Rating Tide basketball recruits...

So how well has Grant done with the ink pen?

Randolph picked Bama over Butler

     We know the man can coach. Can he recruit as well as he can coach? The two go hand and hand. Great recruits can make good coaches. So exactly where does the Tide stand with its recruiting class heading around the turn and into the stretch run. Most publications have 'Bama in the top 18 or so. Nationally,  that is very respectable. It would be higher if people knew just how good Rodney Cooper really plays the game.  Here's how I see them and how I rate them. I do not personally rate players by the star systems for coaches. I will today to give you some comparison to other ranking services.


1. Rodney Cooper - may be the most underrated player in the Deep South. His days of flying under the radar is over. He was recently named a Parade High School All-American. This young man can score from anywhere and has a deadly outside shot. Take heart Tide fans here comes a down town Freddie Brown. The southpaw is equally adept at taking it inside. He needs to get stronger and put some bulk on his 6-5 200 lb. frame. Hmm... more like one 190 tops. His top game of the season was 53 and 16 rebounds through only 3 1/2 quarters. Keep in mind that high school games are 8 minute quarters. A couple of well known services rate him as 3 star player. I'm writing this from Mars if he is a three. Let's say a solid 4 stars with tremendous upside.  He may be the best player that Grant signed. Put it another way, he may end up being the best player in a great class. Will contribute early particularly against zones. He is a good defensive player and will get some minutes due to his work ethic and length. He loves the Tide's hard defensive ethic and run til you die game.



2. Levi Randolph - Levi is the best known Tide recruit.  He was selected at the Class 6A Player of the Year. That is no small honor for a high school senior. Levi is a great ball handler and can swing between the small forward and two guard. He is the most versatile of the Tide recruits. I bet Anthony Grant salivates over his defensive potential. He is long and lanky yet has power packed into his 6-5 200 pound build. The season long debate regarding Randolph was whether or not he or Lacey were the top dogs in Huntsville. Each had their supporters. Lacey might have the most immediate impact, but Randolph has so much upside it is scary. 4 stars at a minimum. Top 75 national player. Will contribute early.  Randolph will tell anyone that Anthony Grant's style of hard nose defense and running game swung him to the Capstone. This may be one of the hardest working superstars I've ever seen.

3. Nick Jacobs - is 6-8 and weighs 250 pounds, easily. The Atlanta South big man was one of three D1 prospects on his team. Nick broke a hand late in the season and knocked him out of the Mr. Georgia Basketball race. I suspect his signing with Bama hurt him more though. Think a little Reggie King when you visualize Nick. I'm not saying he is another Mule. He's got the tools. He was First Team All-Georgia on the AJC list. He was also top 75 national player. Will contribute very early. He is easily a 4 star player. Jacobs will fit into the grab the ball off the glass and fly offense, but will do just as well looking for the rock on the block

4. Moussa Gueye - 7 feet and 275 lbs of "you can't move me from the lane." Without a doubt Bama's most intriguing player. Has three years left to play. Was on the Juco All-American pre-season team and then got hurt. Moussa will allow Green to abuse other power forwards next season rather than post players. Gueye will almost make it impossible to seriously double down on any Bama inside player and will allow Green to increase his shooting range. Green will not pick up as many fouls. I've spent some time talking about how he will help Green. How will he help Alabama? If it is airborne he will block it. If it bounces off the rim he can claim it. He is going to alter more shots than Health South Accountant adjusts profits and losses. 4 stars and you have to wonder what he might have been had he not been injured.

This is the best class since Mark's first season at Bama. If Bama adds Lacey it will be a top 7 class easily. Regardless, the Tide has rung the proverbial bell by signing four gifted kids. Right now the Tide has 2 of 3 of Alabama's best player. One of the top 3 kids from Georgia, and the best interior player from the Juco ranks. Can he recruit? Ask anyone who played VCU in the NCAA field. 

Anything less that a bid and a couple of wins in the NCAA is going to seem awfully disappointing to me. Let's assume these new players develop chemistry with the vets. "Oh, My" as Dick Enberg used to say. The question in my mind is whether any of these kids will be a junk yard dog like Old number 44. Can anyone defend like Scenario. Don't forget Carter and Durant. 

Final thought: When the 7th day of April broke light Anthony Grant was in Huntsville by 9:00 AM. How did the visit go? It went good, very good. Look for Lacey to break bread with press on the 22nd or 23rd.  Lacey was just named as a Parade High School All-American joining Rodney Cooper on that prestigious list. 


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