Alabama Football: 5-Star RB Trey Sanders could be future Heisman winner

After a roller-coaster ride of a recruitment, five-star, and No. 1 ranked RB Trey Sanders signed with Alabama Football on the opening of the early signing period.

As of last night and even early this morning, most recruiting experts thought Trey Sanders would sign with Georgia, a big change after Sanders had long been considered an Alabama lean even after de-committing from the Crimson Tide back in January.

The story, as always, is to never doubt Nick Saban.

He rallied in the 11th hour and landed the biggest remaining fish on the board and at a big position of need for Alabama.

Sanders is the No. 1 ranked running back and No. 5 overall recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings.

With Damien Harris exhausting his eligibility after the College Football Playoff, and increasing murmurs about Josh Jacobs potentially foregoing his senior season and declaring for the NFL Draft, Alabama finds themselves with a void at the RB position.

Sophomore Najee Harris will be back, but he is the only running back on the roster to take a meaningful carry in his career so far. Sophomore Brian Robinson Jr. has flashed and is certainly talented, as is true freshman Jerome Ford, who has spent the 2018 season as a redshirt, but neither were as highly regarded as Sanders in the recruiting process, and he figures to make an instant impact for the Crimson Tide in 2019, even if Jacobs decided to come back to school.

The potential for early playing time obviously was big for Sanders, and it’s something that Georgia couldn’t realistically offer. With entrenched guys like D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield back in Athens next season along with veteran Brian Herrien, not to mention the presence of blue-chippers Zamir White and James Cook from last year’s recruiting class, it would have been tough for Sanders to crack the rotation regardless of how good he is.

The five-star from IMG Academy certainly doesn’t lack for confidence, either, making a bold proclamation as he announced his collegiate intentions:

His own teammate, Heisman Trophy runner-up Tua Tagovailoa might have something to say about that next season, but Sanders certainly doesn’t lack for confidence. Under Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide has produced two Heisman Trophy winning running backs – Mark Ingram in 2009 and Derrick Henry in 2015.

Will Sanders be the third?

Time will tell, but securing his signature was a massive win for Nick Saban on the opening of the early signing period as the Crimson Tide inches closer to the No. 1 ranked recruiting class.