Nigel Knott to Alabama: Crimson Tide Land 4-Star CB Prospect

Alabama added a potentially huge piece to its secondary by securing the commitment of Nigel Knott on Monday via Bleacher Report.

Knott is the No. 7-ranked cornerback and No. 62-ranked player overall in the 2016 recruiting class, and Alabama confirmed Knott's decision on Wednesday. 

One of the things that immediately jumps out about Knott when you watch him play is his supreme athleticism. 247Sports rates him a 10 out of 10 in reactive quickness, and he earns nines in the speed, recovery speed and change of direction categories.

Cody Bellaire of SB Nation's And the Valley Shook captured a Vine of Knott working out in positional drills. The short clip offers a brief glimpse as to how quickly Knott can shift gears and change direction:

Knott took part in The Opening's regional event in New Orleans and earned Most Valuable Player honors, posting an overall score of 125.49, per Andrew Nemec of the Oregonian:

Nemec wrote that Knott trained heavily for the showcase, often working out five days a week. In the week before, he didn't take any time off, practicing all seven days.

"I went every day. I would go from football weightlifting to track to my trainer," Knott said. "We'd work on stuff to get ready—the (40-yard dash), the vertical, the power ball, five-on-five—just stuff like that."

Obviously, all of that hard work paid off in a big way.

As good of an athlete as he is, though, Knott will need to hone his coverage skills. He can keep up with almost any receiver, but he can struggle to finish the job.

That problem is perfectly encapsulated in this Vine from 247Sports' Barton Simmons:

It's worth noting that Jamal Pettigrew is 6'6", 229 pounds and the No. 9-ranked tight end in the country. Knott (5'11", 175 lbs) won't always be giving up that much size when matched up with a receiver.

However, you can see how Knott was able to stay with Pettigrew throughout the entire route but waited a split second too long to make a play on the ball.

That's the kind of thing that Knott's coaches can work to improve in the future. The physical tools are all there for him to become an elite corner.

He'll need a year or two of seasoning, but by about 2017 or 2018, he should be a household name for college football fans.

Recruit star ratings and information via 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.