Jonah Williams' Commitment to Alabama Could Spark Big Recruiting Run for Tide

Over the weekend, Florida State overtook the No. 1 spot from Miami in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings. Alabama, a team that's had the top spot since 2011, is still not in the top 15 for the 2016 rankings.

Jonah Williams' Saturday commitment bumped the Crimson Tide into the top 20 nationally. It's a spot that Alabama isn't used to being in, but the 4-star offensive tackle's pledge could be that jolt the Tide needs.

For many, Alabama's recruiting isn't about if, but when it will make a run for its sixth consecutive No. 1 ranking. Williams, out of Folsom, California, is the Tide's first pledge in nearly two months, and he's the first offensive lineman to commit.

At 6'5" and 272 pounds, Williams is expected to bring quickness, overall athleticism and a level of tenacity to the Alabama offensive line. Williams, the nation's No. 9 offensive tackle, is also a versatile lineman who can play guard if necessary.

Williams' commitment could make for a nice spring streak. He may be the first of a few pledges to move Alabama in the right direction.

Alabama has several targets considering making Tuscaloosa home, including two of the nation's top four tackles in No. 4 Willie Allen and No. 1 Greg Little, a Texas A&M commitment. Additionally, Alabama is in the driver's seat for top-five outside linebackers Lyndell Wilson and Ben Davis, and the team feels strongly about where they sit with the nation's top-ranked defensive tackle, Rashan Gary, and the nation's top-ranked defensive end, Shavar Manuel.

All six of those athletes are 5-star players. If Alabama can land four of the six, it will put the team in a great position to once again compete for a top-five spot nationally.

Panicking is one thing head coach Nick Saban and his staff never seem to do—particularly with recruiting—and even if the Tide miss out on the top spot this year, they are still expected to have a solid recruiting class.

Monday could be the start of something special. Per Andrew Bone of Rivals.com, eight athletes are expected to be on campus.

A big upcoming recruiting opportunity is the annual A-Day spring football game on April 18 which has, in the past, garnered as many as 90,000 fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Look for a large majority of Alabama targets to be in attendance.

And then there are the multiple home games for the upcoming season. Alabama will host LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Arkansas this year. The campus atmospheres for official and unofficial visits during game weekends have been determining X-factors for uncommitted targets in past years.

Look for the Tide to see a spike in its recruiting class. Williams' commitment serves as a great start.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles