With all the recent activity, I feel like it's time to reassess where we stand. My "wish list" is just that, a wish. However, I try to be at least somewhat realistic. I also try to list some other options, just in case some of those on the list go elsewhere (or stay in Texas, for ex.).
I will throw in a few observations here and there, just to generate a response. Here goes:
QB - Brandon Avalos*
- Will we sign another QB this year? I have heard from the beginning that Coach Fran wants to sign two QBs, but only if it is two that he really wants. Brandon Cox sounds like a fine prospect, but it appears that he may not fit Fran's system (no shame in that). Grant McFarland (Mt Brook) should not be ignored, but he sounds like a pocket passer (like Cox). Perhaps there is a QB in Texas, California or New Mexico that Coach Fran has his eye on. Who knows?
Some people had asked me to compare Avalos to a current player. Okay, I think that Avalos most resembles Joey Hamilton, the former Georgia Tech QB. Very quick with a solid arm. There are differences - Brandon is taller, Hamilton was/is a little faster. But they both get things done.
One other thing... Why sign a second QB? One word - baseball. Both Pennington and Avalos will play baseball and may be good enough to play pro baseball. If we lost them in a few years, we're suddenly very thin.
RB - Kenneth Darby*, Jason Allen
Will we be able to sign a second RB? I certainly hope we can get Allen in the fold, though it will be a battle. It was great to hear that we offered him only after evaluating him in person at camp. That explains a lot of Allen's earlier comments about wanting to go out of state.
Other options? I'm still holding out hope that a player like Ronnie Osborne (Okla) may surprise us. There are some other RBs out there mentioning Alabama, but none of them jump off the page like Allen and Osborne. If we can't sign them, no problem. We should have some serious depth at RB after Shaud Williams joins the fold.
FB - ?
No idea here folks. I have heard great things about Frank Willis (Navarre, FL) and he camped here last year, but I don't know if the new staff is on him. Dan Burks (Vestavia Hills) is a new name getting a lot of attention. I've even heard some say that Buster Davis (Daytona Beach) may be recruited as a FB.
Personally, I like our depth here IF Marvin Brown qualifies. Donnie Lowe is shaping up into a great FB. Quentin Bowens may not qualify, but there are some other options with existing players. Perhaps we don't use a scholarship here.
WR - Ben Obomanu, Titus Ryan, Jemalle Cornelius
It is very tough to not list Grant Brigham and Lance Hamilton. Both would be great pickups. I am also very, very intrigued by Elvis Gallegos (Richland Park, TX). Some are claiming that he is a silent commit and he may be. Judging by the teams that are recruiting him - Nebraska, A&M, Notre Dame - he must be something special.
Some other names to remember - David Thompson (Memphis), Sammy Knight (Tallahassee Rickards), Tee Milons, Chris Baker (Osceola, AK).
The three WRs I listed would be a "Murderer's Row" for opposing defenses. I can't imagine preparing for that type of speed. Cornelius may be a reach, but don't give up on Fran so quickly.
TE - ?
- I still have no idea what the staff is doing here. Lawrence Lilly is a strong possibility. Justin Bruce (Ga.) is intriguing. What about Christopher Browder ending up at TE? The coaches have a plan, I'm sure, but I can't figure it out yet.
OL - Grant Dickey*, Tony Ugoh (Houston, TX), Justin Blalock (Plano, TX)
Now I'm dreaming (g). Ugoh is big time, and Blalock may be the top OL in Texas. But it is a wish list, right?
Tom Culpepper is reporting that we may only sign one or two OL this year. That is a bit surprising to me, especially since we have seven OL that are juniors. Most OL signees have to be redshirted, so those signed now will probably be counted on to fill the holes left by the mass exodus following the 2002 season. True, we will have Britt, Smiley, Mathis, Martz, Ewing, Sanders and Closner, but we will need more bodies. Perhaps we oversign DTs and eventually move some to OL?
Other names worth mentioning are James Newby (my in-state favorite), Quentin Harris, Kevin Thorton, Jeremy Meade, Josh Sutton, Cody Grammer, Antonio Underwood. I have no idea which of these in-state prospects are high on the board.
DL - Chris Harris*, Kyle Tatum*, Henry Smith, Jeremy Clark, Ben Grubbs
I think that Clark and Grubbs grow into DTs. Why only one DE then? First we have a lot of young DEs - Odom, NML, Clark, Bates, Anderson. Plus, like Bates and Anderson, some of our LBs (Browder for ex.?) are expected to bulk up under Coach Pollard and eventually play at DE.
