After a slow start, Alabama continues to make inroads on the football recruiting trail. Significant inroads.
Monday, four-star defensive back Devonta Smith, a one-time Ohio State commit, committed to Alabama football. Two days later, four-star defensive end Dallas Turner did the same. The Florida high schooler, who had Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma as part of his Final Five, gave his verbal in a video.
Turner had taken a visit to Tuscaloosa back in February. That trip seemed to clinch the deal for the Crimson ide.
“I knew after the visit,” Turner said. “I just liked the amount of history at the school and how productive the school is and the high standards that they have for their players. ...
“I trust [the Alabama football] program the most. I feel like they want me to be the best version of me.”
Turner is rated as the No. 2 weakside defensive end on the 247Sports.com composite. The Fort Lauderdale high schooler is the No. 10 recruit regardless of position in the Sunshine State. He’s also the No. 44 prospect overall on that same composite.
The two commitments continue a significant uptick in recruiting success for the Crimson Tide.
Roughly six weeks ago, Alabama held the No. 54 class in the country for the 2021 cycle. Right behind Rice. And just ahead of UTSA. Now? The Tide sits at No. 12 nationally -- after they were No. 19 following the Smith commitment. In the SEC, they now have the No. 4 class in the conference behind Tennessee (No. 4), Florida (No. 8) and LSU (No. 9).
Here’s to guessing, though, that the Tide is not finished on the recruiting trail. Far from it, in fact.
There is history behind such confidence, of course. Just once since Nick Saban took over has Alabama finished outside the Top Five in recruiting. That was the 2007 class, signed in February of that year. One month after Saban was hired.