Alabama Football Recruiting: Predictions for Top Rumored 2015 Prospects

Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide produce one of the best recruiting classes each and every year. In 2015, it appears to be the same old story, as most of the school's priority targets have already committed to Saban and Co. prior to national signing day.

Still, there are a few recruits who remain undecided and would certainly give the boost necessary for the Crimson Tide to find their way back into the National Championship Game. After all, this team is going through yet another period of flux, as several key players from last season have declared for the NFL draft.

As we await to find out which prospects will further replenish Alabama's ranks on national signing day, let's take a look at a few of the team's coveted uncommitted recruits and predict their ultimate intentions.

CeCe Jefferson, DE

Credit: 247Sports

Many schools around the nation wait with bated breath to hear Jefferson's decision on national signing day. The 5-star defensive end has recently narrowed his list of potential landing spots to Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Ole Miss, according to Derek Tyson of ESPN.com.

Adding the 6'2", 275-pound Jefferson would provide an enormous upgrade to all of those aforementioned schools' defensive fronts. The 5-star recruit is highly athletic with a very quick burst off the snap. His speed around the edge make him a dangerous pass-rusher. He needs to improve holding contain against the run but is extremely fast and excels in pursuit of ball-carriers.

In December, Jefferson's top choice appeared to be Ole Miss. Here's what the defensive end had to say during an interview with Barton Simmons of 247Sports:

"

Ole Miss, I would say Ole Miss is my top school right now. Ole Miss is great man. Coach (Hugh) Freeze, what he has going is amazing. I took my official when they played Bama and it was like no other. They treated me well. The program's great. The guys are great and I just know if I go there I'll get taken care of and they'll get me prepared for the next level and I'll get a great education. And plus I know Coach Freeze is going to be there for a while, great stability.

"

Although, as we know, these things can change.

If Jefferson is looking for stability, he needs to look no further than Alabama. Saban continues to churn out NFL players and coaches one of the nation's top teams year after year. Perhaps Jefferson finally realized that fact since his comments regarding Ole Miss, as he was recently seen sporting some Alabama attire at school, via John Talty of AL.com:

Yes, it's just a shirt with the logo of one of Jefferson's potential colleges, but at this juncture, it's the best indication of which way he's leaning.

Prediction: Alabama

Drew Richmond, OT

Credit: 247Sports

In a rather surprising turn of events, this 4-star offensive tackle decommitted from Ole Miss late Monday night, according to a report from Riley Blevins of The Clarion-Ledger. That opens the door for both Alabama and Tennessee to claim the recruit.

Richmond is a threatening presence in the trenches, standing at 6'5" and weighing 310 pounds. His frame certainly looks the part of an elite tackle, and his combination of powerful upper-body strength and a wide base makes him a force when blocking for the run. Also an asset in pass protection, Richmond is quick off the snap and can square up in a hurry to thwart faster edge-rushers.

While Alabama isn't out of the running for Richmond, the Crimson Tide are long shots to land the coveted offensive lineman. Not only did Richmond decommit from Ole Miss immediately after spending the weekend at Tennessee, but several experts are already predicting him to become a Volunteer. Here's one example, via Dan Wolken of USA Today:

Alabama's recruiting class is tremendous, but it will not include this Memphis-born offensive tackle. The hometown team will win this one, as he heads to Tennessee.

Prediction: Tennessee

Daylon Charlot, WR

Credit: 247Sports

Grabbing an elusive wide receiver in this year's recruiting class would certainly help ease the burden of losing the prolific Amari Cooper to the NFL draft, and Alabama has a great shot at replacing the former Crimson Tide star with the 6'0", 193-pound Charlot.

A blend of good size, speed and athleticism is what makes Charlot an intriguing prospect. According to hudl.com, he's produced some impressive workouts, reaching a 40-inch vertical and running the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.35 seconds. That kind of speed will provide his next offense with a home run threat and instant game-changer.

Currently, Charlot is debating between Alabama and LSU. However, there's some very good news for the Crimson Tide here. According to James Smith of The Times-Picayune, the Tigers may miss out on the wide receiver due to a delayed offer:

"

Charlot was disappointed that it took LSU longer than other programs to offer him and the Tigers have been battling the sour taste in his mouth throughout the whole process. LSU wide receiver coach Adam Henry has kept things interesting by making leaving Louisiana a difficult decision for Charlot. He was supposed to take an official visit to Miami this past weekend, but cancelled the visit after Alabama took a firm stance about his impending travel plans.

"

The end of Smith's report speaks volumes as well. If Charlot was willing to cancel his trip to Miami after Alabama expressed its dissatisfaction with the visit, we can speculate he is leaning in the Crimson Tide's direction. After all, he won't want to ruffle the feathers of Saban before committing to play for him.

Prediction: Alabama

All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.