Live updates: Alabama football finalizes 2021 recruiting class on National Signing Day
Most of Alabama football's 2021 signing class is official, but it could make a couple of marquee additions on Wednesday.
Follow along for live updates on National Signing Day, and meet the Crimson Tide's 2021 class below:
INSTANT IMPACT? These Alabama football signees could play immediately in 2021
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HISTORIC CLASS? Even by Crimson Tide's standard, 2021 class is historically great
Meet the class
DL Anquin Barnes
Robert E. Lee (Montgomery)
247 Composite: 3-star, No. 29 defensive tackle
Commit date: April 17
Twitter handle: @AnquinBarnes
The final word: Andrew Ivins of 247Sports noted Barnes was nimble for his 6-foot-5, 299-pound frame, winning one-on-one reps with more than sheer strength. A clear comparison would be 2020 signee Tim Smith, who came to UA at 320 pounds but impressed with his mobility while playing basketball in high school.
ILB Kendrick Blackshire
Duncanville, Texas
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 11 inside linebacker
Commit date: July 14
Twitter handle: @KendrickBlacks1
The final word: Gabe Brooks of 247Sports said Blackshire is already “a bulked-up specimen with virtually college-ready size at linebacker.” Pictures of him in his senior season at Duncanville went viral in the football community.
OL James Brockermeyer
All Saints Episcopal (Fort Worth, Texas)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 1 center
Commit date: July 17
Twitter handle: @J_Brockermeyer
The final word: He is a little small, listed on 247Sports as 273 pounds, but Gabe Brooks said Brockermeyer has a “fairly lean build and wears his weight well, owns enough frame space to add needed bulk.”
OL Tommy Brockermeyer
All Saints Episcopal (Fort Worth, Texas)
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 2 offensive tackle
Commit date: July 17
Twitter handle: @TBrockermeyer
The final word: In some impressive showings by Brockermeyer at camps in between his sophomore and junior seasons, 247Sports’ Charles Power saw “a nasty disposition as a run blocker and dominates typically overmatched defensive linemen.”
WR Jacorey Brooks
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 2 wide receiver
Commit date: May 8
Twitter handle: @c7_brooks
The final word: 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins pointed to concerns in opening-burst speed, but ultimately concluded, “Should develop into a multi-year starter at the Power 5 level and has the chance to see meaningful snaps early on in his career given his size.”
ATH Kadarius Calloway
Philadelphia, Miss.
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 4 athlete
Commit date: July 8
Twitter handle: @KadriusC
The final word: His high school coach, David Frey, said of a game he saw Calloway play in eighth grade: “He looked like Mike Vick back there.”
WR Jojo Earle
Aledo (Aledo, Texas)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 6 wide receiver
Commit date: Dec. 16.
Twitter handle: @shelovezjojo
The final word: 247 Sports' Gabe Brooks said of Earle, at just under 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, "below-average size with limited frame, but compensates with outstanding functional on-field athleticism."
OL Terrence Ferguson
Peach County (Fort Valley, Ga.)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 2 guard
Commit date: July 19
Twitter handle: @TjFerguson69
The final word: As is often the case for elite talents like Ferguson, he played mostly left tackle in high school, but Charles Power of 247Sports sees several offensive line positions that would fit him at the collegiate level.
DE Monkell Goodwine
Rock Creek Christian Academy (Upper Marlboro, Md.)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 6 strong-side defensive end
Commit date: Aug. 15
Twitter handle: @MonkellGoodwine
The final word: While he’s unlikely to do so at UA, Goodwine has enough power to move inside to nose guard with some weight gain, according to Brian Dohn of 247Sports.
WR Agiye Hall
Bloomingdale (Valrico, Fla.)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 5 wide receiver
Commit date: April 18
Twitter handle: @HallAgiye
The final word: Lakeland coach Bill Castle, before playing against Hall’s Bloomingdale early in the season, called Hall, “a Cadillac receiver.”
OLB Ian Jackson
Prattville
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 13 outside linebacker
Commit date: May 28
Twitter handle: @IJackson_3
The final word: 247Sports’ Barton Simmons, now a member of Vanderbilt's football staff, saw enough sideline-to-sideline speed and a shifty nature to pass as a big safety, but ultimately determined an extra 20 or more pounds would show “developmental upside could allow for future playing inside or outside linebacker.”
CB Khyree Jackson
East Mississippi Community College
247 Composite: 3-star, No. 2 JUCO cornerback
Commit date: Aug. 15
Twitter handle: @Real_Khyree
The final word: Barton Simmons of 247Sports saw a quality of Jackson’s that should help him fit in UA’s defense. “Shows patience in man coverage, revealing confidence in speed and athleticism and has natural feel and timing making plays on the ball.”
