Tyrell

Shavers

Shavers (6'6/205) is a former four-star recruit who initially attended Alabama before transferring over to MSU prior to the 2020 season. He started the year splitting time with Osirus Mitchell at the starting Z-WR spot in Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, catching nine passes for 107 yards and a touchdown over his first three games before shuttling down the depth chart in favor of WR Jaden Walley and entering the transfer portal in mid-November. Shavers should be an immediate upgrade for the Aztecs’ wide receiver corps and will likely slide right into a starting spot next season.

Really, this is “former” Mississippi State WR Tyrell Shavers. The redshirt junior technically left the program just over two weeks ago, after having only recently transferred to the program in June. Assuming Shavers finds a new home soon, it will be his third school this year, going from Alabama to Mississippi State to *insert new school name*. Shavers was a four-star signing with Alabama back in 2017, so the talent is clearly there for the 6-foot-6, 205-pounder. Stay tuned over the next few weeks for an update on Shavers’ impending transfer.

Shavers (6'6/205) transferred to MSU from Alabama in early-June when it became clear he wouldn’t challenge for playing time with the Crimson Tide’s loaded WR corps. The former four-star prospect was rated as the 12th best wide receiver from the 2017 recruiting class and had been named as the starting Z wide receiver in Mike Leach’s air raid offense. He caught two passes for 68 yards and a touchdown in his first game against LSU, but only managed to secure seven passes for 39 yards and zero touchdowns since then. He joins defensive linemen Tre Lawson and Jamari Stewart who also announced their departure from the program this week. Osirus Mitchell will assume the full time starting Z role when Mississippi State plays Texas A&M this Saturday.

Shavers (6'6/205) transferred to MSU from Alabama in early-June when it became clear he wouldn’t challenge for playing time with the Crimson Tide’s loaded WR corps. Shavers is a former four-star prospect who was ranked as the 12th best wide receiver and 11th best player in the state of Texas from the 2017 recruiting class. He beat-out MSU’s leading wide receiver from last year, Osirus Mitchell, for the starting Z role in HC Leach’s air-raid offense. Shavers will start his first collegiate game Saturday when MSU travels to play LSU in Baton Rouge.

Shavers (6'6/205) joined the Alabama program as a four-star recruit in the 2017 class. Same class as Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs and Devonta Smith. Things just never came together for the redshirt junior as they did for his teammates, though. He managed just one catch in Tuscaloosa. Despite the lack of production, this should be counted as a fun transfer lottery ticket for Bulldogs HC Mike Leach and staff. Shavers won’t have to jostle with Jeudy, Ruggs and Smith for work any longer and if ever that talent was going to blossom, Leach’s Air Raid offers a fertile environment for big, gaudy stats. Shavers joins the Bulldogs as a graduate transfer (able to play immediately in 2020) with two years eligibility remaining.

Shavers (6'6/205) signed with Alabama as a four-star recruit in the 2017 class, but the talented wideout failed to push his way up the team’s perpetually-stacked receiving depth chart during his time in Tuscaloosa. The redshirt junior hits the transfer portal having caught just one career pass to date with the Crimson Tide. Presumably, he’ll be looking for a cleaner fit in terms of potential playing time now that he’s kicking the tires on a move.

"[W]e really appreciate Coach Saban being gracious and letting us have him,” said Tide baseball HC Brad Bohannon on Friday. While Saban might be loaning out the 6-foot-6, 216-pound wideout for now, no final decision has been made as to whether Shavers will be joining the baseball team in earnest. We should have a more definitive idea in a few weeks. Coming out of high school, Shavers was a four-star recruit who had drawn comparisons to the likes of Dorial-Green Beckham. He played in all 15 of Alabama’s games this past season, but is still on the hunt for his first collegiate catch.

“Shavers does not compare to anyone Alabama currently has on their roster. He is unique in stature and speed,” Luginbill wrote of the 6-foot-6, 202-pounder. During The Opening regional in Dallas, he recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.38 seconds, though Luginbill notes that Shavers “doesn’t look as fast as his listed times.” The analyst wants to see refinement in the wideout’s game, but believes that he has the potential to be a monster in the red zone. 247Sports’ composite ranks him as the No. 159 prospect for the 2017 class. Alabama is absolutely loading up on offensive talent for this cycle, with commitments from top-ranked RB Najee Harris, five-star T Alex Leatherwood and four-star QB’s Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. Shavers will be joining some fine company.

“This is a size/ speed comparison,” Luginbill wrote, explaining that "[w]e rarely make a post-college player comparison for our scouts takes, but given the rare height, range, speed and agility it can be tough to come up with a 6-6 wide receiver comparison.” Indeed, Shavers (whom Luginbill referred to as a “freak of nature”) measures out at 6-foot-6, 202 pounds and has been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash as he heads into his senior season at Lewisville High in Texas. According to Luginbill, “He is a totally different player than anyone Alabama has had. Belongs on the outside as a jump ball, field stretch player.”

There aren’t many 6-foot-6 humans who can run an electronic-timed 4.38 40-yard dash, but that group counts Shavers among its ranks. He did so at the Dallas Regional Opening, which pretty much sent every coach in America to Lewisville, Texas. As is often the case, Nick Saban and crew scored the victory. At least for now. Shavers’ commitment is non-binding. “Alabama is the National Champs,” Shavers said. “My recruitment is over. I’m playing for the best.” Per 47Sports’ composite rankings, Shavers is ranked No. 159 overall in the 2017 class. This may be Calvin Ridley’s last season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Shavers sees the field early.