Recruiting Update: 5-Star Official Visitors for Alabama

Dec 7, 2022 - 3:15 PM

Alabama has played their final game of the season in Tuscaloosa but there is still plenty of football activities happening on campus. For starters, the Crimson Tide will be hosting three 5-star recruits and one up and coming 4-star recruit Dec. 9th-11th.

• 5-stars DL James Smith #15 and EDGE Qua Russaw #31, both from in Montgomery. Normally, you would not lump two prospects together in one paragraph but these two Carver High School teammates are adamant that they are a package deal - one that no straight-thinking person would turn down. They are both rated 5-stars with Smith ranked a little higher. Alabama is the favorite but it’s never over until the ol’ fax machine starts whirling at Mal Moore Athletic Complex.
• 5-star CB Desmond Ricks (Chesapeake, VA) #16 overall - Currently at IMG, Ricks reclassified to the class of 2023 shortly after he turned 18 years old in October of 2022. Despite moving up a class, he is still ranked as the No. 2 cornerback by the 247sports composite rankings. After attending the Iron Bowl two weeks ago, he OV’d to Florida last weekend and will spend his final OV at LSU December 16 - unless Saban can get him to cancel. (NOTE: He is not believed to be immediately related to Eli Ricks.)
• 4-star LB Arion Carter (Smyrna, TN) #318 now #254 - A few months ago, this guy was an unknown 3-star Memphis commit. After an exemplary senior year, he is shooting up the charts with offers from across the country. He has already taken OVs to Ohio State and Tennessee and wraps it up this weekend in T-Town.

The Early Signing Period begins December 21 and lasts through the 23rd. National Signing Day is February 1, 2023.

COACHES ON THE ROAD

@DLockwood25

Recruits are not the only ones traveling this week. The Alabama coaching staff has fanned out across the country traveling to the hometowns of the prospects they are looking to woo. Nick Saban is no exception as he not only meets with the uncommitted; He also does in-home visits with his committed players. Just on Monday alone, the Alabama head coach tirelessly traveled to Tennessee to see Arion Carter and TE commit Ty Lockwood, followed by a trip to east Texas to catch up with commits DL Jordan Renaud and WR Jalen Hale.

On the way home Tuesday, he made it to Zachary, LA to see quarterback commit Eli Holstein. Saban also found time see Tuscaloosa native and OL commit Wilkin Formby and Desmond Ricks at the IMG campus in Bradenton, FL.

Wednesday, it’s off to Georgia to check in on committed QB Dylan Lonergan and UGA commit TE Lawson Luckie in the Atlanta area, and then catch OL Ryqueze McElderry in Anniston on the way back.

Thursday’s schedule has the Bama Energizer Bunny heading to Kansas to visit the No. 1 ranked juco player in WR commit Malik Benson. That is followed by a quick trip down to Oklahoma to see WR Cole Adams.

Friday, he is expected to squeeze in a sit-down with Tony Mitchell in Alabaster before welcoming the Official Visitors to Tuscaloosa for the weekend.

Who says Saban is slowing down in his old age?