Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 234
40: 4.5 secs
Vertical: 37 inches
With yet another recruiting title under his hall of fame worthy belt, Tide Coach Nick Saban heads into the spring with the task of rebounding and rebuilding his team to their National Championship potential. One name on the list of new recruits looks to make an immediate impact on the field. Blue chip Athlete Bo Scarborough out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida earned All-State and All-American honors in his senior year with the Wildcats, drawing attention from colleges across the south.
A visit from new Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin was the winning touch for Alabama as Scarborough committed to his hometown Tide on national signing day. Scarbrough, the second ranked Athlete and 16th rated recruit in the nation, averaged 10.4 yards a carry in his lone season with the Ascenders, on his way to 1,118 yards and 16 touchdowns on the 2013-2014 year.
To assume Scarbrough would be used in the backfield wouldn’t be an over estimation of his talent, but his talents speak more to a hybrid position on the wing. With a backfield stacked with names such as Yeldon, Drake, and Henry, Scarbrough might be seen as an after thought in his freshman season in lining up in the I. However, when paired with Brian Vogler and Michael Nysewander at the Tight End position, the 6’2”, 215 pounder presents an athletic target in the passing game, similar to a Jimmy Graham of New Orleans Saints notoriety.
Scarborough’s 37 inch vertical will come in use in the red zone for jump ball opportunities in the end zone, along with his 4.5 second 40 speed creating incredible separation ability at the position. With Lane Kiffin taking over the offensive reigns and Florida St. transfer Jacob Coker pegged to replace departing signal caller A.J. McCarran, Scarbrough’s size and speed may be what pushes the Tide’s offense over the top this season.
Offensively, the Tide returns six starters, with offensive linemen Cyrus Kouandjio and Anthony Steen leaving a gap up front. Tailbacks like Scarbrough and standout Derrick Henry are built for the ground and pound of a Nick Saban pro style offense, so it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination for Scarbrough to find himself battling for time in a crowded backfield come midseason.
Yeldon paced the team with 1235 yards on the season, but suffered from sporadic cases of fumble-itis, while Keyan Drake added 694 yards and eight scores of his own. One could believe that fall practice could be the ultimate teller in how soon Alabama fans will see Scarbrough in game; should he have a consistent summer and perform to expectations in early fall practices, Scarbrough might just complete a three prong attack from the backfield, giving Coker a hefty safety net in play action passing.
Though McCarron may take receivers Kenny Bell and Kevin Norwood with him to the next level, Coach Kiffin will have a surplus of talent, including Scarbrough, at his disposal in his first season. Adding Scarbrough’s height and separation ability to a target corps of Amari Cooper and Christian Jones, amongst others, the Tide’s offense may closely mirror that of the 2012 National Championship team.
Bo Scarbrough may be only one of a dozen plus of committee’s for the 2014 season, but he brings an added dimension to the Tide’s offense that has been missing since the graduation of Trent Richardson. While Yeldon presented another option out of the backfield in the passing game (20 receptions, 183 yards), Scarbrough would translate the forecasted abilities at a possible Tight End position to a lethal target out of the backfield, or even at a slot receiver position.
However he is used, IMG Academy’s Bo Scarbrough is a blue chip recruit that will give an added boost to the Tide’s offense and bring the team closer to a SEC championship and a 16th National Championship.
