Top 2024 Tide Target Reclassifies to 2023

Over the last few years, we are seeing a growing trend in college football recruiting where a top five player reclassifies and graduates a year early. 2022 No. 1 overall recruit QB Quinn Ewers who reclassed to 2021 and enrolled at Ohio State before transferring back home and is now the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. 2023 top five recruit LT Overton from Milton, Georgia reclassified to the 2022 class and is now a starting defensive lineman for the Texas A&M Aggies.

The trend has now continued with 2024 five star cornerback Desmond Ricks who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Ricks just announced he will be graduating early and joining the 2023 class. Ricks was a major target for The Crimson Tide as a potential member of the 2024 class and this shouldn't change that stance at all.

The depth of the 2023 cornerback class isn't very deep and while Alabama has done a solid job with landing defensive backs, so far, only five star Jahlil Hurley projects to be a cornerback. That fact leaves plenty of space for Ricks to join the current class that can sign above the standard twenty-five class due to exemptions brought on by the transfer portal and COVID-19 protocols. Alabama will most likely have to outperform Florida down the stretch for Ricks but with Robert Gillespie and Travaris Robinson on the trail, I like Alabama's chances.