TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama signed 22 recruits on the first day of the early signing period Wednesday, and 12 of those were listed as players on the defensive side of the football.
When asked about the biggest needs for recruiting in 2020, Nick Saban started on defense.
“I think that defensive players, we wanted to get a couple more guys up front. I think we did,” Saban said Wednesday evening. “We’re still going to try to add to that in the future. Edge players. … We wanted to get at least four DBs … two safeties and two corners to sort of add to that group. We’ve trying to play catchup since we had six guys leaves a couple years ago all at one -- four seniors and two guys to go out early for the draft. So, it’s been a work in progress to try to develop enough depth in that group. That was a need.”
Altogether, the Crimson Tide signed four players apiece at linebacker, defensive back and along the defensive line, but a couple of those defensive ends project as outside linebackers.
With half of the dozen defensive signees being linebackers, that was clearly a focus.
Alabama added two inside linebackers in Demouy Kennedy and Jackson Bratton as well as four edge guys in Chris Braswell, Drew Sanders, Quandarrius Robinson and Will Anderson. Braswell and Sanders are two of the three 5-star prospects the Tide signed on Wednesday.
“I definitely think that we really like that group of guys,” Saban said. “They’re all very talented. They’re all good pass-rushers. They’re all long. So, losing two guys that we’re going to lose this year, losing other guys that we recruited who are no longer in the program created a great need at that position, and we’re really pleased with the players that we have at that position.”
Alabama also signed two true defensive linemen in D-tackles Timothy Smith and Jah-Marien Latham. It also has two defensive linemen committed that chose not signing in the early signing period in Jamil Burroughs and Jayson Jones. After flirting with Florida down the stretch, Smith’s was the 16th letter of intent the Crimson Tide received yesterday, and it was a big one.
“Tim is a very talented guy,” Saban said. “Very athletic for his size. Over 6-4, 320 pounds. Plays basketball. Very nimble on his feet. Has some initital quickness, power and strike ability. We think he could play inside or out, and I think any time you get a dominant guy up front, which I think he is, that’s a real asset to your program.”
In the secondary, Alabama signed four players in safeties Brian Branch and Malachi Moore and cornerbacks Jahquez Robinson and Ronald Williams. Four-star Athlete Kristian Story could also play defensive back in Tuscaloosa. Robinson joined the team on Thursday during bowl prep and went through his first college practice. He won’t play in the Citrus Bowl.
One player that already has some college experience is Williams, who is the Tide’s lone junior college transfer this recruiting cycle. The early enrollee could make an immediate impact.
“If you recruit a junior college guy, that guy needs to play,” Saban said. “He’s got two years to play. So, we have not typically recruited a whole lot of junior college guys, but the junior college guys that we have, have fulfilled a need and have been able to contribute and play early on here and play well for us. So, we’re hopeful that that will be the case. He’s got really good size. He’s played Star, safety and corner, so he’s got versatility as a player.
“He played at a really good junior college program where they’ve had a lot of success and he was a real contributor to that, so we’re excited about the opportunity to have a guy like that to add to the group so that we’re not going to be too awful young and get a little maturity, as well.”
Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).
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