It’s one thing to sing a lot of credit recruits, it’s another to have them ready to play in their first season on campus. This, though, is what Alabama is hoping for with the arrival of so many early enrollees this month.
The extra months of conditioning, not to mention the chance to participate in spring drills and the all important Spring Game, gives these recruits a huge leg up on the recruits who won’t report until summer or fall.
Getting some good junior college transfers to come in early is even better, and head coach Nick Saban has some good ones doing just that.
Coaches go after junior college players to fill what they feel is an immediate need, and the staff at Alabama felt help was needed on both sides of the ball on the line. Here, two teammates from Arizona Western Community College come in to provide that help.
Jesse Williams, the “Awesome Australian,” comes in with the ability to truly be another “Mt. Cody.” He could even be better, with a better pass rush and the same run stopping ability as one of those teammates.
The other is Aaron Douglas, the “Rapping Tackle” that was a freshman All-American at Tennessee before leaving following the Lane Kiffin fiasco. He has the size, strength and speed to battle for a starting job right away.
The third junior college transfer is Quinton Dial, who originally committed to Alabama before going the junior college route. He is a player that could move into a defensive end position and be ready by fall.
Alabama and Saban have a history of having some early enrolling freshman see playing time, too, and the early arrivals this May could see that as well, with the possible exception at the quarterback position, which is normally redshirted but could make a debut at the spring A-Day game.
The early enrollees include quarterback Phillip Ely from Plant City, Florida, a four-star QB who was rated as the sixth best in the country by most recruiting services.
The star of the early enrolling freshmen is, without a doubt, one of the nation’s top linebackers: Trey Depriest from Springfield, Ohio, who pulled the trigger early for the Tide. He could very well wind up being one of the best at Alabama, and that in itself would be saying a lot.
Also, Alabama coach Sal Sunseri’s own son comes in early and was a surprise at the recent Under Armour High School All-Star Game. He is a linebacker as well.
Speaking of relatives on the team, Tyler Love, an Alabama offensive lineman, will see his younger brother, Wilson Love, come to the team and perhaps even line up against him on the defensive line.
Ronald Carswell is a speedy receiver with a frame that still has room to add some muscle to go with his speed. He was one of the most sought-after receivers from the state of Georgia.
Each of these young men could play a role in a future championship at Alabama.
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