This is a great group of DL and I honestly think we can sign them. Some other names to remember - Ramon McCullough (he reports no offer yet), Raymond Chaney, Richard Freeman, James Adams, and Tommie Jackson. And you never know about Texas (g).
LB - Christopher Browder*, Juwan Garth*, Ernest Nance
- I'm committing Browder early, even if he hasn't announced (g). Nance is my pick to fill out the LBs, but there are so many other possibilities. There are a BUNCH of outstanding LBs looking at Alabama. Conceivably, we could sign 4 LBs with the idea that some would eventually move to DE.
Some names of interest - Garnett Smith (Arlington, TX), Derrick Pope (Garden City CC, KS), Patrick Lowery (Davie Co., NC), Buster Davis (Daytona Beach, FL), Chris Herring (Batesville, MS), Edmond Miles (Tallahasee Godby), Thaddius Washington (Marrero, LA), Drew Lagow (Carroll, TX).
There are also some other in-state LBs that should not be ignored including Nick Luke, Darius Wilder, Tyrone Martin, Larry Brackins, Larry McSwain.
DB - Ramzee Robinson*, Vickeal Vaughn, A.J. Davis
Another reach with regards to Vaughn (Plano, TX) and Davis (Durham, N.C.), but both are expressing interest in Alabama.
You want more realistic? How about Roshawn Pope (Galvaston, TX), Tyrone Hicks (Huntsville Lee), Montavious Pitts (I think he ends up at Auburn, FWIW), Jeffrey Temple (Montgomery Jeff Davis).
There are some other big names out there, including several from Texas - Donald Burgs (Houston), Willie Andrews (Longview) are a few - but they don't seem realistic.
I think that a lot will depend on how much the staff likes our incoming DBs (Harper, Peprah, Madison, King). Also, remember that players like Jason Allen and Titus Ryan could end up as DBs (Allen could start right away, according to most who have watched him play).
That's an even 20 (nice round number). When you think that we may not sign that many (for various reasons), you start to realize how competitive this is going to be. I honestly believe that the limited size of this year's recruiting class is a big selling point. I can envision Coach Fran telling recruits "We've got 18 openings and we've filled [8, 9, 10] of them already. Are you ready to be one of those 18?", etc.
As I'm sure you've gathered, I am very enthusiastic about this year's recruiting class. Early congrats to Coach Fran and the staff.
RTR! (per my habit, sorry for the length).
I will throw in a few observations here and there, just to generate a response. Here goes:
QB - Brandon Avalos*
- Will we sign another QB this year? I have heard from the beginning that Coach Fran wants to sign two QBs, but only if it is two that he really wants. Brandon Cox sounds like a fine prospect, but it appears that he may not fit Fran's system (no shame in that). Grant McFarland (Mt Brook) should not be ignored, but he sounds like a pocket passer (like Cox). Perhaps there is a QB in Texas, California or New Mexico that Coach Fran has his eye on. Who knows?
Some people had asked me to compare Avalos to a current player. Okay, I think that Avalos most resembles Joey Hamilton, the former Georgia Tech QB. Very quick with a solid arm. There are differences - Brandon is taller, Hamilton was/is a little faster. But they both get things done.
One other thing... Why sign a second QB? One word - baseball. Both Pennington and Avalos will play baseball and may be good enough to play pro baseball. If we lost them in a few years, we're suddenly very thin.
RB - Kenneth Darby*, Jason Allen
Will we be able to sign a second RB? I certainly hope we can get Allen in the fold, though it will be a battle. It was great to hear that we offered him only after evaluating him in person at camp. That explains a lot of Allen's earlier comments about wanting to go out of state.
Other options? I'm still holding out hope that a player like Ronnie Osborne (Okla) may surprise us. There are some other RBs out there mentioning Alabama, but none of them jump off the page like Allen and Osborne. If we can't sign them, no problem. We should have some serious depth at RB after Shaud Williams joins the fold.
FB - ?
No idea here folks. I have heard great things about Frank Willis (Navarre, FL) and he camped here last year, but I don't know if the new staff is on him. Dan Burks (Vestavia Hills) is a new name getting a lot of attention. I've even heard some say that Buster Davis (Daytona Beach) may be recruited as a FB.
Personally, I like our depth here IF Marvin Brown qualifies. Donnie Lowe is shaping up into a great FB. Quentin Bowens may not qualify, but there are some other options with existing players. Perhaps we don't use a scholarship here.
