Numerous 2021 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Commits and Targets Named SI All-American Candidates

Highlights and evaluations of the top recruits considering the Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama Athletics

Slow, but steady.

The University of Alabama coaching staff has used the “Zoom season”, aka the COVID-19 pandemic, to their advantage better than a lot of programs in the country. Since April 17, the Crimson Tide has landed 14 commitments to bring their total up to 15 verbal pledges at this point. Headlining the class are two five-star prospects, in offensive tackle JC Latham and wide out Jacorey Brooks.

So far, Alabama has dominated the state of Florida, getting elite pass rusher Dallas Turner, and the receiver duo of Christian Leary and Agiye Hall to go along with the aforementioned Brooks. 

Loading up on pass catchers is no surprise this time around as senior DeVonta Smith is graduating and junior Jaylen Waddle will surely declare for the NFL draft if all bodes well in 2020.

More recently, the Crimson Tide has flipped two defensive back prospects — three-star corner Devonta Smith from Ohio State and three-star corner Kadarius Calloway from SEC rival Mississippi State. Addressing the defensive backfield is crucial this cycle to replace, potentially, three underclassmen, who could be headed off to the next level.

Another position of need for the Crimson Tide is on the offensive line. Latham is a super solid anchor for this class in the trenches, but expect the Alabama coaching staff to bring in a haul of elite tackles and interior guards over the next few weeks and months. 

Moving forward, expect Alabama to fall into the range of mid-to-upper 20's for number of commitments, when it is all said and done with the 2021 cycle. For a majority of the Crimson Tide’s top targets remaining, the program is in a great spot, with five-star cornerbacks, Ga’Quincy McKinstry and Jason Marshall, and five-star defensive tackle Damon Payne.

In the coming months, it will be interesting to see the number of flips that wind up in this group. Like the 2020 class, a good portion could be committed to other schools right now, and ultimately end up signing to play in Tuscaloosa. Namely, the ones to keep an eye on down the stretch are Ohio State verbal commit, defensive end Tunmise Adeyele, Auburn pledge, defensive tackle Lee Hunter, and either Florida State commit Luke Altmyer or Texas commit Jalen Milroe, who both play the quarterback position.

Regardless, Nick Saban and company have a realistic shot at finishing near the top of the recruiting rankings despite what was called a slow start, due to 51 Sports Illustrated All-American candidates Alabama is in the running for. 

For each candidate, fans can click on each name to watch each player's highlights and read their full evaluations from SI All-American. 

Verbal Commits (15)

Bloomingdale (Valrico, Fla.) wide receiver Agiye Hall 

IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) offensive tackle JC Latham 

IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) wide receiver Jacorey Brooks 

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) defensive end Dallas Turner 

Duncanville (Duncanville, Tex.) linebacker Kendrick Blackshire 

Prattville (Prattville, Ala.) linebacker Ian Jackson 

John Ehret (Marrero, LA.) safety Kaine Williams 

Edgewater (Orlando, Fla.) wide receiver Christian Leary

Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Miss.) defensive back Kadarius Calloway

Robert E. Lee (Montgomery, Ala.) defensive tackle Anquin Barnes 

La Sale (Cincinnati, Oh.) defensive back Devonta Smith 

Mobile Christian (Mobile, Ala.) linebacker Deontae Lawson

All Saints Episcopal (Ft. Worth, Tex.) center James Brockermeyer

Peach County (Fort Valley, Ga.) offensive guard Terrence Ferguson

All Saints Episcopal (Ft. Worth, Tex.) offensive tackle Tommy Brockermeyer

Offensive Targets

Bleckley County (Cochran, Ga.) tackle Amarius Mims

Walker (Walker, La.) wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Lewis Central (Council Bluffs, Ia.) tight end Thomas Fidone

St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (Bryans Road, Md.) wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr.

Rock Hill (Rock Hill, S.C.) tight end Robbie Ouzts

Lake Mary (Lake Mary, Fla.) tight end/long snapper Rocco Underwood

Robinson Secondary (Fairfax, Va.) tackle Tristan Leigh

West Bloomfield (Bloomfield, Mich.) running back Donovan Edwards

Hewitt Trussville (Trussville, Ala.) running back Armoni Goodwin (Auburn commit)

Central (Phenix City, Ala.) running back Joseph McKay

Frederick Douglass (Lexington, Ky.) guard Jager Burton

Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) quarterback Luke Altmyer (Florida State commit)

Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Fla.) tight end Michael Trigg

Central East (Fresno, Calif.) wide receiver Xavier Worthy (Michigan commit)

Kennedy (Kennedy, Calif.) tight end Jermaine Terry (California commit)

Greenville (Greenville, Tex.) wide receiver Caleb Johnson

Pearl-Cohn (Nashville, Tenn.) tackle William Parker

Thompkins (Katy, Tx.) quarterback Jalen Milroe (Texas commit)

Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.) tight end Jalen Shead

Defensive Targets 

Belleville (Belleville, Mich.) tackle Damon Payne

Terrebonne (Houma, La.) tackle Maason Smith

Pinson Valley (Pinson, Ala.) cornerback Ga’Quincy McKinstry

Miami Palmetto (Miami, Fla.) cornerback Jason Marshall

IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) linebacker Xavian Sorey

Ramsay (Birmingham, Ala.) defensive end Jeremiah Williams

Ramsay (Birmingham, Ala.) tackle Tim Keenan

DeSoto (DeSoto, Tex.) defensive end Shemar Turner

John Paul II Catholic (Tallahassee, Fla.) safety Terrion Arnold

Boone (Orlando, Fla.) defensive end Shambre Jackson

University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) safety Jardin Gilbert

East Mississippi C.C (Scooba, Miss.) cornerback Khyree Jackson

Centennial (Corona, Calif.) defensive end Korey Foreman

Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wa.) defensive end J.T Tuimoloau

Lafayette Chrisian (Lafayette, La.) safety Sage Ryan

Blount (Eight Mile, Ala) tackle Lee Hunter (Auburn commit)

North Gwinnett (Suwannee, Ga.) cornerback Jordan Hancock

National Christian (Ft. Washington, Md.) defensive end Monkell Goodwine

Stonewall Jackson (Manassas, Va.) tackle Tyleik Williams

IMG (Bradenton, Fla.) defensive end Tunmise Adeleye (Ohio State commit)

Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Fla.) linebacker Keanu Koht (LSU commit)

St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. ) defensive end Tyreak Sapp (Florida commit)