National v. In-State Recruiting Discussion

Re: Bo Scarbrough and Derrick Henry"

With Roc Thomas' commitment to Auburn, this subject has gotten more attention on the board. I looked at 247's top players in Alabama since 2011. This is what I found:

2011
6 players listed. 4 signed with Auburn. 2 signed with Alabama. Calloway and Shin are no longer at Alabama. Jonathon Rose and Enrique Florence aren't with Auburn anymore. Sammie Coates hasn't done much for them, either.

2012
Four of the top 10 players signed with Bama
Two signed with Florida State
Two signed with Auburn
One signed with LSU (Kwon chose LSU over a greyshirt to Bama)
One signed with Georgia Tech (Justin Thomas was committed to Bama)

2013
Seven of the top 10 signed with Bama (all of the top 5)
One signed with Auburn
One signed with Ole Miss
One signed with Vandy

2014
Three committed to Bama
Three committed to Auburn
One committed to Tennessee
Marlon is a Bama lean
Evans seems to be a Barn lean
Ronnie Clark is a Bama-Barn battle

While Roc Thomas' commitment causes some concern about other in-state players, the above numbers show Bama has gotten plenty of the top in-state talent in recent years.

Re: Bo Scarbrough and Derrick Henry"

RTR91 said:

With Roc Thomas' commitment to Auburn, this subject has gotten more attention on the board. I looked at 247's top players in Alabama since 2011. This is what I found:

2011
6 players listed. 4 signed with Auburn. 2 signed with Alabama. Calloway and Shin are no longer at Alabama. Jonathon Rose and Enrique Florence aren't with Auburn anymore. Sammie Coates hasn't done much for them, either.

2012
Four of the top 10 players signed with Bama
Two signed with Florida State
Two signed with Auburn
One signed with LSU (Kwon chose LSU over a greyshirt to Bama)
One signed with Georgia Tech (Justin Thomas was committed to Bama)

2013
Seven of the top 10 signed with Bama (all of the top 5)
One signed with Auburn
One signed with Ole Miss
One signed with Vandy

2014
Three committed to Bama
Three committed to Auburn
One committed to Tennessee
Marlon is a Bama lean
Evans seems to be a Barn lean
Ronnie Clark is a Bama-Barn battle

While Roc Thomas' commitment causes some concern about other in-state players, the above numbers show Bama has gotten plenty of the top in-state talent in recent years.

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Thanks for the post RTR. While I don't like losing Roc to the Barn, I still prefer our staff taking the best player available on their board. This will make us lose out on local talent at times but our recruiting nationally is stronger than it has ever been and it will mean we will pass on some in-state guys. We may still flip Roc in the end if we miss of LF.

257WBY said:

When the last four NCs have gone to teams from Alabama, doesn't it make sense that the best talent in the nation is coming from the State of Alabama. All that is needed is a little cherry picking of neighboring states and you've got a great squad.

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Let's just focus on last year - Eddie Lacy, Amari Cooper, Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack, Cyrus Kouandjio, Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell, Brian Vogler, and Christion Jones were all out of state players. That's just offensive players off the top of my head. Saban hasn't had a in-state starting RB since he's been here up until this year. The barn's list of stars from Alabama on their 2010 team is almost non-existent. Scam, Dyer, MaCalleb, Lutzin-whatever, Fairley, and most of their roster that year was from Georgia and other states. I say you cherry pick the best in state kids for sure, but you recruit the best players you can, no matter where they are from.

TideFan in AU said:

Let's just focus on last year - Eddie Lacy, Amari Cooper, Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack, Cyrus Kouandjio, Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell, Brian Vogler, and Christion Jones were all out of state players. That's just offensive players off the top of my head. Saban hasn't had a in-state starting RB since he's been here up until this year. The barn's list of stars from Alabama on their 2010 team is almost non-existent. Scam, Dyer, MaCalleb, Lutzin-whatever, Fairley, and most of their roster that year was from Georgia and other states. I say you cherry pick the best in state kids for sure, but you recruit the best players you can, no matter where they are from.

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And Haha, Depriest, Jesse, Stinson, Ivory, Square, Pagan, Steen, DeAndrew White, Fulton (Christion Jones is from Birmingham). I agree with your point whole heartedly that we take the best player available on our board no matter where they are from. I love seeing Alabama born players start and do well and we have many that do but we are in a different place than we have been in many years (maybe ever as far as national recruiting).

I'm of the opinion that this will ebb and flow with the amount of SEC level talent in the state of Alabama each year. The 2014 class will just be heavy on national recruiting. Many of our position needs weren't met by the in-state talent, or even within the region this cycle. But overall I wouldn't expect to see the roster breakdown be anymore than a 50-50 split.

TideFan in AU said:

Let's just focus on last year - Eddie Lacy, Amari Cooper, Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack, Cyrus Kouandjio, Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell, Brian Vogler, and Christion Jones were all out of state players. That's just offensive players off the top of my head. Saban hasn't had a in-state starting RB since he's been here up until this year. The barn's list of stars from Alabama on their 2010 team is almost non-existent. Scam, Dyer, MaCalleb, Lutzin-whatever, Fairley, and most of their roster that year was from Georgia and other states. I say you cherry pick the best in state kids for sure, but you recruit the best players you can, no matter where they are from.