DL Tim Keenan
Ramsey (Birmingham, Ala.)
247 Composite: 3-star, No. 24 defensive tackle
Commit date: Aug. 29
Twitter handle: @tim_keenan3
The final word: Has the potential to develop into a productive player based on hand quickness and ability to engage blocks, but as Barton Simmons of 247 Sports noted, "conditioning and body structure will be a focus at the college level."
DE/OLB Keanu Koht
Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Florida)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 3 weakside defensive end
Commit date: Dec. 16
Twitter handle: @KeanuKoht
The final word: Unsurprisingly for someone who performs well in track and field in Florida, Koht has a knack for, according to Charles Power of 247 Sports, "closing quickly to make plays behind the line of scrimmage both as a pass rusher and in pursuit."
OL JC Latham
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 1 offensive tackle
Commit date: June 12
Twitter handle: @TKJaayy
The final word: 247Sports’ Charles Power sees Latham as “ready-made from a size and bulk standpoint with little bad weight” with a basketball background to promote quick movement.
LB Deontae Lawson
Mobile Christian
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 3 inside linebacker
Commit date: Dec. 27, 2019
Twitter handle: @deontae_8
The final word: For all of his exploits as an inside and outside linebacker in college, Lawson also showed 247Sports’ Charles Power “athleticism as a direct snap quarterback on offense.”
WR Christian Leary
Edgewater High School (Orlando, Fla.)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 10 wide receiver
Commit date: June 16
Twitter handle: @ChristianLeary4
The final word: Leary has become known as “one of the fastest prospects in the class of 2021,” according to Andrew Ivins of 247Sports.
CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry
Pinson Valley
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 1 cornerback
Commit date: Oct. 25
Twitter handle: @GaQMcK1
The final word: McKinstry is clearly an impressive athlete, on pace to play football and basketball at Alabama, but that athleticism applies to multiple tasks on the football field, too. 247Sports’ Charles Power said McKinstry “would also be a top prospect as a receiver if he wanted.”
QB Jalen Milroe
Tompkins (Katy, Texas)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 4 dual-threat quarterback
Commit date: Aug. 17
Twitter handle: @JalenMilroe
The final word: According to Gabe Brooks of 247Sports, this is not a run-first quarterback. “True dual-threat with necessary tools as a passer and runner.”
TE Robbie Ouzts
Rock Hill, S.C.
247 Composite: 3-star, No. 31 tight end
Commit date: Sept. 8
Twitter handle: @robbie_ouzts
The final word: Rock Hill used Ouzts in the backfield, as an H-Back, an inline tight end and a receiver, giving him a background of positional flexibility that could prove useful for UA.
DL Damon Payne
Belleville, Mich.
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 4 defensive tackle
Commit date: July 26
Twitter handle: @DamonPayne2021
The final word: He could be another college-ready body coming into Alabama’s line positions, as Charles Power of 247Sports said he “doesn’t carry much bad weight on his frame despite already being around 300 pounds.”
OG Jaeden Roberts
North Shore (Houston)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 15 guard
Commit date: Dec. 25
Twitter handle: @jaeden_kingsa
The final word: Gabe Brooks of 247 Sports said Roberts got experience at tackle and on the interior in high school, meaning he, "projects to a big guard role, though potential position versatility should not be ruled out."
CB Devonta Smith
La Salle (Cincinnati)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 20 cornerback
Commit date: June 29
Twitter handle: @Prince_Tay_
The final word: Stood out for his track speed early in his high school career, then developed safety size to go with it. Many project him to play corner at UA, but Smith has said he could see himself fitting at safety, as well.
OLB Dallas Turner
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 1 weak side defensive end
Commit date: July 1
Twitter handle: @UnoErra
The final word: Andrew Ivins of 247Sports did not mince words. “One of the most productive pass rushers to come out of South Florida in recent cycles.”
RB Camar Wheaton
Lakeview Centennial (Garland, Texas)
247 Composite: 5-star, No. 2 running back
Commit date: Wednesday
Twitter handle: @CamarWheaton
The final word: To Gabe Brooks of 247Sports, the potential in Wheaton's body was obvious: "Will easily eclipse 200-pound plateau and should naturally maintain athleticism at heavier weight."
S Kaine Williams
John Ehret (Marrero, La.)
247 Composite: 4-star, No. 11 safety
Commit date: May 15
Twitter handle: @kwilliams5_
The final word: Gabe Brooks of 247Sports saw a rangy player in the back end, especially one for his size, but also a “willing participant against the run with encouraging pursuit ability and closing speed, generally delivers some pop upon arrival.”
Reach Brett Hudson at 205-722-0196 or bhudson@tuscaloosanews.com or via Twitter, @Brett_Hudson