IMG Academy Experience Create Bonds for Alabama Players

A steady pipeline of talent has trickled into Tuscaloosa from IMG over the last several seasons.

There are currently five scholarship players on the Alabama football roster from IMG Academy, a prep boarding school in Bradenton, Florida that specializes in sports training. The football program at IMG has consistently put out top recruits, and many have found their way to Tuscaloosa.

Players like Bo Scarbrough, Dylan Moses and Thomas Fletcher started the pipeline between Bradenton and Tuscaloosa, and current players Evan Neal, Trey Sanders, Stephon Wynn Jr. and true freshmen JC Latham and Ja'Corey Brooks continue the connection. 

Because so many players from IMG now play for Alabama, it creates a unique relationship between those players that may have completely different backgrounds but have shared part of the same journey to become part of the Crimson Tide. 

For example, Neal and Sanders were roommates at IMG according to Neal, so it has been encouraging for Neal to watch the running back fight through adversity and return from injury because he knows the ways Sanders could contribute for Alabama.

"I know how bad he wants it, and I know how bad he wants to get out on the field and just make an impact for himself," Neal said. 

With both Neal and Latham being offensive linemen, Neal was asked on Monday if he has been able to share any advice with the freshman who has followed a similar path as him.  

"Something I’ve been sharing with JC is just to not be so hard on himself right now and be patient because things are going to come," Neal said. "Just focus every day on getting better, focusing and fine-tuning his technique, you know, the minute things in his game that he needs to get better at, and he's having to take it one day at a time.”

Latham is one of several freshmen in the mix fighting for starting position on the offensive line after the departures of Alex Leatherwood and Landon Dickerson to the NFL. 

The freshman wide receiver Brooks was consistently ranked as one of the top-five wide receivers in the class of 2021 and could also make an impact immediately for the Crimson Tide this season. 

The relationship between IMG and Alabama is not ending anytime soon as Alabama picked up a commitment from one of the top 2022 offensive line prospects in Tyler Booker out of IMG last month.