BAMA RECRUITING UPDATE

BAMA RECRUITING UPDATE
JEFFERY SIMMONS
Simmons has another great visit to Tuscaloosa

During the Ole Miss game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama hosted some of its top defensive line prospects for the 2016 class, including Jeffery Simmons of Macon-Noxubee County, MS.
Simmons, who measured 6-4, 275 during the visit, rates Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss as his top three. Auburn is also pushing hard, and Georgia jumped into the fray by extending an offer on Tuesday.
On his visit to Tuscaloosa for the Ole Miss game, Simmons says, “It was a great visit. I loved the game. It was an awesome game. Both teams played well. The outcome doesn’t affect my thoughts one way or the other. I’m just looking for the best school for me and my family.”
Simmons says that during the game he was focused on the Tide’s defensive line.
“Their schemes are just like Coach (Bo) Davis told me they were,” Simmons says. “I don’t get caught up in the 3-4
and the 4-3, because Alabama plays both. One time in the game the Alabama defensive line pressured the quarterback three or four straight plays and that impressed me.”
“I have a great relationship with Coach Davis,” Simmons says. “We talk all the time. I like him a lot. But I don’t get too attached to any of the coaches. My main goal is to play in the NFL. That’s what I’m looking for.”
Simmons says that he spoke to Nick Saban during the visit.
“Coach Saban told they don’t just want me, he said they need me,” Simmons says. “He said they’re losing a lot of guys after this season and they’ve got to have some guys ready to come in and play.”
Simmons also spent time with Tide defensive linemen D.J. Pettway and Jarran Reed.
“They’re good guys,” he says. “They told me a lot of positives about Alabama.”
Simmons plans to wait until after the season to make his decision.

RASHARD LAWRENCE
Tide still in strong position with Louisiana star

S
ome Tide fans jumped to conclusions when Monroe-Neville, LA star defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence decided to visit LSU rather than Alabama recently.
But the UA staff was fully aware that Lawrence’s family had made a previous commitment to visit LSU and that there was a good chance they’d stick with
those plans.
A strong source told Tider Insider’s Rodney Orr that Alabama still felt very good about its position with Louisiana’s top prospect.

A.J. BROWN
Bama needs Brown

O
ne area where Alabama needs a couple of difference-makers is wide receiver, and the Tide still feels very good about its position with Starkville High School star A.J. Brown.
The 6-2, 218-pound Brown, who has drawn comparisons to a young Julio Jones, has a strong relationship with the Tide staff. His father is especially fond of Nick Saban and Tide assistant Bo Davis.
In addition to his terrific size, Brown has the the kind of speed and explosiveness that college coaches covet.

DEXTER LAWRENCE
His mom is highly
impressed with Saban’s track record

O
ne of the nation’s premier prospects who was in Tuscaloosa for the Ole Miss game was Wake Forest, NC mammoth defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. The 6-4, 330-pound Lawrence made the visit with his mother.
Nick Saban has made a strong impression on both Lawrence and his mother. The mother is especially impressed with Saban’s track record for developing players for the NFL. She plans to join Dexter for another Tuscaloosa visit later this season.

NIGEL KNOTT
Knott not ready

A
top prospect not in Tuscaloosa for the Ole Miss game was cornerback Nigel Knott of Madison-Germantown, MS. Instead, the 5-11, 182-pound Knott was on a visit to Oregon, where he had a great trip.
Knott was expected to announce a decision for Alabama, but he’s now delayed that decision and many are predicting he’s headed to Oregon.
Yes, Oregon does have a connection with Knott’s father, who played at Ole Miss for the current Oregon secondary coach. But Knott’s father also has a a very strong rapport with the Tide staff and there are other factors working in Alabama’s favor that might eventually pay dividends for UA.

We’ll see how this eventually ends up, but don’t count out Bama just yet.