The stage is set for one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the year for the Crimson Tide coaching staff. The highly ranked prospects will arrive in Tuscaloosa beginning Friday afternoon with a full schedule of events by the coaching staff, academic counselors and, the Tide players ready to host the recruits for the weekend.
Scout.com No.1 offensive lineman Andre Smith is the top recruit headlining the official visitors at the Capstone this weekend. Smith was scheduled to take an official visit to LSU this weekend, but canceled his visit to Baton Rouge. LSU will receive an official visit (1-20) with Florida and Florida State vying for the last visit (1-27). Smith will announce his decision on national signing day at Huffman High School. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU and USC are the finalists for his signature.
With National Signing Day (Feb. 1) just around the corner, the Crimson Tide staff remains hopeful for a verbal commitment from one or more of this weekend’s undecided recruits, among them:
Andre Smith, OL, 6-4, 315, Huffman HS. Smith is rated by Scout.com as the No. 1 offensive lineman in the country. He was originally scheduled to visit LSU this weekend but decided to visit Tuscaloosa instead during the Tide’s biggest recruiting weekend.
The No.1 offensive lineman in America, the No.1 wide receiver in Alabama and the quarterback of national champion Carroll High School in Texas are scheduled to arrive today.
This is Alabama's first major football recruiting weekend on campus since Dec. 9, and the expected visitors highlight the Crimson Tide's need for offensive playmakers.
"Andre is getting ready to cut his list down again," Smith Sr. said. "We are going to LSU on Jan. 20 still, and right now we aren't sure about the last date. We are going to make a final decision soon."
Smith is also considering Florida State and perhaps Florida. His father told Rivals.com that no team is in the lead for his son's services, despite rumors recently that Alabama is the clear favorite.
"They aren't hearing that from us, I can promise you that," Smith Sr. said. "We don't talk about his recruitment publicly. Andre is still going through the recruiting process and still has visits to take."
Alabama held its biggest, and most crucial, recruiting weekend this week in hopes of turning a decent recruiting class into a stellar one.
Thirteen high school seniors were scheduled to visit (only the weekend of Dec. 11 that had 15 visitors was bigger), including four blue-chip prospects that can put the finishing touches on this year's recruiting class.
Huffman offensive lineman Andre Smith, Homewood receiver Tim Hawthorne, New Orleans Metro Defensive Player of the Year Kentrell Lockett and Texas' 5A Player of the Year Greg McElroy all were scheduled to be on campus.
That is why I love the West Auburn (Montgomery) Advertiser! Alabama has a "decent" recruiting class that they are trying to save with some last minute big names. Forget about Mike Ford or Nikita Stover, much less the great OL prospects. A class that is ranked #9 by Rivals is decent? Whatever.
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January 13th, 2006, 12:46 PM
Tide's Biggest Recruiting Weekend
Forget about Mike Ford or Nikita Stover, much less the great OL prospects. A class that is ranked #9 by Rivals is decent? Whatever.
