Alabama is home to cluster of blue-chip prospects in the 2027 cycle — Yahoo Sports

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

Alabama is home to cluster of blue-chip prospects in the 2027 cycle — Yahoo Sports | AIPROPX

The state of Alabama remains a level below the likes of Texas and Florida when it comes to producing blue-chip high school football prospects, but it is firmly in the second tier. Looking at the 2027 cycle, that’s once again the case.

As of Aug. 13, there are 19 blue-chip senior prospects in the Yellowhammer State, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking , a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. All 19 are committed ahead of their final high school seasons.

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Those 19 commitments have dispersed among 13 schools. Four programs — Auburn, Miami, Texas and Oklahoma — have plucked multiple blue-chip pledges in the state. Alex Golesh and the Tigers have four in-state four-stars in the boat alone.

Six of the 19 four-stars in the state are on the defensive line. There’s also three safeties, three quarterbacks and a pair of linebackers and EDGE rushers. Rivals takes a look at the top Alabama prospects in the cycle and where they are currently committed:

1. LB Isaac McNeil — Auburn

School: Vigor Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 90 NATL. (No. 7 LB) Committed Since: June 2

Scouting Summary: “Ascending linebacker prospect with high-end aggression, instincts, and play speed. Measured in at a shade under 6-foot-2 and north of 210 pounds heading into his senior season. Has good length for the position, with arms that measure just under 33 inches. Tests as a strong athlete in the combine setting. Enjoyed a breakout junior season which helped him to blossom into a national prospect. Lines up off-ball and on the edge for his high school team. A guided missile as a run defender. Triggers quickly and flows to the football with considerable speed, eliminating angles. Closing speed is excellent. Arrives with bad intentions. Consistently de-cleats ball-carriers on contact. Rushers tend to fall backwards after contact. Shows striking power, but doesn’t sacrifice form by simply hunting for big hits. Also a dangerous pass rusher and blitzer.

…Speed off the edge is a big mismatch for high school offensive tackles. Finished his junior season with 92 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. Also lined up as a short yardage running back. Primarily plays moving forward as a run defender or pass rusher. While fairly unproven in coverage on Friday nights, showed very well in that regard in the camp setting. Touts a well-rounded skill set that makes him one of the better linebacker prospects in what is a loaded cycle at the position nationally.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

2. CB Ai’King Hall — Miami

School: Dothan Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 95 NATL. (No. 13 CB) Committed Since: May 17

Scouting Summary: “Competitive, quick-footed cornerback with the ability to quickly redirect and stay attached in coverage. Has unverified size but listed at around 5-foot-11, 190 pounds. Has plus speed on the track, running a personal best of 10.88 seconds in the 100 meters as a sophomore. Aggressive and plays with outstanding pace and tempo. Quickly triggers on quick routes. Instinctive and plays faster than he runs on the track. Able to quickly shift gears to stay in-phase. Looks to have polished technique, hitting speeds in his backpedal along with smooth transitions. Not afraid to mix it up with receivers at the catch point. Impresses with his overall effort level. Does not appear as big as originally listed and lacks some overall context relative to other top corners, but looks to be one of the more skilled cover men in the 2027 cycle off of film.” — Power

3. EDGE JaBarrius Garror — Texas

School: Vigor Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 110 NATL. (No. 12 EDGE) Committed Since: June 12

Scouting Summary: “At roughly 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Garror is a pure edge rusher. Texas views him as a player who can impact games from the outside, and it’s easy to see why. When you turn on the film, the first thing that stands out is his ability to get off the ball and attack quarterbacks. He has a quick first step, shows the ability to bend around the corner, and consistently creates pressure with his speed and athleticism. Garror possesses many of the same traits that made Colin Simmons such a coveted prospect coming out of high school — elite get-off, bend around the edge, and a natural ability to affect the quarterback.” — Charlie Williams, Inside Texas recruiting analyst

4. IOL Jatori Williams — Miami

School: Central Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 112 NATL. (No. 9 IOL) Committed Since: May 21

Williams on his commitment: “I chose Miami because the development and how I feel like they can get me to the league. They know how to develop offensive linemen,” he told Rivals’ Chad Simmons . “I like Coach Cristobal a lot. Miami has Coach Cristobal and Coach Mirabal — two great offensive line coaches to work with me and develop me. It is a great situation for me.”

5. DL Karlos May — Ohio State

School: Ramsay Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 123 NATL. (No. 11 DL) Committed Since: July 18

Scouting Summary: “We used the term, ‘grown man strength’ to describe May’s play style. Missed his sophomore year due to an injury but emerged as a junior with 43 tackles, eight for loss and four sacks. Eats up double teams and has the raw power to stand his ground and still get a push. A true nose at 6-foot-2, 330 pounds but is more than just a plugger, shows some quickness and can really close on the ball for a player his size. Has one of the best get-off’s among all interior defensive linemen and should develop in to a solid pass rusher as he adds a more counters to the tool kit. Has a strong track profile and qualified for the state championships in the shot put and discuss. A pretty exciting prospect and there’s a lot to like here with his rare combination or size, burst and power.” — Greg Biggins, Riva...