How Alabama Can Use Marcell Dareus' Success to Recruit Elite DT Montravius Adams

5-star defensive tackle Montravius Adams is one of the best players in the 2013 recruiting class, so naturally, the Alabama Crimson Tide are in the running for his commitment. The kicker here is that Nick Saban's program is nowhere near the only school that has a shot at Adams.

According to 247Sports, Adams has other schools, like Auburn, Clemson, Florida and Georgia, high on his interest list as well.

With so many great programs to choose from, Alabama is going to have to use whatever advantage they have to recruit the 5-star defensive tackle. Just being Alabama could be enough to seal the deal, but if it isn't, the Crimson Tide have a big recruiting point they can use in their former defensive tackle stud, Marcell Dareus.

Andrew Bone of TideSports.com reports that Adams was in attendance for the Crimson Tides' 38-7 win over Mississippi State. Here's what Adams had to say about his visit, via Bone's report:

"The visit to Alabama was good," said Adams. "It was a good game for Alabama, not for Mississippi State. The atmosphere was great. Everyone [players] did what I expected.

"I can see myself playing on their defensive line. They want to use me like they used Marcell [Dareus]. They would mostly use me on the outside. That's what I want to play. I don't want to play inside."

There are very few recruiting pitches more effective than being able to point to a former player and tell a recruit that they can do what said player did, and that's exactly what the Crimson Tide need to do here with Adams.

Telling him they want to use him like Dareus isn't enough, though. They need to pitch him on the fact that he can be the next Dareus, if not better. Frankly, that's a lofty goal, as Dareus was one of the better defensive lineman we've seen come out of Alabama in a long time, but it's a goal worth pitching if you're the Crimson Tide.

Dareus registered 66 total tackles, 39 solo tackles, 10.5 sacks, one interception and one touchdown in two seasons with the Crimson Tide. He went No. 3 overall in the 2011 NFL draft to the Buffalo Bills.

None of the other teams on Adams' interest list can say that they've had a recent player at his position with so much success, and that could give the Crimson Tide a huge advantage when all is said and done.

He's comparable to Dareus coming into Alabama—Dareus was a 6'4'', 277-pound 3-star recruit, while Adams is a 6'3'', 290-pound 5-star—and if Alabama is looking to use him on the outside as a 5-tech in the 3-4 look, he could replicate the same success.

Either way, having a comparable player who succeeded at Adams' position just recently come through the program is a huge advantage for Saban and the Crimson Tide.

As if they needed any more advantages...