ALABAMA TURNS ATTENTION TO 2016 // CRIMSON TIDE SIGNED TOP CLASS IN 2015

ALABAMA TURNS ATTENTION TO 2016 // CRIMSON TIDE SIGNED TOP CLASS IN 2015

The ink isn’t dry yet on letters of intent that were signed in 2015, but already Alabama is working to secure another top class in 2016. The Crimson Tide has three commitments for next year’s class and don’t be surprised if there are several more commitments in the next few weeks. We are going to spotlight a couple of players that Alabama is high on for 2016.

DERRICK BROWN
Elite 2016 DL makes his
fourth visit to Tuscaloosa
Quite possibly the best prospect on campus for Alabama’s Junior Day was 2016 defensive tackle Derrick Brown of Sugar Hill-Lanier, GA. The 6-4, 294-pound Brown already has offers from many of the nation’s top programs, including Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Nebraska, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas and USC, among others.
“It was like my fourth trip to Alabama,” Brown says. “I like it. I love the campus and the atmosphere there. It’s a quiet place. I like that. I just like everything about it. It’s a nice place. They have great facilities. Everything is good.”
Brown says that one of the highlights of Junior Day was spending time with Coach Saban and DL coach Bo Davis.
“They just really talked mostly about the program, what they offer and how they do things. That was basically it,” Brown says. “Coach Davis is a good guy. We talked a lot. He’s a real nice person. He jokes around with you, but you can tell when it’s time to get serious, he’s serious.
“I know he’s a good coach. He’s developed a lot of good defensive linemen. We sat down and talked about what it takes to be a d-lineman at Alabama and what he expects out of his players.
“Coach Saban is a nice guy, too. We just talked about the normal stuff. Nothing really out of the ordinary. He told me he was glad I was there. He’s easy to talk with. He’s really a straightforward guy. He doesn’t just say things to say them. He tells you like it is. I like that about him. He tells you exactly how it is.”
Brown says that it’s early to start naming favorites, but Alabama is a school that he’s interested in.
“I’m going to continue visiting schools,” he says. “I will be going back to Alabama again. I like it over there. They’ll be one of the schools I’ll seriously consider.”

A.J. BROWN
Top 2016 WR visits for Junior Day
Junior wide receiver A.J. Brown of Starkville, MS is already drawing comparisons to Julio Jones. Starkville head Jaime Mitchell has heard the comparison from those who know what they’re talking about.
“Coach Bo Davis and Coach Billy Napier from Alabama were here a few days ago and that’s who they said that A.J reminds them of.” Mitchell says. “It’s really kind of scary.”
Brown earned 6A All-State honors last season when he caught 52 passes for 1,019 yards and 16 touchdowns.
“He’s got NFL skills right now,” Mitchell says. “He’s such a big, strong, physical receiver.”
Brown was in Tuscaloosa recently for the Tide’s Junior Day event. He measured 6-2, 215 pounds.
Back during the season the UA staff mentioned an offer to Brown. The official news came on Junior Day from Coach Saban.
“We had a nice conversation,” Brown says. “It was a typical conversation. He was just telling me about the program and how they do things there. He told me they were officially offering. That was good.
“I really like the program. It’s a nice place—the facilities and the weightroom, the whole place. I can’t wait to get back over there. I’m really looking forward to going back later on.”
Even though it’s very early, it appears that Brown already favors Alabama and Ole Miss. The Tide might have an early lead.
“One of the things I liked most was getting a chance to talk with some of the players, like Kenyan Drake and Derrick Henry,” Brown says. “They talked with us about the recruiting process and how they handled it and how they dealt with some of the challenges they faced once they got to college. That was good to hear.
“Kenyan Drake talked about his injury and how difficult it was at first. But he said the training staff and the medical staff did a great job of taking care of him.”
“It was a nice visit,” Brown says. “A real nice visit. I learned a lot.”