ThrowBack Thursday: Alabama draft-eligible players as recruits
The University of Alabama will see several of its former players announced as NFL draft selections on Thursday with a chance to see four potentially drafted in the first round. The four juniors who have all been projected as first or second rounders all have something unique in common. They were part of a class that didn’t really enjoy the full recruiting experience.
The Crimson Tide will also have several former stars with hopes of having their name called at some point during the weekend including the NCAA All-Time leading scorer, Will Reichard.
Below is a look back at the players before they arrived in Tuscaloosa as student-athletes. It was a wild journey for many- with twists and turns throughout the process.
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The Covid Class:
Dallas Turner
Nick Saban had always recruited at a very high level. Many of the targets were national names, and had been offered/pursued by Alabama as well as others prior to even the conclusion of their junior season. Many were invited to attend games, participated in summer camp or had met with the coaching staff at some point.
Alabama had a Junior Day in early February of 2020 prior to the recruiting dead period. The country went on lock-down mid-March. Further evaluations and visits had come to a halt. Recruits were having to make tough choices, while schools were also needing to decide who to take without having a proper evaluation.
There were some mis-evaluations, whether it was from a talent or personal standpoint. More than half of the signing class (15 of 27) transferred during their career. Of the 12 who remained, eight are on the team and continue to play important roles for Alabama. James Brockermeyer, center, entered the transfer portal on Wednesday.
The players include: QB Jalen Milroe, TE Robbie Outz, OL Jaeden Roberts, DL Damon Payne, DL Tim Keenan, Wolf Keanu Koht, LB Deontae Lawson and DB DeVonta Smith.
The other four who remained decided to forego their senior season:
EDGE Dallas Turner
OL JC Latham
Terrion Arnold, five-star, S, John Paul II Catholic (Tampa, Fla.)
-Arnold kept people guessing all way until his announcement on National Signing Day. It’s rare these days for players to wait until February to reveal their college decision. Arnold was one of the few who had a chance to visit Alabama for Junior Day (2020) prior to the Covid-19 shut-down. He didn’t have an opportunity to visit again until a decision happened almost a year later.
Alabama was considered an early front-runner for Arnold, but without the ability to take visits many questioned if leaving his home-state was at the top of the list. The Tide had pushed hard to add Arnold and Kool-Aid as best DB duo in the country (which turned out the same in college). Alabama battled Florida and Georgia until the end. Some even thought Alabama was running third a few days prior to signing day. BOL knew it was not the case as Alabama remained confident in its pursuit and landed the All-American.
Dallas Turner, five-star EDGE, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Fort Lauderdale)
-Turner attended Junior Day at Alabama and Georgia. The Bulldogs were considered the early front-runner, but the momentum started to turn in favor of the Tide after the early February visit. Turner was a star at American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) before transferring to STA for his final season. His top schools during the spring also included Clemson, Florida and Michigan.
A decision was announced on July 1. There was some thought during the spring that visits would re-open by June, and everything return to normal as far as recruits allowed to take summer visits. It did not happen. Alabama sold Turner on becoming a dangerous tandem with another five-star UA signed in the previous class, Will Anderson. Former OLB coach Sal Sunseri and Coach Saban were instrumental in Alabama adding the 2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, five-star CB, Pinson Valley HS in Ala.
Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid
McKinstry (Jordan Prather, USA TODAY Sports)
-On the surface it seemed like a match made in Heaven. The best program in the country. The top recruit in the state. Nick Saban’s development at the DB position. McKinstry was an early offer for Alabama. He wanted to enjoy the recruiting process, however. He was just another one of those players who wanted the experience of taking official visits- no one knew Covid would throw a wrench in those plans.
McKinstry grew up an Alabama fan. He showed a lot of interest in other schools, more particularly Auburn and LSU. There was a lot of chatter during the summer LSU had taken the lead in his recruitment. It was then was all-Auburn heading into the fall. “I had told Auburn I was going to commit to them publicly,” McKinstry told al. com. “I woke up three days later and was like, ‘Hell nah! I’m going to ‘Bama. I called my mama and told her, ‘I’m going to Alabama, mom. I ain’t going to Auburn.’”
