Crimson Tide Commits Take Home Some Hardware

The rich just seem to keep getting richer.

Two members of the 2022 Crimson Tide recruiting class were honored for their incredible performances in their senior years. Shawn Murphy and Ty Simpson, both very highly touted prospects in the upcoming class, took home some serious hardware, likely preparing them for what will come at Alabama.

Shawn Murphy, a four-star linebacker out of Virginia, took home the 2021 Dick Butkus Award, a trophy given each year to the nation's top high school linebacker. Murphy is the nation's first ranked linebacker, and his extreme physicality and relentless pursuit make him a very sought after prospect. Standing at 6-foot-2, 215 lb., Murphy is excellent size for an inside linebacker.

The last Alabama linebacker to take home the trophy was Dylan Moses in 2016 for his outstanding final year at IMG Academy.

Ty Simpson, the five-star quarterback out of Martin, TN, not only took his team to their first ever state title win, but took home Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the state of Tennessee.

Simpson also finished his career earning Mr. Football honors for class 2A in Tennessee.

Simpson is the third ranked quarterback in the class, and chose the Crimson Tide over a plethora of other offers. Blowing out most of the competition throughout the season, the 6-foot-2, 185 lb. quarterback finished the year with nearly 2,900 passing yards and 41 touchdowns as well as adding over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.

The dynamic quarterback has drawn many impressive comparisons for his athleticism and arm talent, and will likely be in heavy competition for the starting job in 2023.

The Crimson Tide currently have the third ranked recruiting class for the 2022 cycle, per 247Sports, featuring three five-stars and 15 four-stars. With a few top-end prospects still left undecided, Alabama has a chance for back-to-back first ranked classes, the first time since 2017.