Alabama Football Recruiting: Top Offensive & Defensive Commitments & Targets

Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn’t need any help in his recruiting efforts, as he was already in the process of assembling another stellar recruiting class for 2012—one that’s currently rated as the top overall class in the country by almost every major recruiting service. 

But something tells me that the dominating victory that Alabama had over LSU in the 2012 BCS Championship Game might help out recruiting efforts just a tad.

With just a few weeks left until National Signing Day, Saban and his staff are hard at work making sure all of their current commitments are secure while also trying to nab a few more big fish.

The way it’s shaping up right now, it looks like Alabama fans will have plenty more to celebrate on Feb. 1st.

Here’s a look at Alabama’s top commitments and targets on both sides of the ball.

Top Offensive Commit: WR Cyrus Jones

With schools like Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Wisconsin all pursuing him, Cyrus Jones was one of the most coveted receiver recruits in the 2012 class. But the blazing fast 4-star recruit opted to play his college ball for this year's national champions. 

Jones, who plays for Gilman high school in Baltimore, has the type of field-stretching speed that can really cause nightmares for an opposing secondary, and he's the type of offensive weapon who should be capable of seeing the field early in his career. 

With Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks all departing, the Tide are definitely going to need some help at the receiver position next season, and Jones is the type of player that could turn out to be one of the saviors of the receiver corps in 2012. 

Top Defensive Commit: S Landon Collins

Landon Collins disappointed a ton of LSU fans, including his own mother, when he put on a pair of Alabama gloves and let out a Roll Tide call when he announced his commitment to Alabama at the Under Armour All-American game a week ago. 

But one man he certainly did please was Alabama coach Nick Saban, who will have to figure out a way to replace team leader Mark Barron and possibly talented fellow safety Robert Lester next season. 

Collins is the type of impact freshman who should step right in and be in the mix with guys like Vinnie Sunseri and Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix to start at safety in 2012. 

The 6'0'', 200-pound Louisiana native has the size, speed and range to develop into Alabama's next great safety, and he definitely has the type of talent to make his presence known early on in his career in Tuscaloosa.

Top Offensive Target: WR Dorial Green-Beckham

Dorial Green-Beckham has been one of the true stars of the 2012 recruiting class for the past year, as he's the type of rare wide receiver prospect that doesn't come along very often.

The 6'6'', 220-pound physical specimen looks like he could hold his own in the NFL already, and with the combination of huge frame and game-changing athleticism that he has to offer, it's easy to see why basically every major school in the country is after him. 

Green-Beckham is a Marques Colston-Andre Johnson hybrid, and if the top recruit can reach his potential at the collegiate level, he's got the chance to be the type of impact receiver that Julio Jones was back in 2010. 

It'll be up to the Tide coaches to make sure he's making that impact in a crimson uniform, though, because D.G.B. is going to be the most sought-after recruiting target in the country over these next few weeks.

Top Defensive Target: CB Tracy Howard

Nick Saban loves to mold defensive backs into stars, and he's sure managed to develop a few great ones during his time at Alabama, including Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, Robert Lester, Kareem Jackson, Javier Arenas and Rashad Johnson.

One defensive back that Saban would love to get his hands on this year is Tracy Howard.

Howard, who plays for Florida's Miramar high school, is rated as a 5-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout, and he's considered to be one of the elite defensive back prospects in the country. 

The 5'11'', 175-pound high school senior possesses outstanding athletic ability, and he's shown some tremendous coverage skills during his days at Miramar. 

His fundamentals could use some work, and he could use a little time in the weight room, but he's the type of player that the Alabama coaching staff could turn into a future All-American. 

Howard is believed to have a high interest in his home-state Florida Gators, which means Saban and his staff are going to have some work to do to try to reel him in before National Signing Day.