Alabama Football: 3 instant impact signees from 2020 class

Alabama football finished with the No. 3 recruiting class in 2020 and there are a few signees who could have an instant impact for the Tide.

The 2019 season didn’t quite play out the way Nick Saban had hoped. The Crimson Tide had national title aspirations just one year after losing in the championship to Clemson, but a Tua Tagovailoa season-ending injury changed the outlook.

The Tide suffered other major injuries as well — such as Dylan Moses — but they are heading into the 2020 campaign with high expectations and a new quarterback under center. While Mac Jones is the likely replacement for Tua, it could also be his brother or an incoming freshman who has been declared a future superstar.

Alabama signed the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation for 2020 and while the Tide are loaded, they still have a few guys who could contribute right away.

Which 2020 signees will haves instant impacts for the Tide?

Alabama’s defensive backfield is usually loaded and that should be the case yet again in 2020, but that doesn’t mean a young guy can’t come in and join the regular rotation, especially at safety.

That’s where a guy like Brian Branch comes into play. He’s one of two safeties signed in the 2020 class, along with Malachi Moore, and he’s also the highest rated. Although you can’t base everything off of recruiting rankings, it’s safe to say Branch is one of the best safety recruits in the country who had nearly 30 offers and was down to Oklahoma and Alabama.

In fact, the four-star is ranked the third-best safety in the class and No. 60 overall player, according to 247Sports, and he’s also the eighth-best prospect from a loaded state of Georgia.

If Alabama wants to effectively replace Xavier McKinney, Jared Mayden and Shyheim Carter, it could turn to a kid like Branch to come in and give it a college-ready contributor.