4-Star TE Prospect Jaleel Skinner Commits to Alabama over Clemson, Texas, FSU

The University of Alabama got another top commitment Friday when tight end Jaleel Skinner announced his decision to join the Crimson Tide.

He made his decision live on CBS Sports HQ:

Skinner, who plays prep football for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is a 4-star prospect and the top tight end in the class of 2022 in 247Sports' composite rankings. He was sought after by several of the nation's top college programs, including Texas, Clemson, Florida and Florida State.

"I thought long and hard about what's going to prepare me the best for the next level, and at Alabama, you are going to get pushed hard every day both on and off the field," Skinner told 247Sports' Andrew Ivins.

Skinner is yet another recruiting coup for Alabama head coach Nick Saban. His commitment pushes the Crimson Tide's 2022 class to No. 1 in the country again, per 247Sports. Skinner is the second 4-star tight end to pledge his future to Alabama after Elijah Brown, who plays for Wayne High School in Dayton, Ohio.

According to Ivins, Skinner was giving strong consideration to Florida and Florida State early in the recruiting process, but a sitdown with Saban helped convince him to commit his future to Tuscaloosa.

"Coach Saban played a huge role in it because me and him talked a lot," Skinner said. "Sometimes we would just talk about life outside of football. He would ask about my family and how my sisters were doing. That really stood out to me, just having a bond with Coach Saban."

Ivins calls Skinner a "walking mismatch" with a "monster catch radius" and a strong ability to get downfield. In Alabama, he'll join a football juggernaut that shows no signs of slowing down. The Crimson Tide have won six national championships since 2009 and are ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25. With another top recruiting class on the way, Alabama appears positioned to continue dominating college football.