Alabama Football: 5 former recruits who exceeded their rankings

Alabama football has earned their fair share of the top recruiting prospects. Who are some under-the-radar names that turned into stars?

Recruiting has always been one of the keys to success for Alabama football under Saban’s reign. Since before they won their first ring, the Tide have always seemed to have one of the best recruiting classes by the numbers. They fill needs with the top talent the high school ranks have to offer every year. Five-star phenoms have to sit for multiple years at times just to get on the field.

However, the numbers aren’t always right. The key to recruiting isn’t making the best pitch. Anyone can go to the top 100 players and start offering scholarships. The secret in Saban’s excellence is the ability to find the stars that others miss. Some fan bases question when their teams sign players with low ratings. Alabama doesn’t worry about this. If he gets Nick Saban’s stamp of approval, he is likely to work out.

Although Saban always gets a few five-star players, the ones who turn a class from good to great are the players that exceed expectations once they get to campus. Players seem to come out of nowhere to the casual fan, but Saban’s staff have tracked them for years in high school. They find the hidden potential, then they maximize it in college games.

Who are some of those players that Alabama has signed in recent years that have exceeded their recruitment grade? Here’s my top five. However, I must make one disclaimer. I am only considering players who were recruited and signed from high school. No JUCO players are being considered, and neither are walk-ons. Finding a random student at Alabama and turning him into an NFL players is very impressive (see Levi Wallace), but that is not what this list is about.

Now, let’s get into the top five players who exceeded their recruiting grade.