Alabama Football: Nick Saban Ignoring Ratings in Looking at 2012 Running Back

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) When you talk about Saban-era running backs, you think: Glenn Coffee, left early for the NFL; Mark Ingram, Heisman Trophy winner, left early for the NFL; Trent Richardson, in all likelihood, leaving early for the NFL after this season. With Eddie Lacy being perhaps the next, then Dee Hart, who could be the next in this very great line of running backs?

One thing you have to love to love about Nick Saban is he goes with his own heart and instincts sometimes rather than just go for the five star players and so far it hasn't worked out too badly for him or the Crimson Tide.

So who is Saban looking at right now that is someone below most people's radar?

Take a look at T. J. Yeldon, a running back at in Alabama's fertile recruiting ground of Daphne, Alabama near Mobile. He's a four star running back and is only rated as the 58th best running back in the nation, but in Nick Saban's eyes, he's someone worth giving his best shot in recruiting.

Besides his 6'2'', 207-pound frame, he has speed, a knack for finding a seam to run through and the hands of a gifted receiver. It may be his "dual threat" ability that makes Saban like him so much.

At his high school, he plays running back and receiver as well as a wildcat quarterback.

The Tide has already signed on of Yeldon's team mates, Ryan Anderson, a defensive end on that team. This week assistant coach Jeremy Pruitt was down to watch both work out and help Nick Saban make some ties with Yeldon.

In his last talk with meeting with Saban, Yeldon said that Saban had been talking with him about how the running backs at Alabama get groomed and then have two years to shine for the NFL scouts. Yeldon said that was something that he has to keep in mind and that this running back pipeline to the NFL is certainly something to consider.

So far Yeldon is looking at several other schools like Auburn, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Clemson, Oregon, LSU, Penn State and Tennessee, but friends say he's mainly focused on staying in state and that Alabama and Auburn are the early leaders.

Therefore, Saban's first rule of recruiting is still in place, you keep looking, so will we, but clearly these two are high on each other's lists.