5-Star Mecole Hardman Jr. Dishes on Alabama Visit and What's Next

Given that he’s one of the most high-profile uncommitted recruits in the 2016 class, 5-star athlete Mecole Hardman Jr. figures to be a hot topic amongst fans and coaches in the months leading up to national signing day.

The nation’s top athlete and the No. 21 player overall in the 2016 cycle made his second official visit over the weekend as he traveled to Tuscaloosa to take in the monster showdown between Alabama and LSU.

It’s safe to say that the prime-time matchup made a lasting impression on the Peach State standout.

“It was nice. It was my first time in Bryant-Denny Stadium,” Hardman told Bleacher Report. “I had a great time seeing Alabama play, especially against a top-notch team like LSU. [Alabama] handled their business and the atmosphere was amazing. I had a really good time.”

Hardman had previously seen the Tide dismantle Georgia in Athens last month, but his trek to Tuscaloosa allowed him to get a feel for head coach Nick Saban and his coaching staff, as well as the campus life in Tuscaloosa.

“I talked to Coach Saban when I got there. I had a long talk with him,” Hardman explained. “I talked with Coach [Billy] Napier and Coach [Kirby] Smart also. I met Coach [Lane] Kiffin also. I just got to speak with a lot of the assistant coaches. When we got there, it was all love from the coaches.”

Given his abilities to excel as a receiver or a defensive back at the next level, many schools are recruiting him to play either side of the ball.

A rather interesting tug-of-war has broken out between the Tide’s offensive and defensive assistants in their quest to land the dynamic Hardman.

“They offered me as a wide receiver, but I don’t know how that’s going to go,” Hardman said. “A lot of schools are recruiting me as an athlete. I don’t know if [Alabama] will change how they recruit me now. I know Coach Smart wants me on the defensive side of the ball and Coach Napier wants me on offense. That could go either way to be honest.”

Hardman has previously stated that he wanted to know where he was going to college by the end of November with plans to reveal his choice on signing day.

However, he’s now unsure if he will be able to reach that conclusion in his mind. A busy visit schedule for the remainder of the month may hinder him from doing so.

The 5’10”, 175-pounder plans to visit Auburn this weekend for its home contest against Georgia. That trip will be an unofficial visit. Official visits to Ole Miss and Michigan loom in the following two weeks.

“Ole Miss, I’ve never been there before. I’ve heard great things about it,” Hardman said. “With it being my first time, I want to spend time with the coaches and get to know them, especially since it’s an official visit. I want to see it from a recruit’s perspective and just see how I could fit in there. With Michigan, I’m definitely looking forward to that one and getting up north. I just want to see the Big House and see a big game with Ohio State coming in. I’m ready to meet Coach [Jim] Harbaugh and talk to him and see what his plans are and just go from there.”

Aside from Alabama, Michigan and Ole Miss, Hardman said Florida, Georgia and Tennessee are among the other programs recruiting him who are coming after him the hardest at the moment.

However, the trip to Tuscaloosa has given him something to think about with regards to his leaderboard.

“[Alabama] has always been in it. As soon as they offered me, they were high on my list,” Hardman said. “After this game, they have definitely moved up in my mind. They have a great program on and off the field. We’ll just have to see how it goes from here.”

With a little less than three months until signing day, Hardman’s visit schedule is pivotal in helping him determine the best place for him. He said there’s one key factor he’s looking for before making that decision. 

“I’m just looking for that feeling. The feeling you get in your gut when you know you’re at the place you feel the most comfortable,” Hardman said. “All of these schools are great and they have a lot to offer. It’s just about where you feel the most comfortable living for the next few years.”

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani