JessN: Reviewing the Class of 2007

JessN

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Reviewing the Class of 2007
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
March 20th, 2012 10:24 PM

By Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief March 20, 2012   Over the last two years, TideFans.com and NARCAS have taken a look back at old recruiting rankings, partially as a self-check, but also to see how players had progressed since arriving on campus.   Last year’s re-evaluation took a look at the 2006 class, Mike Shula’s [...]

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RTR91

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Nov 23, 2007
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Always interesting to look back at recruiting classes to see who didn't pan out or live up to the hype. The secondary guys in the class had some major potential. Only one did anything, though.
 

bnhonest

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The ones that made it all the way through will go down as one of the most succesful classes to ever play at Alabama. Good look back. As a Vestavia grad, much props goes out to Chris Underwood. Gentry will always be one of my favorites.
 

JessN

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The ones that made it all the way through will go down as one of the most succesful classes to ever play at Alabama. Good look back. As a Vestavia grad, much props goes out to Chris Underwood. Gentry will always be one of my favorites.
The story I've heard about Underwood that made him one of my favorites from the outset was the story of what happened the night he got his offer. According to legend, Saban offered him in front of his parents. They were not expecting the offer, and the entire family broke down in tears and could do little more than sit there and cry.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

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Nice.


The story I've heard about Underwood that made him one of my favorites from the outset was the story of what happened the night he got his offer. According to legend, Saban offered him in front of his parents. They were not expecting the offer, and the entire family broke down in tears and could do little more than sit there and cry.
 

ALA2262

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Two NCs for a class ranked 10th by Rivals and 20th by Scout. And the "Hope Train" is overloaded with barners thinking it won't get better with the Top 5 classes since then.
 

imauafan

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Mar 3, 2004
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Was it not FSU that Vlachos would have signed with instead of Michigan? The way I remember it was Maze was going to Michigan, Vlachos to FSU, and Chapman to Auburn before Saban became the coach.
 

Ty Webb

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Two NCs for a class ranked 10th by Rivals and 20th by Scout. And the "Hope Train" is overloaded with barners thinking it won't get better with the Top 5 classes since then.
Very true statement about the accomplishments of 2007.

However, I think CNS' 2008 and 2009 classes helped out immensely.
 

JessN

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Was it not FSU that Vlachos would have signed with instead of Michigan? The way I remember it was Maze was going to Michigan, Vlachos to FSU, and Chapman to Auburn before Saban became the coach.
I had heard Vlachos was going to go to Michigan. FSU may very well have been his 1A. What was clear was that he wanted Alabama badly enough that he was leaning to taking the grayshirt offer.

I don't remember if Rick Trickett was at FSU when Vlachos was a senior, or whether Trickett was at WVU at the time, but I heard Trickett was nuts about him.
 

JessN

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Very true statement about the accomplishments of 2007.

However, I think CNS' 2008 and 2009 classes helped out immensely.
Yeah, wait until next year when I go over the 2008 class. After finishing this article, I pulled up our 2008 Signing Day article and re-read it. It's shocking how much better than the 2007 class it was -- and I thought the 2007 class was better than it ever got credit for (I think we ranked it 8th that year on NARCAS).
 

ALA2262

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I had heard Vlachos was going to go to Michigan. FSU may very well have been his 1A. What was clear was that he wanted Alabama badly enough that he was leaning to taking the grayshirt offer.

I don't remember if Rick Trickett was at FSU when Vlachos was a senior, or whether Trickett was at WVU at the time, but I heard Trickett was nuts about him.
2007 was Trickett's first year at FSU.
 

BigEasyTider

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Nov 27, 2007
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Vlachos was headed to FSU prior to Saban taking off the greyshirt. Trickett had just been hired by Bowden and was very big on him. Perhaps you are thinking of Maze? If you recall, he was committed to Michigan for several months before spurning them late and signing with 'Bama over Tennessee and Auburn.

Regarding Chapman, he was definitely heading to Auburn. He was committed to them until days before NSD when we flipped him, and a lot of 'Bama people thought even towards the end that Saban's efforts would be too little and too late.

That's all nitpicking, though, great article. The piece on Kareem Jackson really ought to turn some heads. Lots of people didn't even think he was a legitimate D-1 guy when we picked him up. There hasn't been a bigger recruiting surprise at 'Bama in a long time.
 

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