WR - Ben Obomanu, Titus Ryan, Jemalle Cornelius
It is very tough to not list Grant Brigham and Lance Hamilton. Both would be great pickups. I am also very, very intrigued by Elvis Gallegos (Richland Park, TX). Some are claiming that he is a silent commit and he may be. Judging by the teams that are recruiting him - Nebraska, A&M, Notre Dame - he must be something special.
Some other names to remember - David Thompson (Memphis), Sammy Knight (Tallahassee Rickards), Tee Milons, Chris Baker (Osceola, AK).
The three WRs I listed would be a "Murderer's Row" for opposing defenses. I can't imagine preparing for that type of speed. Cornelius may be a reach, but don't give up on Fran so quickly.
TE - ?
- I still have no idea what the staff is doing here. Lawrence Lilly is a strong possibility. Justin Bruce (Ga.) is intriguing. What about Christopher Browder ending up at TE? The coaches have a plan, I'm sure, but I can't figure it out yet.
OL - Grant Dickey*, Tony Ugoh (Houston, TX), Justin Blalock (Plano, TX)
Now I'm dreaming (g). Ugoh is big time, and Blalock may be the top OL in Texas. But it is a wish list, right?
Tom Culpepper is reporting that we may only sign one or two OL this year. That is a bit surprising to me, especially since we have seven OL that are juniors. Most OL signees have to be redshirted, so those signed now will probably be counted on to fill the holes left by the mass exodus following the 2002 season. True, we will have Britt, Smiley, Mathis, Martz, Ewing, Sanders and Closner, but we will need more bodies. Perhaps we oversign DTs and eventually move some to OL?
Other names worth mentioning are James Newby (my in-state favorite), Quentin Harris, Kevin Thorton, Jeremy Meade, Josh Sutton, Cody Grammer, Antonio Underwood. I have no idea which of these in-state prospects are high on the board.
DL - Chris Harris*, Kyle Tatum*, Henry Smith, Jeremy Clark, Ben Grubbs
I think that Clark and Grubbs grow into DTs. Why only one DE then? First we have a lot of young DEs - Odom, NML, Clark, Bates, Anderson. Plus, like Bates and Anderson, some of our LBs (Browder for ex.?) are expected to bulk up under Coach Pollard and eventually play at DE.
This is a great group of DL and I honestly think we can sign them. Some other names to remember - Ramon McCullough (he reports no offer yet), Raymond Chaney, Richard Freeman, James Adams, and Tommie Jackson. And you never know about Texas (g).
LB - Christopher Browder*, Juwan Garth*, Ernest Nance
- I'm committing Browder early, even if he hasn't announced (g). Nance is my pick to fill out the LBs, but there are so many other possibilities. There are a BUNCH of outstanding LBs looking at Alabama. Conceivably, we could sign 4 LBs with the idea that some would eventually move to DE.
Some names of interest - Garnett Smith (Arlington, TX), Derrick Pope (Garden City CC, KS), Patrick Lowery (Davie Co., NC), Buster Davis (Daytona Beach, FL), Chris Herring (Batesville, MS), Edmond Miles (Tallahasee Godby), Thaddius Washington (Marrero, LA), Drew Lagow (Carroll, TX).
There are also some other in-state LBs that should not be ignored including Nick Luke, Darius Wilder, Tyrone Martin, Larry Brackins, Larry McSwain.
DB - Ramzee Robinson*, Vickeal Vaughn, A.J. Davis
Another reach with regards to Vaughn (Plano, TX) and Davis (Durham, N.C.), but both are expressing interest in Alabama.
You want more realistic? How about Roshawn Pope (Galvaston, TX), Tyrone Hicks (Huntsville Lee), Montavious Pitts (I think he ends up at Auburn, FWIW), Jeffrey Temple (Montgomery Jeff Davis).
There are some other big names out there, including several from Texas - Donald Burgs (Houston), Willie Andrews (Longview) are a few - but they don't seem realistic.
I think that a lot will depend on how much the staff likes our incoming DBs (Harper, Peprah, Madison, King). Also, remember that players like Jason Allen and Titus Ryan could end up as DBs (Allen could start right away, according to most who have watched him play).
That's an even 20 (nice round number). When you think that we may not sign that many (for various reasons), you start to realize how competitive this is going to be. I honestly believe that the limited size of this year's recruiting class is a big selling point. I can envision Coach Fran telling recruits "We've got 18 openings and we've filled [8, 9, 10] of them already. Are you ready to be one of those 18?", etc.
As I'm sure you've gathered, I am very enthusiastic about this year's recruiting class. Early congrats to Coach Fran and the staff.
RTR! (per my habit, sorry for the length).