Alabama Recruiting: How Balanced Is the Crimson Tide's Commitment List?

Nick Saban is well on his way to bringing in another top-tier recruiting class, but just how balanced is the class in regards to offensive and defensive power?

Of the 19 current verbal commitments, 11 are defense-specific. While that may maintain a numerical balance between offense and defense, the quality of the players must be balanced as well. Thus far, the squad is looking pretty equal.  

The headliners for the defensive side include Reggie Ragland (linebacker, 6'4", 245 lbs.) and Eddie Williams (safety, 6'4", 204 lbs.).

Reggie Ragland is currently considered the best commitment on the list. His college-ready body and skill set hint that he may be an instant contributor—possibly even starter—as Dont'a Hightower is sure to declare early for the 2012 NFL Draft.  

Eddie Williams' size really jumps out at you. His height and weight look like that of a coverage linebacker, yet he's listed as a safety. His sheer height will make him a real threat for interceptions, especially in the redzone. To go along with that, he also doubled as a wide receiver in high school, proving he has the hands to make the plays.  

Saban seems to have Williams pegged as a defensive back, but the future is uncertain. Depending on what the needs of the Tide are when they call Williams' name, he could line up on either side of the ball.  

The tandem of Eddie Williams and Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix as the Crimson Tide's safety duo seems to hold a lot of potential.  

The offensive side of the ball has gotten less attention, most likely due to the fact that there is no "Julio Jones" or "Trent Richardson" on the list yet. However, there is just as much to be excited about offensively.  

The depth in the Tide's receiver corps is impressive for those that look close enough, but Nick Saban has already hauled in two 4-star wide receiver recruits in addition to two 4-star athletes who seem best suited to play at the wideout position as well.  

The two wide receivers are Amari Cooper and Chris Black.  It's a moot point to ask which one is better, as you'll get 20 different answers, depending on who you ask.  Personally, I'm leaning towards Chris Black.    

Stature-wise, they are fairly similar. Cooper is 6'1", 175 lbs., while Black is 6'0", 170 lbs. Both of them play like a taller Marquis Maze. Quick, elusive, good hands and deadly in space are just a few ways of describing them.  

Amari Cooper and Chris Black aren't prototypical, Julio Jones-type receivers, but they look to be physically capable of becoming stars in Nick Saban's system—if they buy into it.  

In the quarterback department, Saban settled for a largely unknown in Texas-native Alec Morris, 6'4", 235 lbs. Failed attempts by Saban at recruiting 5-star prospects Gunner Kiel and Jameis Winston seem to be the best thing that could have happened for Morris.  

Overall, the Crimson Tide has nine 4-star recruits, and no 5-star as of yet. Five of those are defensive players, two are offensive and two are athletes, who, again, are likely to play wide receiver.  

As usual, Saban has no 2-star prospects on his commitment list.  

Offensive and defensive balance seems roughly equal at the moment, but there are the are three holes on offense that Saban has yet to fill: tight end, running back and offensive line.  

There is one running back recruit, 3-star Justin Taylor (5'10", 205 lbs.). Mark Ingram may have been a 3-star recruit, but Nick Saban is sure to be looking to round that position out with Barry Sanders, Jr., or some other 4 or 5-star running back.  

The sole offensive line commit is 3-star Brandon Greene (6'6", 280 lbs.), who will need several years to add weight, and looks to be a good offensive tackle prospect if he can do so.  

There are currently no tight end commitments.  

The Crimson Tide's commitment list seems to be coming along nicely, with the defensive side looking a little brighter.  

Saban still has his eye on a lot of other big names, including the No. 1 prospect in the land, 6'6, 220 lbs. wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. I went very in-depth regarding Green-Beckham's recruitment in a previous article (SEC Changes and 'Bama's Chances at Dorial Green-Beckham). 

The locations of the current commitments holds a very interesting fact: Saban is milking the pipeline states for all they are worth, especially Georgia, much to the dismay of the Georgia Bulldogs' coach, Mark Richt.  

Only seven of the 19 commits are from Alabama, and another seven are from Georgia. The rest are rounded out with three from Florida, one from South Carolina and one, Alec Morris, from Texas.  

With Texas A&M joining the SEC, Texas is the new hot-bed state in SEC recruiting, though A&M is sure to reap the majority of that benefit.  

The Crimson Tide commitment list looks good, with plenty of 4-star recruits. But we all know that Nick Saban takes the "stars" thing with a grain of salt. He'll sign a 3-star prospect that he likes in a heartbeat, and then make a man out of him.