Coach Saban and former Alabama DB coach Karl Scott were relentless in their pursuit.
JC Latham, five-star OL, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
-Alabama has seen an abundance of success at IMG Academy through the years especially on the offensive line. Evan Neal and Latham were stalwarts for the Crimson Tide. Tyler Booker will have his chance in the 2025 NFL draft if he decides to leave early like his former IMG constituents. Latham transferred to IMG after his sophomore season (Waukesha, Wi-Catholic Memorial). He, in fact, arrived at the national powerhouse as a defensive lineman.
Injuries to a few starters on the OL-front provided an opportunity for Latham to contribute immediately, and make the switch from the defensive side. The decision turned out as one of the best of his life- as he is about to get PAID. Alabama started communicating with Latham during his junior season after (Evan) Neal went to watch IMG play at Hoover. The Alabama freshman (at the time) then encouraged the staff to express interest.
Latham did not visit Alabama prior to the Covid-shutdown. He had high interest in schools like LSU and Ohio State. He considered himself a strong lean to the Tigers, but the relationship continued to grow with Alabama. Latham had regular Zoom calls with then-OL coach Kyle Flood and also communicated often with Nick Saban. He ultimately felt like Alabama had the best-of-the-best and wanted to compete with top talent daily. He committed in June without ever stepping foot on campus.
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Former Alabama stars including Braswell, Reichard awaiting next step
Chris Braswell (Jordan Prather / USA TODAY Sports)
Chris Braswell, five-star EDGE, St. Frances in Baltimore (2020)
-Braswell was an early commitment for Alabama when he committed in late fall of his junior season. A few of his former teammates were committed, and signed with Alabama the following month including OL Darrion Dalcourt and LB Shane Lee. Braswell remained a solid commitment throughout the next year. He had also previously considered Georgia and Ohio State. Alabama was the only school to receive an official visit. Braswell knew where he wanted to go very early in his recruitment and shut down everything very quickly.
Justin Eboigbe, Top 100 DL, Forrest Park HS in Ga. (2019)
-The Peach State product certainly created plenty of discussion in the weeks/days leading up to his signing day ceremony on December 19. Ebogibe had committed to Alabama in June, but he continued to communicate with other schools and took official visits to Florida, Miami and Tennessee. The Vols were drawing the most attention in the final days, and he surprised some by sticking with the Tide.
Will Reichard, No. 1 Kicker, Hoover HS in Ala. (2019)
-Reichard was ranked as the top kicker in the country. The offers arrived early including one from Alabama at Junior Day, which was out of character for the Tide. Special teams offers were typically extended in summer camp prior to a player’s senior season. Reichard had been on recruiting trips to Alabama prior to the offer. He strongly considered Georgia and LSU before announcing a May commitment to Alabama. A former Alabama assistant coach said during a conversation prior to one of Reichard’s games as a senior, “He can start for us right now.”
Jase McClellan, Top 100 RB, Aledo HS in Texas (2020)
-McClellan was committed to Oklahoma for more than two years, and he was considered a cornerstone piece in Coach Lincoln Riley’s class. Alabama continued to chip away in its pursuit off the Lone Star State back. They were able to host for an unofficial visit during the summer. McClellan, who still considered himself 100-percent with the Sooners, decided to return for an official visit the following November for the Tide’s game against LSU. Alabama gained a lot of steam after the visit, and eventually flipped McClellan on the first day of the Early Signing Period.
Darrian Dalcourt, four-star interior OL, St. Frances HS in Baltimore (2019)
-Dalcourt saw his stock rise during the spring evaluation period. Alabama had targeted Dalcourt as a center in its class. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley lead the recruiting efforts, while OL coach Brent Key (now the head coach at Georgia Tech) also played a significant role. Dalcourt chose Alabama over Ohio State in August prior to the start of his senior season.
Alabama will also have three players who transferred in from other schools with hopes of hearing their names called this weekend: WR Jermaine Burton (UGA), DB Jaylan Key (UAB) and LB Trezman Marshall (UGA).
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