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it just stings to lose out on a potential great in state running back on a tough pull from louisiana, even if hes a once in a lifetime...if you lose out, and i still believe it will be a hard pull from LSU, we lose out on a solid home grown as well...and TJ Yeldon is an example of gerat in state talent.

I still think that Roc Thomas has some serious talent, and if we do lose out on fournette, hopefully we can pull him to us.

I get the national recruiting, but it still has some risks in losing home state talent when we miss on them.

bamafaninOhiO said:

it just stings to lose out on a potential great in state running back on a tough pull from louisiana, even if hes a once in a lifetime...if you lose out, and i still believe it will be a hard pull from LSU, we lose out on a solid home grown as well...and TJ Yeldon is an example of gerat in state talent.

I still think that Roc Thomas has some serious talent, and if we do lose out on fournette, hopefully we can pull him to us.

I get the national recruiting, but it still has some risks in losing home state talent when we miss on them.

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I think in other years, we would've gone for in state over tough out of state. RB isn't a huge need for this class; I think the Staff is going all in on LF. If he doesn't come we use the spot for a higher need position like OL, TE, or DB.

bamafaninOhiO said:

it just stings to lose out on a potential great in state running back on a tough pull from louisiana, even if hes a once in a lifetime...if you lose out, and i still believe it will be a hard pull from LSU, we lose out on a solid home grown as well...and TJ Yeldon is an example of gerat in state talent.

I still think that Roc Thomas has some serious talent, and if we do lose out on fournette, hopefully we can pull him to us.

I get the national recruiting, but it still has some risks in losing home state talent when we miss on them.

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Looking at Saban's classes since he's been at Alabama (excluding his one month of recruiting for the 2007 class:

2008
Bama signed two in-state RBs, Ivan Matchett and Jermaine Preyear. Rivals ranked them number 17 and 20 RBs in the nation.

2009
Alabama signed Richardson and Lacy. The first in-state RB in Rivals' RB ranking was Tim Simon from Cordova, who ranked 34th.

2010
Alabama signed Jalston Fowler and Corey Grant from in-state. Rivals ranked Fowler #3 fullback while Grant was the #5 RB.

2011
Dee Hart was the only RB signee. Rivals ranked him the #1 all-purpose back. No Alabama high school RB was ranked in Rivals' top 55 running backs ranking or top 10 all-purpose back ranking.

2012
Bama signed TJ Yeldon, Rivals' second best running back, along with Kenyan Drake (out of state). Rivals said Drake was the 13th best RB.

2013
Johnathon Ford was the first in-state RB on Rivals ranking (#13). He was committed to Vandy until Gus put the pressure on him the weekend prior to NSD. Bama signed Henry (#5), Tenpenny (#8), Jones (#11), and Kamara (#2 all-purpose back).

Point being Bama has gotten the best in-state RB when the best in-state RB has been one of the top national players. Because of the 2013 haul, Saban doesn't have to push for Roc. He can wait on the #8 RB to see if he can get the #1. Bama signed the #8 RB in 2013, and he was the third best according to the rankings.

This isn't going to be an every year thing. It's a luxury provided by the 2013 signing class.

jps1983 said:

I think in other years, we would've gone for in state over tough out of state. RB isn't a huge need for this class; I think the Staff is going all in on LF. If he doesn't come we use the spot for a higher need position like OL, TE, or DB.

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I think we also have to weigh Burton Burns' role in this as well. It has been said that he's been very vocal, moreso than any other RB prospect Alabama has pursued, about going after Fournette. Burns is from New Orleans, went to St. Augustine and later coached there. His daughter is a teacher there, not to mention the current head coach there is the step-father to Alabama DB Bradley Slyve.

CapstoneGrad06 said:

I think we also have to weigh Burton Burns' role in this as well. It has been said that he's been very vocal, moreso than any other RB prospect Alabama has pursued, about going after Fournette. Burns is from New Orleans, went to St. Augustine and later coached there. His daughter is a teacher there, not to mention the current head coach there is the step-father to Alabama DB Bradley Slyve.

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Very good point. I would also like to think Eddie's success with him being from LA would attribute somewhat also.

Fans don't like Bama going for LF over Roc, but no one mentions going after Cam Robinson over Jordan Sims from Homewood even though he impressed at camp. Why aren't those of you fearing Auburn overtaking the state's recruits mentioning that case?

RTR91 said:

Fans don't like Bama going for LF over Roc, but no one mentions going after Cam Robinson over Jordan Sims from Homewood even though he impressed at camp. Why aren't those of you fearing Auburn overtaking the state's recruits mentioning that case?

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LOL LF is a Great back and we can be picky. And Robinson and Sims are totally different prospects. One is a Tackle and one is a guard. We are wanting tackles with the remaining OL prospects. This is a down year for the state of alabama in prospects. So , Saban will go anywhere to recruit the player. If they are similar it's first come that includes instate.

4Q Basket Case said:

Seems that Roc committing to the barn has been the catalyst for the heartburn over so many OOS recruits for the 2014 signing class.

My guess is that we have so many RBs, and not one will finish eligibility after the 2013 season (Fowler would be eligible to turn pro, but I wouldn't expect it) that we'll be extremely picky at that position in the 2014 class.

In other words, I think we we have a one-man board at RB this year. LF or bust. And I agree that he'll be a tough pull from LSU.

If we get him, we get who we view as the best RB in the country. If we don't, well, our need at the position isn't all that great, and we'll use the spot for a position of greater need.

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Well said! :cool2: