Tide Pushes for Top Class

Alabama is making a strong case for the No. 1 class in the nation. With some help they could easily get there. That obviously depends on names like Foley's Julio Jones - who would shock me if he did not pick Alabama - and Gadsden's Jerrell Harris.

Nick Saban and company have set themselves up for that top slot over the last week. Lucedale, Miss., cornerback Alonzo Lawrence ended his recruitment and committed to Alabama over the weekend. He was followed closely by a commitment from defensive end prospect Glenn Harbin.

Lawrence saw his stock soar near the end of the recruiting season - he ranked just outside the Athlon Consensus 100. He played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and was a major part of the Magnolia state ending Alabama's winning streak. He was forced to guard none other than the best wideout in the nation, Jones, and played very well. So well, in fact, that Jones had little-to-no impact on the outcome of the game.

His meteoric rise up the rankings is well warranted. Lawrence has great size and athleticism for a player with his ability to play on the outside. He has great quickness and his closing speed is remarkable. He should have the ability to turn and run with faster wideouts on vertical routes.

He is not just a lock down cover corner either. He shows a nice physical edge when playing near the line of scrimmage. He possesses solid instincts and will come up and fill hard against the run. This makes him an ideal fit in a cover-2 scheme.

To me, cornerback is the least coached position on the field. Generally, coaches point at the other team's best player and say "Stick 'em." So rarely does one see finely tuned technique and fundamentals from a high school corner. Lawrence is no exception. There are some areas that solid defensive back coaching - a la Nick Saban - will be able to correct. His pedal and zone coverages could use some polish.

Make no mistake, his physical tools and the job he did against Julio Jones are simply amazing. Saban will turn him into a star in the SEC.

Harbin, a big defensive end from Mobile, is no slouch of a consolation prize. The 6-5, 250 pounder has a massive frame and room to grow. He is not overly explosive and agile off the ball so a move to tackle is possible. If he adds 25-30 pounds he could be a dynamic 'zero' technique tackle. He will also need work on his pass rush repertoire. But you cannot coach Harbin's size and strength. It will be interesting to see if he makes it at defensive end.

The thing I love about this class and Harbin, is that Saban has done an excellent job addressing the Crimson Tide's needs along the defensive line. Wallace Gilberry aside, the level of talent in the front seven - post-DeMeco Ryans - has been lacking. Add Jerrell Harris and Bama has dramatically upgraded its defensive front.

Photos by Athlon Sports