Alabama Recruiting: Early Look at Top 5 out of State Targets

Alabama’s top-rated 2012 recruiting class was heavy on players who hailed from outside the state’s borders.  

Five of the Crimson Tide’s nine commitments for the class of 2013 are out-of-state products, and Nick Saban is once again scouring the country looking for the best players in the nation. 

Recruiting is a fluid concept full of moving parts capable of changing in an instant, but there are a few names that have emerged as targets for Alabama—and a few that may gain interest in the Tide as the process moves forward.  

Here’s an early look at the top five out-of-state targets for Alabama. 

Tyrone Crowder

Alabama already has two commitments from in-state offensive line products Grant Hill and Bradley Bozeman, but the 6’2”, 315-pounder from Rockingham (NC) Richland Senior High School appears to be the Crimson Tide’s radar.  

According to his profile on 247 Sports, Crowder visited Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s first junior day session in late January and received an offer before leaving campus. 

Crowder has offers from programs like Florida, Clemson, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia amongst others, but considering his early visit to Alabama, the Crimson Tide will likely be in the thick of the chase for one of the top guard prospects in the nation.  

Jonathan Allen

Allen is listed as the top weak side defensive end prospect in the country, according to 247 Sports.  

However, it is possible that the Ashburn, Va., native could be a prime candidate to fill the Jack linebacker spot should he end up choosing the Crimson Tide.  

Allen has offers from the Crimson Tide in addition to schools like Oklahoma, Michigan and Florida amongst others, but he has named Alabama and Florida his leaders, according to Charles Power of 247 Sports. 

Max Browne

Although Alabama has landed quarterbacks Phillip Ely and Alec Morris in its last two recruiting classes, quarterback is still a need for Nick Saban in the 2013 cycle.  

Browne could be the top quarterback in the country, a distinction already placed upon him by 247 Sports and expounded on by B/R recruiting ace Edwin Weathersby.  

The 6’5”, 210-pounder from Sammamish, Wash., will be a tough pull from the West Coast, but new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is very familiar with Browne from his days at the University of Washington.  

Browne has visited USC and Oklahoma, but expect Nussmeier to help the Tide at least get a visit from Browne and perhaps pull off a major coup should he sign with Alabama.  

Montravius Adams

Considering the success the Crimson Tide have enjoyed on the recruiting trail in the Peach State, Saban will have plenty of help in convincing Adams to follow the trail of Georgia products headed to Tuscaloosa.  

The 6’3”, 290-pound Vienna, Ga., standout is ranked as the 33rd best player in the country by Rivals, and is one of the top defensive tackles in the nation.  

Adams missed a scheduled visit to Alabama’s second junior day in February, but his 247 Sports profile shows trips to Alabama this weekend and Auburn next weekend on his itinerary. 

Although the Tide loaded up on defensive tackles with the 2012 class, getting a talent like Adams would further bolster their already formidable defensive line.  

Robert Nkemdiche

Nkemdiche is a freakish 6’5”, 275-pound defensive end who is the consensus top recruit in the country for 2013. 

In a recent interview with Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Loganville, Ga., native spoke glowingly of the Crimson Tide program.  

“Alabama is, I mean … Alabama,” Nkemdiche said. “I feel like they are a winning program. If I picked Alabama, there would be no ‘cons’ about me going there. There are nothing but ‘pros’ about Alabama.” 

In a loaded year for talent in the state of Georgia, Saban has managed to grab a commitment from the top linebacker in the state, and has Alabama in the lead group of schools for Nkemdiche and Adams.   

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