What 2022 Four-Star Defensive End Jeremiah Alexander Brings to Alabama

Alexander shares his thoughts on what set Alabama apart from the other schools vying for his services and his high school coach talks about what makes him so special

The University of Alabama football program laid the foundation of its 2022 recruiting class with the addition of the top-ranked player in the state, four-star defensive end Jeremiah Alexander, on Monday. 

Alexander shared some of the factors that went into his decision with BamaCentral. 

"It was really just down to two schools," Alexander said. "That was Alabama and Georgia. I went to Georgia last week and Alabama over the weekend. Both schools have my best interest, but in terms of feeling at home, the facilities, and the way they work out the athletes, it is top notch. I feel like I would get better and benefit from it more at Alabama."

The 6-foot-2, 230 pound defensive end was in attendance for the Crimson Tide's first Junior Day event back in February and returned to Tuscaloosa on Saturday, this time with his father. 

Alexander noted the major difference between the two separate visits was with the strength and conditioning. The Alabaster, Ala. native said the additions of David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea to the coaching staff and the cutting-edge technology brought with them helped put the Crimson Tide over the top in the battle for his services. 

"It was the coaches," Alexander said. "Scott [Cochran] was not there, but Alabama has these two new guys and one of them is a doctor. They have these machines they hook up to you and it grasps where your body is in a workout and grade it and show you where it needs to be. All of the colleges I have been to, I have never seen anything like it so I felt like that was a good thing."

His commitment comes before his junior and senior seasons with Thompson High School, but Alexander says the timing was right for the decision to pledge now to the Crimson Tide.

"I wanted to get it out of the way so I could focus strictly on Thompson football for the next two years," Alexander said. "I want to help my team get back to a state championship. I just did not want the stress of doing it later on because it would have been a lot on me."

As the lone member of the 2022 class, Alexander is taking on the responsibility of recruiting other top prospects to join him in Tuscaloosa — including his teammates defensive end Peter Woods, running back Brandon Franklin, defensive back Tony Mitchell – all who were in Tuscaloosa over the weekend. 

"I am trying to recruit as many guys as possible to come up there and play with me," Alexander said.

Mark Freeman, Alexander's high school coach at Thompson, had high praise for the rising junior and said that it is his leadership off the field that makes him truly special. 

"He brings work ethic and over the last few years he has the maturity of a seasoned senior," Freeman said. "He is very well grounded and he has the right philosophy about life. He is just a hard worker. 

"I think the Lord only made so many guys like him and you can not have enough of them." 

Alexander helped guide the Warriors to an AHSAA 7A state championship during his sophomore season with 119 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and one pick season. 

Freeman says it was during fall camp of Alexander's freshman campaign when he realized what kind of player he has the potential to be. 

"He started as a freshman for us," Freeman said. "In the region we play in, you just do not see that to often. You knew then he was going to be special guy, but it was how much he was going to grow. In the last year, he has grown a ton and filled out nicely and put great muscle on." 

That freshman season saw Alexander tally up 74 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and six sacks. 

Freeman was very supportive of one of his star players deciding to commit early on in the process and credited the timing of it to how much Alexander focuses on what is at hand and not letting the outside noise get in the way. 

"That is just his mindset to be a great teammate," Freeman said. "We when talked about it, he wanted to do it now and get rid of the distractions to continue to work on the things he is working on to be the best he can be. Again, we are talking a high school sophomore, and that kind of maturity is what sets him apart."

On the field, Alexander's talent is undeniable and hard to miss. His size and aggressiveness validate the top 10 overall ranking he has earned in his class by 247Sports.

"I think he has God-given instincts, I do not know if you can coach that," Freeman said. "He has great hands and is very physical. He plays the game how it is suppose to be played."