MORE SIGNING DAY: Wommack and Farrell provide a live preview | Announcement guide | Farrell's 10 bold predictions | Five players who could flip| Teams that should, shouldn't be excited | Rivals Roundtable | Craziest moments in signing day history
THE SITUATIONÂ
Jordan Battle has spent a good chunk of 2018 committed to Ohio State. He pledged his services the Buckeyes back in June and played his senior season as a solidly committed prospect. That all changed when the Early Signing Period began, however, as the four-star defensive back has chosen to sign with Alabama.
Battle’s commitment flip comes not long after longtime Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer announced his decision to retire for medical reasons, although the safety’s change of heart is likely for multiple reasons. Either way, nobody in Tuscaloosa will do much complaining about the reasons behind the decision.
HOW IT HELPS ALABAMAÂ Â
Alabama gets a long, versatile athlete in Battle, a leader of one of the country’s top high school defenses. The four-star defensive back is a nice blend of length and speed and seems to fit in well with what Alabama likes in its secondary. The fact that he hails from the perennially talent-rich football factory that is Ft. Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School is an added bonus, as success recruiting the program tends to compound. There are worse places to build pipelines. Still, Battle, even on his own, is quite a prize. He’ll need to add weight, but should do so quickly considering his frame.
HOW IT HURTS OHIO STATEÂ Â
Nobody likes to lose a commit late in the process, but the Buckeyes class isn’t exactly hurting for talent. That said, Ryan Day and his staff had to have known this was a possibility, as rumors have been swirling for weeks. No coaching change in the history of the sport has ever been without a wrinkle, so even the smooth transition at Ohio State was likely to create a bump or two two. Battle’s commitment , it seems, was simply one of those bumps.
