With National Signing Day occurring Wednesday, a former five-star prospect gives his opinion on why Alabama should be the next move for graduating high school seniors.
I'll keep it simple. I got 16 reasons why you should commit to UA. The chances of there being 17 reasons next year is likely. #RollTide
— B² (@Blake8Barnett) February 1, 2016
Prior to 2015, Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett was a marquee name at Santiago High School in Corona, Calif.
He threw for a career-high 3,404 passing yards with 23 touchdowns in 11 games in 2014. Barnett was listed as the nation’s top pocket passer and dual threat signal-caller, per ESPN and Rivals.com recruiting sites. He chimed in with 695 rushing yards and 13 scores.
Barnett committed to Alabama in June 2014 and signed on Feb. 4, 2015. He battled Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Jacob Coker for the starting the job, before falling behind Bateman, Morris and Coker, who would end up winning the role.
He excelled last season on scout team, emulating opposing quarterbacks. Barnett was a part of Alabama’s Southeastern Conference and national championship run in 2015, earning two rings while redshirting as a freshman. He had added some weight to his 6-foot-5 frame and is a frontrunner for the job this fall.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
