one. He is pretty fast, but jumps like a white boy...so did I. I could see him as a Will in the Nickel or as a Money in the Nickel or Dime to give underneath coverage. He moves real well side to side and is a natural MLB. I would compare him to Dat Nguyen. Great motor, great player, but not the biggest or strongest. If Bama played 4-3, he would be higher on the list, but as a 3-4 he may not bulk up enough to play in that scheme.
Bradley Sylve- Meet Bama's version of Percy Harvin. The guy is blazing fast and can change directions on a dime. He is a slot WR and a nightmare for defenses if he comes in focused. He will probably play as a TFr because he can return kicks too. He isn't afraid to go over the middle and take a hit. I like that he wants the ball all the time. You can see it in how he plays that he wants to make the move and get the ball. He is a lot farther along than Shinn in understanding the game, but not as big. He has a freaky 2nd burst that gives him separation. I can see him getting a lot of looks in the cat and in the shotgun sets.
Jabriel Washington- He projects as a cornerback. I get queezy about players from "academies" and he is a good example. Pretty raw as a corner. He's fast, and he is athletic, but he isn't real fluid as a corner. He is a little more of a project than most of the others. He is the Anthony Steen of this class. Maybe he pans out, but what little I can find to watch on him, isn't earth shattering.
Jesse Williams- Boy, the frats will want him at the party. I like what I see out of him too. I think the fans are expecting him to be the next Cody, but he's not a Cody. He is a little more versatile than Mount was. Cody was not a pass rush threat. Williams is a disruptive every down player. He does get a little high at times off the snap, but he is so strong that he can really create separation with his arms. He does a really good job of pursuing the ball from side to side. He will draw a constant double team because he is so strong. His motor runs all game and he won't quit on a play. He seems to always get inside the blocker and take the inside gaps out fast. I can see why folks think he will start day one. He can, and he might. He and Chapman along with Dial will all get plenty of chances to shine.
Danny Woodson- There are some flags here. Rumblings about grades, weight room discipline or lack there of, and just a hunch makes me worry here. His Nike Camp was ick...but his AL/MS week was great. So which one does Bama get? His body almost says tailback. I wouldn't laugh, he could be that Harvin type back. He is deceptively fast and has good hands. In some respects, he reminds me of Nikita Stover. He isn't going to just blaze away from defenders, but you give him a crease and he will house it. He does a nice job of keeping his hips loose and uses them to separate and make his tackle zone smaller.
Super Bowlin, Fans a Bawlin, and a Cryin....
If you want to see sports get ruined, ask Fox Sports to handle an event. Baseball wonders why their ratings drop each post season, and why the BCS sucked? Fox, that's why. The whole production and use of Joe Buck as your premier announcer will almost always result in FAIL. The NFL is gonna have to get over the Janet Jackson thing too. The halftime and pregame stuff is getting harder to do. You could see the Black Eyed Peas struggling to do a show that fit in the box. Getting Christina Aguilera should have been a slam dunk, but damn that was rough. The commercials even were a little sub par this year. A great game between two of the storied teams in the NFL was kinda an afterthought due to all the junk.
In other bitching, I kid, but not really. I am really starting to hate recruiting. It was great when I was a kid. My dad and I would sit up on Friday and Saturday nights to hear Bill King or get a Forrest Davis mag. When the Internet went primetime, it was great for recruiting. You could find out who was visiting, who was favoring who, and so on. Then came the hat thing, and the me thing, and now it is the commitment is just a technical thing thing. Folks wondered why I would step out and defend Cyrus K's coach, it was because it was nice to see a person stand up and actually try to make a player be a man about the situation. How bad has recruiting gotten? Well, Pagan was committed to 3 different teams this past year. Marcus Roberson went from his uncle's team, Texas Tech, to Auburn, and then to Florida. Brent Calloway garnered attention that most wouldn't want when he went a year with Bama, then spent a nickel tour with Auburn, only to return to Bama on signing day. I'm not alone in the I hate where this is going camp, Newberg is starting to question how this thing can get civil again.
I don't like the fans side of it either. The players should have their moment, and if they wanna do the hats or animals or burn the logo in the sand, whatever it is, that's their thing. I just wish they would have some respect for the programs and not make it so much about them per se, but the fans on the other hand have taken things too far. Facebook stalking didn't start with CJ Johnson. It has gone on for a while. I think fan support for recruits can be good if channeled right, but some of the things I see now make me cringe at what is ahead. The message board society has blurred the line as far as what is ok and what is creepy. Hint, if you are over 25 and following and posting to an 16 or 17 year old's page, that's creepy if you aren't family. I fear that one day we will hear of a zealous fan gone wrong who loses it when player X who the fan base believes salvation comes with his signature, doesn't sign and blows the kids brains out. That is where recruiting is headed because now we give the fans and recruits platforms and attention that neither side can handle at times. I hope that recruiting can get a little less cut throat and a little more professional. I also tire of hearing how every recruit lost to a rival is bought. Bama fans are as guilty as Auburn fans about that. The stories of grandjure are starting to be as annoying as the number of insiders out there. I get the I like attention thing, I get accused of it enough, but I don't post a lot of shit and say "the situation is still fluid" all the time.
Long story short, recruiting wants to go primetime, fine, but it needs to have boundaries and a few more rules if it is. The BCS is driving competition harder and harder as is, and if recruiting is going to be cut throat, the odds of cheating are more likely. Like I said, I hate seeing that accusation every time a player goes to another team, why not make the rules of engagement work towards eliminating that instead of forcing teams to. The thing about cheating is this, it is easy to accuse, but hard to prove, and often has paybacks. It isn't like every team does it by the book, as much as we all want it to be that way, there are textbook slip ups, rogue boosters, coaches under the scope and desparate to make it happen. That shit happens regardless.
