Ask Farrell: Should Alabama worry about recent recruiting losses?

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

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MORE ASK FARRELL: Is Saban or Meyer the better recruiter?

Alabama has had a vice grip on in-state prospects in recent recruiting classes, and basically for the entire history of Rivals.com, dating back to 2002.

There have been times when other programs, especially those in the SEC, could steal a prospect here or there at the top of the state rankings, but in coach Nick Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa that has been a rare occurrence.

Until the last two recruiting cycles.

There is no reason to panic for Alabama, especially since the Crimson Tide are expected to finish this recruiting class with a five-star flurry and be named the team recruiting rankings champion once again. But in-state recruiting the last two cycles has taken an unexpected downturn.

The latest surprise came Monday, when five-star center Clay Webb from Oxford, Ala., picked Georgia over Alabama and Clemson. It is the first time in Rivals history that the Bulldogs landed a top-two player from the state of Alabama.

As it stands now, the No. 1 and No. 3 prospects in the state - receiver George Pickens and quarterback Bo Nix, respectively - are committed to Auburn. Auburn had a nice run as well last recruiting cycle with in-state recruits, as it landed two of the top three players, and No. 1 Justyn Ross went to Clemson.

We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell what’s going on in the state of Alabama. Do the Crimson Tide have anything to worry about at all?

“I think more and more schools are going into Alabama to try to beat Saban at his own game, which is stealing recruits from other home states, and it’s working a bit. You expect Auburn to get its share of Alabama players, but for Clemson to go in and land the top player last year and for Georgia to land Webb this year after he was supposed to be a ‘Bama lean for so long is a bit surprising.

"However, if there’s one program I don’t worry about when it comes to recruiting it’s Alabama under Nick Saban. While I do think the success that Clemson and Georgia have had will bring others into the state, it takes a special program like Dabo Swinney’s or Kirby Smart’s to win that type of battle.”