Alabama Football: Catching Up with Commitments, Meet WR Chris Black

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) Chris Black may have been just outside the Top 50 recruits according to Rivals, while other services had him rated as high No. 19 for the 2012 signing class, but there was one thing everyone agreed on: There was no shortage of schools wanting to land the third best receiving prospect in the country.

The 6'0", 175 lbs senior-to-be at First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida received offers from 14 other schools, most top programs like South Carolina, Florida State, Florida, Clemson, Notre Dame and Auburn.

But it was his love of the Crimson Tide and the rapport he built with the coaches that led this Florida native to want to come to Tuscaloosa over his second choice of Florida State.

Black told Michael Langston of Warchant.com (a Florida State site) that other schools were all telling him that Alabama was a "run first" school, but that he had done the research and saw that in fact, Alabama threw the ball as much as any other team in the SEC.

He also said the fact that Alabama was losing so many receivers this year was also a big factor in his decision and he thought he could fit in well with what they were doing in Tuscaloosa.

Though he'll be farther away than his parents thought he might be, they wanted him to make the decision that he felt most comfortable with and that distance would not be a problem.

In the end, Black said the relationship he built up with the entire coaching staff at Alabama ended up tipping the scale. He felt that everyone there wanted him there and took an interest in him not just as a football player, but as a person.

Black said the fact that Alabama had A.J. McCarron was also a factor in his decision as he was the kind of quarterback that could get the ball in your hands wherever you were on the field and that even after McCarron left, there are good ones lined up to follow him.

He said he had talked to Jameis Winston, the nation's top dual threat quarterback right up until his announcement and the two had hoped they could play for the same team, but not even that friendship could sway Black to go to FSU.

Black runs about a 4.5 in the 40, covers the first 10 yards in 1.5 seconds for that initial breakaway and can broad jump just over nine yards. This, combined with instinctive running skills and great hands, makes him a receiver that anyone would covet.

Though Alabama has a lot of talent that can return punts and kicks, Black adds just another card in that winning hand for the Crimson Tide.

He's not big, but he's so elusive, he has an uncanny knack of always knowing when to make a cut or change pace that he leaves defenders grabbing at air.

In the end, that's why Saban made the big push for him and the dividends could be paid off for years to come.