CECE JEFFERSON // STAR PROSPECT LOVES EVERYTHING ABOUT BAMA

CECE JEFFERSON // STAR PROSPECT LOVES EVERYTHING ABOUT BAMA

Alabama hosted highly-touted linebacker/defensive end CeCe Jefferson of Glen St. Mary-Baker County, FL on an official visit for the Texas A&M game. The 6-2, 250-pound Jefferson, who was joined on the visit by his father, saw an impressive display of defense in the Tide’s 59-0 shutout of the Aggies. “He had a great time,” says Baker County head coach Tom McPherson. “He said that he loved everything about it. He loved the school. He loved the facilities. He loved the time he spent with Coach Saban and their coaching staff.
“He mentioned how good the defense looked and how fast they played. That really impressed him. He kept a close eye on the Alabama defensive players who play similar positions to him. I think Alabama likes CeCe as a Jack linebacker, and he was watching those guys and he liked what he saw.
“He was excited about everything he saw.”
So where does Alabama stand?
“He doesn’t talk too much about it as far as where things are,” McPherson says. “He’s really just starting to take his official visits. He went to Ole Miss. He’s going to Georgia in the next week or two. But I’d still think that Alabama’s in his top three.
“Florida has always been up there, just because of location. They were one of the first schools on him, because he grew up just outside their door. But now that he’s actually visiting other places and seeing the game atmosphere at other places, I think it’s opened his eyes a little bit.”
Jefferson visited Ole Miss a few weeks ago when the Rebels upset Alabama. Some close to the OM program now think the Rebels are the team to beat.
“Obviously, I think on all of these official visits, these kids have a great time,” McPherson says.
“When they go to SEC schools, it’s a great experience for them to see the game atmosphere and the facilities they have and all the things they get to see. I think it helped Ole Miss that he was there the weekend they beat Alabama. I think that helped a bit, but at the end of the day, I don’t know that that will factor in.
“For him, I think it’s going to come down to whether he decides to stay close to home at Florida because he’s a local hero down here, or if he chooses to leave and go elsewhere because he thinks it’s best for his future.
“I think if you look at him and what’s best for his future, playing for Coach Saban and playing on Alabama’s defense is probably best for him if he wants to play on Sunday. But CeCe is a very independent young man. He’s going to make the decision he decides is best for him.”
Does the uncertainty of Will Muschamp’s future at UF affect Jefferson?
“I think it weighs on his mind a little bit,” McPherson says. “But Florida is just 35 minutes from his home. I think it would be more uncertain if that were the situation at a school away from home. But there’s a lot of Gator fans around here, and the University of Florida is what it is. I don’t think who the coach is is really going to have an impact on that.”
Regardless, McPherson doesn’t expect a decision anytime soon.
“I think it’s going to go down to the first week of February,” he says. “I honestly think there will be a lot of people who still won’t have any idea on signing day.”

Darian Roseboro
Does Bama have a shot?
Now that he’s de-committed from Michigan, the mad rush is back on for defensive lineman Darian Roseboro of Lincolnton, North Carolina. The 6-5, 265-pound Roseboro, one of the nation’s elite defenders, still has offers on the table from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas and UCLA, among others.
“He’s going to be a December grad, so this has got to be a real quick turnaround,” says Lincolnton head coach Scott Cloninger. “My phone is lighting up with schools wanting to get back in with him, but he’s got to make a decision very soon so that he can get all the paperwork to the school he decides on.”
Cloninger says that Alabama has made contact recently.
“Alabama was one of his top five schools when he picked Michigan,” Cloninger says. “Anytime Alabama is interested, that gets your attention. You have to listen to Alabama.
“I know they’ve called and they’re interested. But I don’t think he has a plan right now for taking visits. When I spoke to him, he didn’t mention visiting any particular schools.”