ANDREW BONE: Tide going after five-star athletes

Scout.com has 35 high school players rated as five-star prospects for the class of 2010 with Alabama on the recruiting board with several across the country.

Phillip Sims, the No. 4 rated quarterback in the country from Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va., committed to the University of Alabama in April. He has become of the the Tide’s biggest recruiters for other top prospects. Sims passed for more than 2,400 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2008 with four interceptions.

Marcus Lattimore, the No. 1 rated running back from Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., has trimmed his list to eight schools which include Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida State, Maryland and Penn State.

Kyle Prater, the No. 1 rated wide receiver from Proviso West High School in Hillside, Ill., has cut his list to 10 schools which include Alabama, Auburn, Illinois, Oklahoma, Southern Cal, Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Missouri and Miami. He plans to trim the list to five schools before the start of the season with Alabama, Illinois, Oklahoma and Southern Cal expected to make the next cut.

Demarcus Milliner, the No. 1 rated cornerback in the country from Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, committed to Alabama in early June.

Jordan Hicks, the No. 2 rated outside linebacker from Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio, has a list of six schools which include Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Southern Cal, Florida and Texas.

Lamarcus Joyner, the No. 2 rated cornerback from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has a list of seven schools with Florida State leading for his signature. The other schools include, which he named in order, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Southern Cal.

Corey Lemonier, the No. 3 rated defensive end from Hialeah High School in Florida, has a list of six schools which include Alabama, Florida State, Miami, Florida, Tennessee and Ole Miss.

Damien Robinson, the No. 4 rated offensive tackle from Olive Branch High School in Mississippi, has visited Tuscaloosa numerous times. The Tide signed his former teammate in the class of 2009, Rod Woodson, a Scout.com four-star rated safety.

Visit TideSports.com for Andrew Bone’s recruiting coverage. Join us online each Wednesday for recruiting chat sessions from 1-2 p.m. Reach Andrew Bone at abone@scout.com.