Alabama Legacy: Dre Kirkpatrick talks special moment with son
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., announced his commitment to the University of Alabama on Friday evening. It was a moment his father, Dre Sr., won’t soon forget. He committed to Nick Saban’s program 14.5 years ago, and now will see his son suit up for the Crimson TIde next year.
“It was definitely a surreal moment especially for me,” Dre Kirkpatrick Sr. said. “Dre experienced me being at Alabama. Coach Saban offering him while he is still there doesn’t justify the decision. My dad gave me the choice when I was his age. I have been staying out of the way.
“What did he really want to do? I wanted it to be his decision. I didn’t put any pressure on him. Alabama was the team for me. I wanted him to judge what was the best situation for him.”
Comparisons to former Alabama star
The best situation, in Dre Jr.’s eyes, was to follow in his father’s footsteps. The two shared similarities on the field as both play in the defensive backfield. Dre Jr., however, is a safety whereas his father was an All-American corner.
“He’s definitely a little different than me,” the former Cincinnati Bengal said. “He’s a ballhawk. He’s very aggressive. He’s not as athletic as I was, but I was also a little lighter. His playing weight is around 185-190-pounds.
“He’s not afraid of the moment. I call him baby Mark Barron. I see him as a downhill guy who isn’t scared of anything. He will come up and take on any running back just like Barron.
“I see him being more of a slot cover guy. He’ll be a strong safety or nickel. I would love to see him play over the top, but I want him to be challenged a little bit more. I want him to have fun out there and be able to come up on blitzes. He come up through the A or B-gap. That’s what he will ultimately do.”
Kirkpatrick is the first legacy in the Saban-era at Alabama. His father helped Coach Saban win his first of six championships while the head coach of the Crimson Tide.
“I’m not going to lie it means the world to me,” Kirkpatrick said. “He’s the only legacy recruit. I am glad I was able to be a part of Coach Saban’s legacy and to help build it. Coach Saban still talks to me like I’m his son. I hate it, but that’s way he is with all of us.”
Don’t Miss: Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., talks commitment to Alabama
On3 Sports Analysis:
Dre Kirkpatrick Sr. (left) with Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. (right)
“Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., is a very physical, active defensive back who can do a lot of different things in Alabama’s defense. He’s continued to get better. I think it’s important to understand he’s young for his class. He just turned 17-years old. He has continued to get bigger and better after adding 15-pounds of mass during the off-season.
“He had a good junior season at Gadsden City. He flies around, is instinctive, plays fast and sees things quickly. It’s not hard to see he’s the son of an NFL player. He knows how to play. He can cover from multiple spots. He lines up at safety. He can cover in the slot. He is always around the ball and is physical. He plays how you would want to play.
‘He can do some different things on defense. I can see him being good on special teams as well because of his physicality and effort level. I think given the strides he made as a junior you have to be encouraged. He was initially in Ohio when we first knew about him, and moved back to Alabama.
“He showed encouraging progress in the last year. His father is really well known Alabama player on the early (Nick) Saban teams. He has a different body type than his dad. You can see just with the edge he plays with that bears the most resemblance to his father.
“I look forward to see how he improves as a senior. I think the positive growth signs he showed from sophomore to junior year are encouraging. Alabama has had a really good look at him. I’m looking forward to tracking him as a senior.”– On3 Sports Scouting and Rankings Director Charles Power
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