I got a chance to see several high-profile athletes in action last weekend and was very impressed with a couple of guys. But there was one that Alabama fans will be very interested in that showed they still have room for improvement. Here is my biggest takeaway from the highly anticipated matchup between Hoover and St.John’s, which ended with a huge St.John’s win by a score of 42-14.
*=Alabama Commits
*Will Reichard
Reichard missed the one field goal he attempted and went 2-of-2 on extra points. He missed a 30-yard field goal. He went 1-of-2 on field goals the week prior. Hearing about missed field goals by an Alabama kicker commit may give Alabama fans a sick feeling in their stomach but it is important to note that Reichard has shown some great potential in the past and this is most likely a rough patch for him. If Reichard’s push through this adversity and gets back on track, it will show Tide fans they have a resilient kicker coming in. He will also most likely have a year to develop in Tuscaloosa before he is called on to be the Tide’s kicker on a consistent base. He did have some impressive punts.
Alabama 2019 Kicker Commit, Will Reichard. pic.twitter.com/qzSJaE2ulC
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) September 1, 2018
*Keilan Robinson
Robinson was in limited action last weekend. A lightning delay caused the game to be canceled halfway through the first quarter on Friday. The game was rescheduled to 9 a.m. that morning. Robinson played on Friday night but was not in action on Saturday. In his limited action, he did show flashes of what he can do. He ran the ball hard and it seemed like he was a few plays away from breaking off a big one. He is a shorter back that has a bit of a compact frame, which allows him to fit in tight gaps and explode in the secondary. I think this kid has a chance to be yet another great Alabama running back.
Rakim Jarrett
I was most impressed with Jarrett. He has a toughness about him that you do not usually see from the wide receiver position. He was constantly giving the secondary fits and showed why he was one of the top wideouts in the nation. This is the very reason Nick Saban told Jarrett he reminded him of Amari Cooper but tougher. His routes are crisp and he also has breakaway speed, similar to the Alabama great, Cooper, but the way he brings out the toughness within himself and his teammates make him a totally different animal. He ended the game with 5 receptions for 124 yards and 1 touchdown.
Mekhail Sherman
Sherman had a pretty impressive game as well. The 5-Star linebacker helped St.John’s hold Hoover’s high powered offense to just 14 points by constantly putting pressure on 2020 dual-threat quarterback, Robby Ashford. His presence played a big role in the Cadet’s defense. His large stature was enough for Hoover to try to avoid by itself. An important note is Sherman is really high on Alabama. He loves the Tide’s defensive coordinator, Tosh Lupoi.
Alabama 2020 LB target, Mekhail Sherman @JuicedUpK9, has the size to play today in a college game. He could be Terrel Lewis 2.0, who also attended St.Johns. pic.twitter.com/YwJotLIAH0
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) September 1, 2018
Tre’ Williams
Williams has Alabam in his top 10 and is very impressed with Alabama’s defensive line production. He made some good plays and helped St.John’s clogged up the middle. The most impressive part of his games was the amount of pressure he was able to put on the quarterback on passing plays. He forced Ashford to leave the pocket several times.
Alabama 2020 DT Target, @_TreWilliams, has Alabama in his top 10 due to their D-Line production. He also believes St.John's is the best high school team in the nation. pic.twitter.com/ImV8DsBLGX
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) September 1, 2018
