4-Star Brian Robinson Commits to Alabama: Tide Continue to Make Case as RB U

Alabama landed a major commitment in the 2017 cycle when in-state 4-star running back Brian Robinson announced his pledge to the Crimson Tide via his Twitter account Monday evening:

The 6’1”, 213-pounder out of Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, gives head coach Nick Saban and his staff their third commitment at running back in the 2017 cycle.

Robinson joins 5-star Najee Harris and 4-star Cam Akers as touted 2017 backs who will compete for carries in the Tide’s backfield. Both Harris and Akers rate among the nation’s top five backs in the 2017 class.

While the competition at running back is sure to be intense, the fact that Alabama has been able to land three of the nation’s best backs is another signal that the Tide have emerged as the premier destination for top rushers. 

As Hillcrest head coach Sam Adams told BamaOnline’s Hank South, the allure of the Tide’s tradition at his position was a big factor in his star player’s decision. 

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Adams said. “I know being somewhat close to his hometown was important to him and his mom. Obviously with the history of the running back position at Alabama, that weighed in his decision. Part of it, too, is that pressure that seems to mount as you approach signing day your senior year. I think partly he just wanted to go ahead and get it over with.”

Since Saban has arrived at the Capstone, the Tide’s rushing attack has been one of the signature hallmarks of his teams. In fact, Alabama has signed at least one 4-star-or-better running back in each class since 2008. 

With the success the Tide have had at recruiting and developing players at running back during Saban's tenure, it's hard to argue against the case of calling Alabama the new RBU. 

Under Saban, Alabama's offenses have thrived on featuring talents such as Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon.

Player	Rank	Class	Overall Rank/Position Rank	Home State
Mark Ingram	4-Star	2008	216/23	MI
Chris Jackson	4-Star	2008	232/26	GA
Trent Richardson	5-Star	2009	6/2	FL
Eddie Lacy	4-Star	2009	124/13	LA
Jalston Fowler	4-Star	2010	212/15	AL
Dee Hart (APB)	4-Star	2011	39/3	FL
T.J. Yeldon	5-Star	2012	29/2	AL
Kenyan Drake (APB)	4-Star	2012	129/5	GA
Derrick Henry (ATH)	5-Star	2013	12/1	FL
Alvin Kamara (APB)	4-Star	2013	43/1	GA
Altee Tenpenny	4-Star	2013	54/8	AR
Tyren Jones	4-Star	2013	67/9	GA
Bo Scarbrough (ATH)	5-Star	2014	16/2	FL
Damien Harris	4-Star	2015	31/1	KY
Desherrius Flowers	4-Star	2015	146/15	AL
B.J. Emmons*	4-Star	2016	96/3	NC
Najee Harris*	5-Star	2017	6/1	CA
Cam Akers*	4-Star	2017	54/5	MS
Brian Robinson*	4-Star	2017	257/18	AL

Junior Derrick Henry, who has emerged as one of the leading Heisman Trophy candidates, is adding to the long list of recent Tide backs who have enjoyed dominant careers in Tuscaloosa.

Assuming Henry does like those predecessors and makes the jump to the NFL after this season, true freshman and former stud recruit Damien Harris is among the backs patiently waiting for a chance to fill his shoes moving forward.

In the current cycle, the Tide already have a pledge from 4-star running back B.J. Emmons—who is a 5’10”, 232-pound bulldozer.

Saban and his staff are also actively pursuing 4-star New Jersey star Kareem Walker, who attended last week’s game against LSU. 

With the stable already loaded in 2017, it’s clear that the Tide’s backfield will be stocked with talented rushers for the foreseeable future.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani