Fact or Fiction: Alabama is the front-runner for five-star Denver Harris
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman along with Andrew Bone of BamaInsider.com and Ryan Young of TrojanSports.com tackle three recruiting or rankings topics and determine whether they believe each statement.
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1. Alabama is the clear front-runner for five-star CB Denver Harris.
Gorney’s take: FACT. The feeling for a long time is that Alabama is definitely the team to beat for Denver Harris. Nick Saban is not going to waste his time regularly talking to someone Alabama does not have a great chance of getting. There is some feeling that the surprise team here could be Texas and that the Longhorns might be able to pull a shocker to land the in-state five-star prospect but I doubt it. Alabama is definitely the favorite when Harris is ready to decide.
Bone’s take: FACT. I am hesitant to say with 100-percent certainty Alabama is the front-runner, but it sure seems that way. Harris has weekly calls with Nick Saban and has a very good relationship with Alabama defensive backs coach Jay Valai. The Crimson Tide has been considered the favorite for a long time and it will surprise many if he lands elsewhere. LSU has also been in the race from the get-go and he has a great relationship with defensive backs coach Corey Raymond. Texas and Texas A&M are also contenders, but the sense is that it comes down to the Tide and Tigers, two heavyweights when it comes to producing elite DB talent. Alabama looks to bring in a recruit from Houston North Shore for the third consecutive year after landing offensive linemen Damieon George (2020) and Jaeden Roberts (2021).
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2. Ty Simpson should be ranked as the second-best quarterback in the 2022 class.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Right now, Ty Simpson is the fifth-best quarterback in this class behind Cade Klubnik, Walker Howard, Gunner Stockton and Connor Weigman but that’s too low. The Alabama quarterback did not wow at the Elite 11 this summer but it was a setting that doesn’t necessarily show off his skill set. He’s a natural leader and a coach’s son. He doesn’t make many bad throws or decisions, and we might be overthinking some of the quarterbacks ahead of him. In games, I prefer Simpson over Howard and Stockton. Weigman would be up for debate because he’s fantastic, too, but my money would be on Simpson to be the No. 2 QB in this class behind Klubnik. We will see if it shakes out that way.
Spiegelman’s take: FICTION. There's plenty to like about Simpson. For one, he opened his senior season with an impressive five-touchdown performance and has given us no reason to believe he's going to slow down anytime soon. He sat atop Alabama's board at the position and of course, is the son of a coach, which when it comes to the quarterback position is not something to lightly look over. After a summer where we saw a lot of the nation's top passers, namely Klubnik and Howard, I like the current pecking order. Klubnik has a championship pedigree and has a well-rounded skillset. The same goes for Howard, who is also a legacy quarterback coming off a season that ended with a state title. USC-bound Devin Brown also shined in his Week 1 opener, but that's expected from these top quarterbacks. Entering the fall, I like where Klubnik sits with all of these other talented quarterbacks, like Simpson, not too far off.
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3. USC should be concerned that Domani Jackson is going to take some visits.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. The Alabama visit is interesting especially if the Crimson Tide somehow don’t get Denver Harris because Domani Jackson has been targeted by that coaching staff. And Michigan was the dream school growing up and is where close friend Will Johnson is committed. But I still don’t think the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei prospect is even considering a flip at this point. He has long liked USC, he has an awesome relationship with that coaching staff and is physically ready to step on the field on Day 1 and make an impact. I’d be surprised if the five-star ends up anywhere else.
Young’s take: FICTION. For a while now in his recruitment, Jackson has maintained two things – that his commitment to USC is solid and that he wants to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime recruiting experience by taking some official visits elsewhere. Anytime Alabama in particular is involved, the cause for concern elevates a little, but in Jackson's case there's also still every reason to believe he sticks with USC if the Trojans coaching staff remains in place. Those close to Jackson say they've known for years that he was going to end up at USC, he's talked about his long-standing interest in being a Trojan and has even called Clay Helton his "favorite coach," while acknowledging that many fans may not share that same opinion. Add in the Donte Williams factor and all the friends of his who are already on the Trojans' roster, and it's going to be hard to sway him off his commitment. Maybe the picture looks different based on what he says coming off that Alabama visit this fall, but as of now, no more reason for concern than comes with any early commit who chooses to play out the recruiting process.