Norfleet has Alabamas attention

The last running back Alabama recruited out of the state of Michigan went on to win the Heisman Trophy. Could the Crimson Tide be looking to the Great Lakes State again for another ball carrier?

Detroit King running back Dennis Norfleet does not yet have an offer from the Crimson Tide, but he traveled to Tuscaloosa this week in hopes of earning one.

"At Alabama I felt that I did not have anything to lose since I wasn't offered," Norfleet said. "I went out with a lot of energy and did every drill hard. I thought that was the best I ever worked at a camp."

Norfleet also put up outstanding testing numbers at Alabama, running a 4.41 40-yard dash, a 4.17 shuttle and posting a 33-inch vertical jump. His play impressed Crimson Tide running backs coach Bobby Williams and had several other coaches on staff commenting on his play.

"[Williams] told me to be the leader of the group, so that was what I was doing," Norfleet said. "After that a lot of coaches were coming up to me and telling me they liked the way I had been working. After I got done with the running backs in the first practice I worked with the wide receivers and they said they liked me at slot too."

Following the workout, Norfleet was given a tour of Alabama's campus and spent time talking with several members of the staff who let him know they would be in contact.

"They said they were going to get in touch with my coaches and they liked what they saw," Norfleet said. "Being my first time down there, they were very impressed with what they saw. They said they were going to see what they could do about getting me an offer."

Norfleet already holds an offer from Tennessee, and the three-star prospect and several Detroit area prospects visited Knoxville for a camp the day before Alabama's camp.

"This was my first [visit] and I loved the school," Norfleet said of Tennessee. "We didn't get a tour and only got to see the part we got to play in, but I enjoyed myself that day playing. I met Coach [Charlie] Baggett and the running backs coach, but that was it."

Norfleet's other two scholarship offers are from Cincinnati and Michigan State. He plans to visit Cincinnati on July 30, and was on Michigan State's campus earlier this month.

"We went down there for the camp," Norfleet said. "It was a pretty laid back camp, but everything went well. I talked to the coaches for a little while."

The recruiting process has taken its toll on Norfleet, but the 5-7, 175-pound back is not going to rush a decision just to get the process over with.

"My granddad said he didn't want me to wait too long, but since everything is kind of moving slow he said we were going to wait and see what else comes," Norfleet said. "Until that right school comes I'm just going to wait. I don't want to rush it and make the wrong decision."