Re: *** LB Rashaan Evans signs with Bama ***
Now that the signed LOI is in we can really gloat and marvel a bit...
Obviously recruiting coups are frequent occurrences under Nick Saban, but this one has to rank right up at the very top. Is it the biggest surprise? No. But is it the hardest pull? Arguably, I think. Landon Collins may top it, but to get a lifelong Auburn native, who attended Auburn high school, and whose parents both went to Auburn to sign with Alabama right after the kind of season that Auburn just had and with all of the energy and excitement they (rightfully) have with Gus in place, that's just phenomenal. Again, perhaps there have been one or two tougher pulls over the years, but I think everyone should understand that it really does not get much tougher than this.
I'll add in closing that I'm a bit surprised at the outcome here. I wasn't exactly one of those who thought this was all just one big ruse by Evans -- early on I thought that he was going to Auburn, but I did feel that he was legitimately torn for the past couple of months with our late surge -- but by the same token there was always a part of me that could never see him spurning Auburn in the end. Very glad to be wrong on that count.
Finally, can't say enough about the job that Kirby Smart did here. He was the one who sealed this deal, and it was his selling of Evans on becoming a premiere edge player in the UA defensive scheme that landed this LOI. Without him, this doesn't happen.