Alabama Recruiting: 4-star OLB Markail Benton commits to Tide
Alabama gets a big, speedy boost to their defense with the commitment of a four-star linebacker from Auburn’s background.
Alabama’s strong recruiting class got even more potent Friday afternoon when 2017 four-star outside linebacker Markail Benton (Phenix City, AL. Central) committed to the program. This news was first reported by Hank South of 247Sports.com.
Benton is the No. 86 player in the 2017 class, No. 6 outside linebacker, and the No. 3 player in his class from the state of Alabama per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
He was a highly-valued prospect, notching 19 offers in total, and receiving visits from four different coaches.
Just from within the SEC, he accrued offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
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On the Alabama front, he was recruited to the Tide by defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley, who was the primary recruiter for Benton while defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt served as the secondary recruiter.
The Crimson Tide have been active in Benton’s recruitment for quite some time. He took unofficial visits to the campus in September and October of 2014, and unofficially visited again this past November. He then attended the Tide’s Junior Day on February 27, before the program made the cut in his Top Six, which he announced on April 11. He then attended a camp on June 5, before making his announcement this morning.
With this pledge, Alabama’s ’17 troop now has 12 total commitments, putting them at No. 2 nationally and tops in the SEC per the 247Sports Team Rankings.
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Benton has tremendous awareness and one of his biggest assets is his speed as he is able to get off the ball quickly and make a play. He should add physicality to an Alabama defense that prides itself on playing with an edge.