Marvin Gentry, USA TODAY SPORTSDar
Nick Saban is like a machine. He sticks with his process, whether it’s in practice, in games, at a speaking engagement or on the recruiting trail.
And why wouldn’t he? The head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide has won three national championships in Tuscaloosa (in addition to the one he won with the LSU Tigers) and he has his team in the national title hunt nearly every season. In 2014, Saban’s team earned the top seed in the first College Football Playoff before losing to the eventual national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
But the process, as Saban describes it, moves forward. Saban hit the ground running on recruiting and, according to ESPN, he has assembled the top recruiting class in the nation for 2015.
Not only is it the best class in the country, but it’s balanced. Saban was able to assemble a nice mix of offensive and defensive recruits.
On offense, Alabama reeled in the nation’s top running back, Damien Harris (Berea, Ky.) and the nation’s top wide receiver, Calvin Ridley (Coconut Creek, Fla.). The class also includes four-star quarterback Blake Barnett (Corona, Calif.), who many observers see as the quarterback of the future for the Tide.
Saban has made his mark as a defensive coach, and the defensive recruits in this class are also outstanding. Five-star defensive tackle Daron Payne (Birmingham, Ala.) joins five-star defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jersey City, N.J.) as the top defensive recruits in the class.
As these players arrive in Tuscaloosa, they will be introduced to Saban’s process and will become a part of it. And if things continue as they have, these recruits will be a part of teams that are annually competing for national championships.
Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
