In-state legacy schedules official visit with Alabama after meeting OL coach
Mal Waldrep, a state champion offensive lineman from Central High School in Phenix City, Ala., had a different official visit schedule when he woke up on Tuesday morning. He had set four official visit dates, and he replaced one of the visits with Alabama by the afternoon. Waldrep spoke with BOL about the changes.
Waldrep met with Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic for more than two hours on Tuesday. Coach Kap visited Waldrep’s school to meet with Waldrep for the first time. The two speak often with estimating around three or four times each week.
Coach Kap was hired by Alabama on February 19 after Scott Huff accepted the OL position with the Seattle Seahawks. Waldrep had attended Coach Kalen DeBoer’s first Junior Day on February 3. He did not, however, return to Tuscaloosa for a spring visit. He only visited Auburn, Florida and Tennessee.
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Mal Waldrep (Photo by Chad Simmons/On3)
This was the first in-person contact, and it went about as well as anticipated. Waldrep had originally set an official visit to Auburn on June 7-9 (UPDATED OFFICIAL VISITORS LIST). He will visit Alabama instead, and does not know if a return visit to Auburn is in the cards prior to a decision.
“Coach Kap talked about his background and where all he’s been,” Waldrep said. “He talked about a lot of the guys that he’s coached. He showed me how the likes to run things and how he likes to coach.
“I really like him. I think he’s a coach who seems very loyal. He also seems like he’s all about business. That’s what you really look for in a coach; one who likes to get after it. He’s the type of coach I want to be around.”
Waldrep received an offer from Coach DeBoer on February 1. He was informed by Coach Kap the Crimson Tide want him in the ’25 class. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman was a star at left tackle for the undefeated Class 7A state champions this past season. He is pursed more as an interior player by the schools on the short list.
“It was really the first question I asked,” he said when asked where Alabama sees him fitting in on their offensive front. “Coach Kap said I am sort of a mix between playing on the inside at guard or center. I can start out at guard, but I am definitely able to snap.
“I want to play inside. I don’t really have a preference between guard and center. Coach Kap wants me to send over some film of me snapping the ball this spring. I am still not fully practicing because of my shoulder (labrum surgery in January).”
There is a little bit of a legacy aspect to Waldrep’s high interest in Alabama. His father, Mal, played for the Crimson Tide (’98-02). He’s attended games in Tuscaloosa throughout life and has called Alabama his dream school.
“I like how they are traditionally, a winning program,” Waldrep said. “They are in the SEC, obviously. Alabama has been the standard as long as I can remember even now after Coach Saban retired. I think Coach DeBoer will step into the role and do really well.”
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Official visit dates have also been set for Clemson (5/31), Florida (6/14) and Tennessee (6/14). Waldrep is currently eyeing a decision date for July 10 (birthday). He also said a commitment may happen sooner if the feeling is right.
He has visited Clemson (as a recruit) more than the others to this point, and says the Tigers have recruited him the hardest to this point. He isn’t tipping his hand, however, on naming an overall favorite. He knows what to look for during the upcoming visits.
“It’s all pretty close between those four schools,” he said. “I am looking at the guys on the roster, and if I want to look like those guys in two-three years. How will I be developed as a player and person? The development part is really important to me.”
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