The work is done, at least for now.
Alabama spent Wednesday’s early signing period receiving letters of intent from expected commits and received a few surprises as well. What does the future of Crimson Tide football look like?
Nick Saban and co. finished the opening day with the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class per 247Sports team rankings. A few more top recruits are set to decide in the coming days, but initially, Alabama pulled in three five-star prospects. Texas A&M and Georgia, the schools rounding out the top three, nabbed four and five five stars, respectively.
Here’s the Alabama football class of 2022:
OFFENSE
The quarterback: Ty Simpson
Westview (Tenn.), 5-star
No. 24 national, No. 3 QB
A state champion. A player of the year. Simpson is the elite signal-caller that Alabama has grown accustomed to acquiring.
The skill positions:
Emmanuel Henderson
Geneva County, 5-star
No. 30 national, No. 1 RB
Alabama’s highest-rated skill player per 247 Sports Composite rankings, Henderson told coach Nick Saban he’s open to playing any position.
Shazz Preston
St. James (La.), 4-star
No. 43 national, No. 3 WR
The Crimson Tide’s biggest pickup of the day is another dynamic pass-catcher who was originally tied to LSU.
Kobe Prentice
Calera, 4-star
No. 147 national, No. 24 WR
Prentice stays home as Alabama continues adding depth at the position for another year.
Isaiah Bond
Buford (Ga.), 4-star
No. 86 national, No. 2 ATH
Bond was a Florida-decommit and starred as a wide receiver in his senior season.
Aaron Anderson
Edna Karr (La.), 4-star
No. 96 national, No. 14 WR
LSU pushed hard to keep Anderson in-state, but he kept his earlier commitment.
Jamarion Miller
Tyler Legacy (Texas), 4-star
No. 97 national, No. 7 RB
Another flip, this time from Texas, Miller is an explosive option out of the backfield.
Amari Niblack
Lakewood (Fla.), 4-star
No. 173 national, No. 7 ATH
Whether at tight end or wide receiver, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Niblack is an offensive weapon when he gets on the field.
Elijah Brown
Wayne (Ohio), 4-star
No. 301 national, No. 13 TE
Brown had been committed since February and showcases an ability to block and leak out in passing situations.
The offensive line:
Tyler Booker
IMG Academy (Fla.), 4-star
No. 51 national, No. 6 OT
One of two signees from the Florida powerhouse, Booker projects as another solid tackle with his 6-foot-5, 325-pound frame.
Elijah Pritchett
Carver (Ga.), 4-star
No. 54 national, No. 7 OT
The first signee of the day had finalists of Florida State, Georgia and USC.
Dayne Shor
Denmark (Ga.), 3-star
No. 384 national, No. 31 OT
Shor’s size, 6-foot-6, 315-pounds, gives him upside in an offensive line group that is losing a few pieces.
DEFENSE
The front:
Jeremiah Alexander
Thompson, 5-star
No. 8 national, No. 1 EDGE
The highest-rated player in the class, Alexander is coming off three-straight state titles with the Warriors.
Jihaad Campbell
IMG Academy (Fla.), 4-star
No. 78 national, No. 9 EDGE
One of Alabama’s four pickups on the day, Campbell decommited from Clemson upon Brent Venables departure.
Jaheim Oatis
Columbia (Miss.), 4-star
No. 60 national, No. 9 DL
There was a play by Ole Miss and Mississippi State, but the 6-foot-4, 370-pound Oatis stays with the Crimson Tide.
Khurtiss Perry
Pike Road, 4-star
No. 74 national, No. 11 DL
Perry was one of the last undecided four-stars in the state entering signing day. Alabama beat out Auburn, Clemson, Ohio State and UCF.
Isaiah Hastings
Clearwater Academy (Fla.), 4-star
No. 311 national, No. 39 DL
The top prospect from Canada in this year’s group, Hastings had offers from Georiga, Michigan and Oregon, among others.
The linebacker: Shawn Murphy
Unity Reed (Va.), 40star
No. 57 national, No. 5 LB
Alabama’s lone linebacker signee, for now, Murphy was honored as the nation’s best high school linebacker earlier this month.
The secondary:
Earl Little Jr
American Heritage (Fla.), 4-star
No. 101 national, No. 12 CB
A Miami legacy, Little differed from his high school teammate Marvin Jones Jr. by choosing Alabama.
Tre’Quon Fegans
Thompson, 4-star
No. 104 national, No. 15 CB
Current and future teammate Jeremiah Alexander joked that he helped flip Fegans from Miami, where had been committed a few months ago.
Antonio Kite
Anniston, 4-star
No 154 national, No. 5 ATH
Kite was all over the field for Anniston but should figure into the secondary in Tuscaloosa.
Jake Pope
Buford (Ga.), 3-star
No. 391 national, No. 32 S
Pope won his third state title before choosing the Crimson Tide over North Carolina and Notre Dame.
This post will be updated.
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com
