4-Star WR Jaylen Waddle Commits to Alabama over Texas A&M

Alabama added an electrifying playmaker to their future offensive arsenal Wednesday when wide receiver Jaylen Waddle joined their 2018 recruiting class. 

Hank South of 247Sports had the news:

Waddle, who checks in at 5' 9½" and 175 pounds, is a 4-star prospect, per 247Sports, and the No. 39 overall player, No. 5 wide receiver and No. 3 player from the state of Texas.

He attracted attention from some of the top programs in the country, as Oregon, Florida State, Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU, Texas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, among others, were all included on 247Sports' list of interested schools during his recruiting process.

Greg Powers of Scout called Waddle a "speed demon" and noted he was measured with a 4.37 40-yard dash at the UA Houston Camp. Despite being somewhat undersized, Waddle can use that speed to blow past cornerbacks in man-on-man situations or create separation in space on screen plays from the slot.

His athleticism will make him a handful to deal with at the collegiate level, and he has the potential to be a game-changing presence for Alabama's offense as soon as his freshman season if he reaches his ceiling.

The Crimson Tide are trying to remain on top of the SEC after beating Georgia in the National Championship game, and landing recruits like Waddle is one way to do just that. Alabama is known for its bruising offense, but the speedy Waddle should fit in nicely as a quick playmaker who will blow past defenders focusing on stopping the run.