Alabama Football Recruiting Offers of the Week

Marc Torrence

Apr 12, 2015

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After a slower week for offers two weeks ago, Alabama was much more aggressive doling them out last week and laid a lot of groundwork for the 2017 class in the process.

With less than a week until the A-Day spring game, the Crimson Tide offered nine targets last week, including several big names who just finished up their sophomore seasons.

Let’s take a look at who Alabama added to their list:

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Darnay Holmes, 2017 5-star athlete from Newbury Park, California

"
Extremely honored & speechless to be able to say I received an offer Alabama University #RollTideRoll pic.twitter.com/8p5QwDKwEP
— Darnay Holmes (@DarnayHolmes) April 8, 2015"

Holmes came out from the West Coast to Tuscaloosa for an unofficial visit and left with an offer after meeting with Nick Saban.

Saban emphasized discipline to Holmes, after a stretch that has seen three Crimson Tide players arrested in a short span.

“It went great,” Holmes said, according to 247Sports’ Hank South. “I had a deep talk with Coach Saban, he talked a lot about how he looks for guys that are disciplined, how if we see something that’s wrong we’re going to do something to make it right.

“He’s the type of coach that’s going to set you up for success, he’s not going to put you in harms way. He emphasized life after football, and how it’s important to get your degree, so you can succeed in life and not just football.”

Per South, Holmes caught 89 passes for 1,350 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore at Newbury Park High School, but he met with Alabama defensive backs coach Mel Tucker when he came to campus, indicating that the Crimson Tide may project the 5’11”, 180-pound as a safety or corner in college.

He got an up-close view of Alabama, attending a practice.

“They just get after it," Holmes said. “There were no sluggish guys out there. They were all out there competing and playing SEC football.

“It’s definitely a pretty place. The facilities are really nice. You can look outside the weight room and see the fields, and the indoor field with the coaches’ offices right above it. They definitely had a nice layout when they put the place together.”

Shawn Robinson, 2017 5-star dual-threat quarterback from Denton, Texas

Alabama got in on one of the top players of 2017, offering 247Sports’ No. 1 player in the state of Texas and No. 1 dual threat quarterback.

Robinson already holds offers from an impressive list of schools like USC, Oklahoma, Baylor and, of course, Texas.

"It kind of surprised me because I haven't heard anything from Alabama before,” Robinson told TideSports.com’s Andrew Bone. "And Alabama recruits nothing but big time players and they've never come to me," Robinson said. "Then they just offered me. I don't know it was just crazy talking to Nick Saban. It was just crazy."

Robinson told Bone that the Alabama offer is going to make him consider a Tuscaloosa visit this summer.

“Nothing is 100 percent but I have a pretty good gauge," Robinson said. "Probably Ole Miss, LSU, most likely Alabama, USC, and there's some more but I'm not remembering. I have it like on a calendar."

Alabama’s trend of offering dual-threat quarterbacks continues, this time with the Crimson Tide going after a top name in the 2017 class. Per 247Sports, Robinson is Alabama’s third quarterback offer of the 2017 cycle, two of whom are dual-threats.

If he does come to Tuscaloosa, though, he shouldn’t have to worry about being confused with A’Shawn Robinson, who should be in the NFL by then.

Leonard Warner, 2017 4-star outside linebacker from Snellville, Georgia

Another visit from a 2017 prospect ended with an offer this week, with Warner grabbing one on Wednesday.

"I got a chance to speak with Coach Saban," he told TideSports.com’s Andrew Bone. "He wanted me to know he has an offer for me. He wanted me to know what they are all about. He told me football is a small part of life. He can help you get to the League, but getting your degree is important. He wants to help players be better people and be more successful."

Warner is listed by 247Sports as 6’4”, 209 pounds and someone who could play wide receiver, tight end or outside linebacker.

He already holds offers from most of the SEC powers, such as Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and Ole Miss.

"The visit was nice," Warner told Bone of Tuscaloosa. "It was fun. It was my first time going there. I went with my dad, sister, coach and a few guys I train with.

"I was really impressed with the weight room. It was cool to see how much they care about developing their players. I talked to the strength coach (Scott Cochran). He definitely is something else."

Other offers from the week:

Josh Brown, 2016 4-star outside linebacker from Charlotte, North Carolina (Florida State commit)

Brandon Burton, 2016 4-star safety from Gardena, California

Jay Jay McCargo, 2016 3-star offensive tackle from Arlington, Virginia

Jamal Pettigrew, 2016 4-star tight end from New Orleans, Louisiana (LSU commit)

Chauncey Gardner II, 2016 4-star cornerback from Cocoa, Florida (Florida commit)