Montel McBride Commits to Alabama: Tide Land Massive Out of State OL

Keith Niebuhr of 247sports.com tweeted out earlier on Tuesday that Montel McBride, one of the nation's top offensive line recruits in the 2014 class, committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

According to 247sports.com, McBride is a 6'4", 329 pound Florida prospect who played both defensive tackle and offensive guard. Niebuhr reported that the Crimson Tide signed McBride as an offensive lineman.

Other schools pursuing McBride included Florida State, Louisville and Auburn.

McBride is currently participating at The Opening, an elite Nike camp for the country's top high school prospects. 

On June 3, Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times reported that McBride, whose nickname is "Blind Side," had just been offered a scholarship by the Crimson Tide, roughly two weeks after a campus visit from Alabama assistant Chris Rumph. 

When Alabama offered a scholarship to McBride, the offensive lineman was elated, according to Andrew Bone of TuscaloosaNews.com

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“When Alabama offered, I felt like a kid on Christmas,” McBride told Rivals.com. “I wasn’t myself that day. I couldn’t believe it. It was the best feeling. It’s like the one present you want under the tree, and it’s actually there. I talk to Coach (Mario) Cristobal at Alabama every other day on Facebook or whatever. That’s my buddy right there.”

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Knight also reported that the other SEC schools to offer McBride were Kentucky and Mississippi State. 

Back in March of this year, McBride was awarded the offensive line MVP at the Nike Football Training Camp in Orlando, Fla. He previously won the same accolade at MVP Camp in Valdosta, Ga., in February.

While it's an exercise of formality at this point, Andrew Bone of TuscaloosaNews.com reports that McBride is among a group of recruits that will attend the Crimson Tide's camp from July 14-16. 

Other prospects that will attend the camps include safety Ronnie Clark and wide receiver Cameron Sims. Both players are uncommitted, but are being heavily pursued by Alabama. Both are also rated as four-star recruits on 247sports.com.