Take Two: Can Alabama bring five-star Trey Sanders back in fold?

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

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.

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Trey Sanders committed to Alabama early in his high school career but on New Year’s Day, the five-star running back from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy backed off his pledge to the Crimson Tide and reopened his recruitment.

Sanders went through the spring and summer and into the fall open to all programs as Florida, Texas and Alabama remained under the most serious consideration. His brother, Umstead, transferred to play for the Gators and they had made significant progress in Sanders’ own recruitment.

Texas has absolutely piqued his interest and his relationship with position coach Stan Drayton continues to be important as Sanders works toward finalizing his decision.

And then there is Alabama. It’s rare for a prospect to de-commit from the Crimson Tide, even more rare for prospects to back off a pledge only to re-commit to the same school. But that seems to be the thinking when it comes to Sanders, who has backed up his top-end ranking through his senior season.

Will Sanders re-commit to Alabama when it’s time for him to make his decision or will the five-star head elsewhere?

“Alabama is in great shape with Sanders. It’s very seldom you see players go back to the school where they decommitted from, but this looks like one of those rare occasions. He is expected to make a decision in the next month or so. He will attend the Iron Bowl as an official visitor. I think the weekend can seal the deal for the Crimson Tide.

"Texas is in the race more than people think. He really likes the Texas running backs coach, Stan Drayton.

"Alabama is in driver’s seat based on the conversation I had with him the other day.”

“There was a lot of talk about Florida because his brother goes there, but the momentum is on Alabama’s side for a re-commitment. He was committed there once for a reason. He sees what he can do in that offense. They have a lot of talent there, but guys will be leaving early for the NFL after next year and Damien Harris is gone after this year. He sees an opportunity there to win a national championship and that’s probably the most important thing to him.”