RECRUITING NOTEBOOK: Tide recruits land All-South honors

Fox Sports Net’s Countdown to Signing Day recently announced its 14th annual All-South team, and several of the University of Alabama’s top targets made the list.

Among the players on the first-team offense is Huffman’s Andre Smith, Scout.com’s top-rated offensive lineman. Smith has taken official visits to Southern California (Dec. 2) and Miami (Dec. 16), and has visits scheduled to LSU (Jan. 13) and Florida State (Jan. 20). Smith’s recruitment is far from over, but the Crimson Tide has the edge in this recruiting battle. Smith was the first offensive lineman in Alabama to ever win Mr. Football. He was also named the Class 6A Lineman of the Year.

Springdale (Ark.) standout Mitch Mustain, rated the nation’s top quarterback by Scout.com, has trimmed his list to Alabama, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Tennessee. The one-time Arkansas verbal commitment is looking around, and his former high school coach has been hired as the offensive coordinator of the Razorbacks. The recruiting dead period ends on Sunday, and Mustain will practice all week in San Antonio prior to the U.S. Army All-American game, which kicks off at noon on Jan. 7 and will be broadcast by NBC.

Scout.com four-star wide receiver Tim Hawthorne has taken official visits to Auburn and Georgia, rating each trip a “perfect 10." His remaining official visits include South Carolina (Jan. 14), Florida (Jan. 20) and Louisville (Jan. 27). Hawthorne will take an unofficial visit to Alabama in early January with his parents, but the Tide will not receive an official visit. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Homewood receiver is looking to join a big-time quarterback, and several of the nation’s best have his attention.

Among the first-team defensive players is Deantwan “Peanut" Whitehead from West End-Birmingham. Scout.com ranks Whitehead as the No. 3 defensive end in the country, and the five-star recruit had a spectacular senior season, recording 125 tackles and 25 sacks. Whitehead, who’ll be making visits next month, lists Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Clemson and Louisville as his favorites.

Scout.com four-star linebacker Brandon Spikes (6-4, 230) from Shelby-Crest (N.C.) has narrowed his choices to Alabama, Florida and Virginia Tech. Alabama and Florida are head-to-head in this recruiting battle, but with the verbal commitment of Scout.com five-star junior college player Larry Grant to Florida, the Tide may benefit. Spikes plans to announce his college decision at the U.S. Army game.

Scout.com four-star linebacker A.J. Jones is strongly leaning toward Florida, but Alabama is still in the picture.

“I am probably going to Florida, unless something blows my mind," Jones said.

The Tampa-Middleton product has taken an official visit to Alabama, ranking it as the best yet. It’s a battle between Alabama and Florida for his signature, but look for Jones to stay close to home and sign with the Gators. He will also visit Ohio State (Jan. 6), LSU (Jan. 13) and Florida (Jan. 20).

Allen Walker from Olive Branch (Miss.) is one of the top safeties in the country. The Scout.com four-star prospect plans to take an official visit to Alabama on Jan. 14. Florida, LSU and Ole Miss are also contending for his signature.

Leading the second-team offense is Cordera Eason (6-0, 240) from Meridian, Miss. Eason’s speed will make him a dominating pure running back on the next level. Eason, who attended several games in Tuscaloosa this fall, plans to take official visits to Alabama, LSU and Auburn in January. The only official visit scheduled is to Ole Miss on Jan. 20.

North Florida Christian running back Marcus Sims (6-2, 220) will take an official visit to Alabama on Jan. 9, and the Scout.com four-star prospect has the Tide high on his list. The Tallahassee native is a Florida State legacy, but the Seminoles are recruiting him as a linebacker. The 6-2, 220 pound athlete wants to play on the offensive side of the ball, and a signing-day decision may see him in Tuscaloosa.

Among the second-team defenders is Derrick Odom from Jackson-Callaway (Miss.), who has Alabama and LSU at the top of his list. The Scout.com four-star linebacker took official visits to both schools on back-to-back weekends in this month and rated his visit to LSU as the better of the two. Odom does not plan to base his college decision on his official visit alone but rather the place he feels the most comfortable. A decision is on the horizon for Odom, who is ready to put an end to the recruiting process.

On the third-team offense is Homewood’s David Ross (6-4, 285), an Alabama offensive line verbal commitment. Ross, rated as a four-star prospect by Scout.com, will take the next month to recruit his teammate Hawthorne to join him next season in Tuscaloosa. Ross finished a stellar career with back-to-back state titles and took home the award for Class 5A Lineman of the Year.

Alabama verbal commitment Preston Dial (6-4, 240) from UMS-Wright is a four-star tight end, ranked as the third-best tight end in the South and 17th-best in the country by Scout.com. Dial had a huge senior season, leading his team to the state championship. He was also named Class 4A Lineman of the Year.

Scout.com four-star prospect Jarmarcus Ricks, a versatile lineman from Colbert County, has trimmed his list to Alabama and Auburn. He has taken an official visit to Alabama and will visit Auburn on Jan. 13. Ricks is the only true defensive tackle on Alabama’s recruiting board, while the Tigers have four defensive line verbal commits. The Class 3A Lineman of the Year will make a decision after his official visit to Auburn.

Anthony Dixon (6-2, 230) from Terry, Miss., is rated a four-star running back by Scout.com. His remaining schools are Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, though the two Mississippi schools lead for his signature. Dixon, who rushed for more than 2,600 yards as a senior, will take an official visit to Alabama on Jan. 13.

On the third-team defense, Scout.com four-star defensive end Kentrell Lockett (6-5, 230) from Hahnville, La., was called “the most unheralded defensive end in the country." Lockett has Alabama and Ole Miss battling for his signature, and will take official visits to both schools in January before making a decision.

Visit www.TideSports.com for Andrew Bone’s daily recruiting coverage.