No signing day drama for Crimson Tide
After signing 28 commitments at the start of the signing period, National Signing Day on Feb. 1 should be fairly quiet for Alabama Football. The Crimson Tide signed the nation’s top recruiting class of 2023 by a wide margin, and the vast majority of that class is already enrolled and on campus.
There are still several big-name players uncommitted in the 2023 cycle, and those decisions could help shape the landscape of college football over the next few years. Naturally, most are heavily involved with SEC schools to some degree.
5 star athlete Nyckoles Harbour, the no. 19 player overall nationwide, is an absolute freak of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington DC. Harbor is a world-class sprinter at 6’5″ and 230 pounds, and has the versatility to play either side of the ball on the gridiron.
He is considered an elite prospect as both a wide receiver and a passing thrower. Harbor would have to choose between South Carolina and Oregon on signing day. Michigan and Maryland have also been in the mix throughout his recruiting, but this is now seen as a two-team race.
Another incredible athlete is 5-star tight end Duce Robinson. The no. The nation’s 17th-ranked player is also Arizona State’s top rookie and the top tight end in the 2023 class. Georgia and USC. Texas and Oregon round out its final five.
The question surrounding Duce Robinson is not just where he will sign, but also when he will sign. After a recent influx of predictions in favor of Georgia, Robinson’s decision suddenly looks a lot murkier. Recruitment experts are unsure whether he will even sign a letter of intent on national signing day.
4-star quarterback Jaden Rashada, the no. 82 player in total and no. 7 quarterback at the national level, is back on the market. Rashada infamously requested and was granted the release of his National Letter of Intent after signing with Florida early in the signing period.
Rashada’s drama was the result of a botched NIL deal in which Rashada initially pledged $13 million. He’s easily the highest-ranked quarterback still available and should choose between TCU and Arizona State.
4-star cornerback Rodrick Pleasant is the 91st player in the nation and is considered the ninth-best corner in the 2023 cycle. Pleasant is the fourth and final member of the 247Sports Composite Top 100 who is currently unengaged. It’s a West Coast product that will choose between USC, UCLA, Oregon, Cal and Boston College.
As the 2023 recruitment cycle draws to an official end, only a handful of schools have the opportunity to improve their class rankings.
Nyckoles Harbor and Duce Robinson carry the most weight and both appear to be choosing between an SEC school and a PAC-12 school. Although it’s a surprise, Oregon has the potential to make the biggest splash going forward. The Ducks, who already have a top-10 class, have an outside chance to land Harbor, Robinson and Rodrick Pleasant.
Georgia has been a tight-end factory for the past few years. The defending national champions could certainly improve on their second class by adding Duce Robinson, who would be the Bulldogs’ sixth 5-star in the 2023 class. Still, Georgia would remain several notches behind Alabama’s historic football class.
Alabama Football: a 5-star goal for 2024
One commitment Alabama football fans should watch on signing day is 2024 cornerback Ellis Robinson IV. Although this is early in the cycle, this is a classic recruiting battle between Alabama and Georgia for one of the best juniors in the country.
Robinson IV is currently ranked the 13th best player and best cornerback in his category. At the moment, he is expected to commit to Georgia, but no one will know for sure until his official announcement.
Regardless of who Robinson IV verbally commits to today, it will be a lengthy recruitment process that could stretch into December.