Alabama football has a recruiting pipeline, which stretches far across the southeastern United States and it looks as if the state of Texas is going to be even more essential to the Tide on the recruiting trail in the coming years.
Alabama’s 2020 recruiting class currently has two Texas products committed in Drew Sanders and Damieon George. However, the Tide’s 2021 recruiting class has started off with its first commit hailing from the state of Texas in 4-Star defensive back, Latrell McCutchin. With Alabama in good position with multiple other Texas recruits, it is not out of the question to think that multiple recruits from the lone star state will choose Alabama in 2021.
The leader of this moment is undoubtedly Alabama’s special teams’ coach, Jeff Banks. Banks has helped made Alabama football a name to know for recruits in the state of Texas and kept the Tide as a school to consider for several Texas targets. Banks, who lined up as a punter for Washington State in 1997, familiarity with the area comes from the four years he spent at Texas A&M as the Aggies’ special teams and tight end’s coach. Every Texas recruit, who received an offer from Alabama has had and will most likely have some contact with Banks.
Alabama’s lone 2021 commit, McCutchin, said he felt it was Banks and Alabama’s defensive back coach, Karl Scott, who made him comfortable enough to give Alabama his verbal commitment.
“They are not going to feed you lies or anything like that,” McCutchin told Touchdown Alabama in June. “A lot of coaches will sit there and lie to you, but they never did that to me.”
The state of Texas has never been short of talent and makes it case as one of the top states in the nation for high school football every season, which makes Banks a huge weapon for the Tide. 2021 4-Star defensive end, Tunmise Adeleye, who Alabama currently leads for, said his contact with Banks has been constant and he has expressed Alabama has a heavy interest in him.
“I speak with coach Banks twice weekly,” Adeleye told Touchdown Alabama in May. “I have met with coach Baker and coach Saban. They have been adamant about how their interest in me has never wavered since they offered me my freshman year.”
RELATED: Alabama in prime position with Tunmise Adeleye
2021 4-Star quarterback, Jalen Milroe, is another Alabama target from Texas, who the Tide have their eyes on. Milroe visited Alabama in early June. The dual-threat quarterback has expressed the tide has risen to the top of his recruitment after the visit.
“Without a question, they are at the top,” Milroe said. “It was a great experience.”
RELATED: Jalen Milroe has the Tide ‘at the top’ after visit
The 2021 recruiting class has a long way to go and the Tide will look to load up again with some impressive talent and Texas looks to be one of the states the Tide will focus on throughout the cycle.
Latrell Neville, Ketron Jackson, LJ Johnson, Hudson Wolfe, Dametrious Crownover, Devon Martin, Tommy Brockermyer, Savion Byrd and Donovan Jackson are a few of the other 2021 recruits Alabama is targeting
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Justin Smith is a Scouting/Recruiting analyst for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
