4-Star S Terrion Arnold Commits to Alabama, Bolsters Historic Recruiting Class

Alabama football completed its perfect season by winning the national championship at the start of the year, and by the looks of its 2021 recruiting class, their success won't be ending anytime soon.

On Wednesday, 4-star safety Terrion Arnold announced his commitment the Crimson Tide, becoming the 16th player in 247Sports' top 100 composite rankings to select Alabama, per Mike Rodak of AL.com. 

The move extended the program's hold on the ranking of No. 1 all-time recruiting class, according to 247Sports' rankings. At 327.91 points, the group has exceeded the previous record held by Florida's 2010 recruits (324.62), according to Michael Casagrande of AL.com.

Among those players, there are seven 5-star recruits and 16 4-stars. ESPN's Tom VanHaaren noted that Arnold is the 22nd player in ESPN's top 300 rankings to sign with Alabama. 

The incoming offensive line boasts the No. 2 and No. 5 overall prospects in the country in JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyer, while 5-star recruits Dallas Turner and Damon Payne will bolster the defensive line. To fill in for Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and top receiver Jaylen Waddle, who are headed to the NFL, the group includes four of the top 10 wideouts in this recruiting class.

"If I feel like one of the best players in the country, why not compete with the best," Arnold said Wednesday in an appearance on ESPN2 (h/t Tallahassee Democrat). 

The second-best recruiting class of 2021 currently belongs to Ohio State, with a 309.49 ranking, and Georgia ranks third at 294.55, per 247Sports. 

Per Casagrande, Alabama has six of the top 10 recruiting classes in 247Sports history.