High Tide Sports with Gary Harris

High Tide Sports with Gary Harris

LESTER COTTON

Ready to get started

 Rarely a day passed this spring that highly-regarded offensive line signee Lester Cotton of Tuscaloosa-Central wasn’t spotted around the Alabama football facility watching the Tide go through drills.

“I thought it was important for me to be over there so I could to learn as much as I could,” Cotton says.

“I worked out on my own every day and then I spent as much time as possible over there watching and learning the system. I think that will help me to be prepared when I get there. I’m already kind of familiar with some things I needed to know.”

Given that Alabama lost three starters up front from last year, rebuilding the offensive line was a focal point this spring. Left tackle Cam Robinson and center Ryan Kelly are entrenched as returning starters. Redshirt freshman Ross Pierschbacher had an excellent spring and appears ready to nail down the left guard spot. Powerful run blocker Dominick Jackson seems to have a grip at right tackle.

The spot Nick Saban expressed some question about in his spring comments was right guard, where sophomore Bradley Bozeman leads the pack.

It was originally thought that Cotton would provide backup to Jackson at right tackle. But now it appears that Cotton will get a crack at right guard.

“I’m training for right guard and then I’m going to eventually work out to right tackle,” Cotton says. “I’ve been learning about right guard and doing a lot of footwork drills for right guard. I feel like I’m picking it up real fast. I’m trying to get more comfortable with it.”

The 6-4 Cotton is also getting more comfortable with his weight.

“I’ve lost about 28 pounds,” he says. “I was 348. Now I’m around 320. I’m pretty close to being where I need to be. I feel really good. I feel like I’ve gotten quicker and faster than I was. I think I can move better.”

The next step for Cotton is to finish up high school. He plans to report to campus for summer workouts around May 24.

Cotton says he’s looking forward to finally joining his fellow freshmen.

“I feel like we’re a real close bunch of guys,” Cotton says. “I’ve talked to everybody. It’s not like I’m just talking to a few guys. We all stay in touch with each other. I think everybody is real excited.”

Cotton’s priority will continue to be what it was during spring practice – to learn as much as he can.

“I’ll be a little nervous at first, like you always are anytime you’re starting something new,” Cotton says. “But once I get settled, I’ll be fine. I just want to learn as much as I can to try to put myself in position to play as soon as I can. I want to go in and compete.”

ANFERNEE JENNINGS

Expects to start out at Jack

There’s been a lot of speculation about which position incoming freshman Anfernee Jennings of Dadeville will play. The 6-3, 268-pound Jennings could play linebacker, defensive end or even tight end.

Tight ends coach Bobby Williams is already in his ear.

“He always tells me he’s going to get me with him at tight end,” Jennings says. “I just smile.”

Jennings was an excellent prep tight end. He has all the tools. He’s big, strong and physical, and he likes to block and he has good hands.

While that’s the kind of tight end Alabama needs, Jennings will start out on defense.

“They really want me as a Jack linebacker,” Jennings says.  “The guys they have at Jack now are a little smaller than I am. They say they like that I’m a bigger guy who they could plug in there. They need a heavier guy there.”

Jennings was the state’s 4A Lineman of the Year last season when he made 156 tackles and 12 sacks. He had over 30 sacks in his high school career.

Dadeville assistant Matt Harrison, a former Tide offensive lineman, thinks that Jennings is potentially a dominant pass rusher who could eventually develop into another John Copeland or Michael Myers.

“I think he could be a tremendous pass rusher on the inside or on the outside,” Harrison says. “He’s going to have the size to hold up inside and he’s fast enough to be on the outside. He’s a 4.6 guy right now at close to 270 pounds.

“He’s a lot like Michael Myers with his hands. Michael had great hands and had the ability to get blockers off of him. Anfernee has great hands like that. I think he’s going to be 280-290 pounds. With his speed, he could be hard to handle inside and outside.”

Jennings finishes up high school on May 13. He’ll be in Tuscaloosa to begin summer workouts eleven days later on the 24th.

“I’m excited to get in the weightroom under Coach (Scott) Cochran and see how I develop,” Jennings says. “I’m also looking forward to getting in depth into the playbook and learning my assignments.

“I’ve been working on a lot of drills and doing a lot of work to get ready. They’re telling me that if I can come in and get the playbook down that I could get some reps this year.”

Jennings says he already feels like he’s part of the team.

“I talk to guys like Reggie Ragland, Ronnie Harrison and Da’Shawn Hand, all the time,” Jennings says. “I talk to a lot of the current players and the the guys in my class. I think we’re all really close. I feel really good about everyone.”