MORE TAKE TWO: Can Maryland convince Chris Braswell to stay in-state?
Reggie Grimes is a five-star linebacker from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., a little over two hours from Tennessee’s campus, and he’s a top priority for SEC programs and other national powerhouses across the country.
Grimes, ranked as the fourth-best outside linebacker in the class, is also an Alabama legacy and that could play a huge role as he works toward a decision.
But this might not come down to only an Alabama-Tennessee battle since South Carolina is trying everything it can to stay involved with Grimes and then other powers like Ohio State and Clemson could be in the mix as well.
Often, legacy prospects follow their fathers to the same college. There are many reasons why Grimes could pick the Crimson Tide and it doesn’t only have to do with him being a legacy since Nick Saban and his staff have developed elite recruits to be ready for the NFL.
But Tennessee is making a serious run at the top in-state prospect - even though the Vols haven’t landed the best prospect in the state since 2015 - and others are going to stay involved because Grimes is such an outstanding recruit.
Will Alabama be nearly impossible to beat for Grimes or can some other program land the Mt. Juliet star linebacker?
FIRST TAKE: WOODY WOMMACK, SOUTHEAST RECRUITING ANALYST
“Alabama is definitely the favorite, but Tennessee has a chance, South Carolina is heavily involved just by the way they’re selling him on the guys who have played in (Will) Muschamp’s defense and gone to the NFL. Ohio State and maybe even Clemson could be schools to watch, too, just because of the level of recruit he is he will want to give every potential school a chance.
"Alabama is the favorite. His dad played there and I don’t think his dad is necessarily pushing him there but I do think he would be a good fit for him. It’s a combination of him being a legacy and he’s exactly the type of guy Saban has used over the years at outside linebacker/defensive end who have had a ton of success.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“You have to think a legacy is going to go to Alabama. That’s what you would expect. So I think everybody expects him to go to Alabama. Tennessee is doing a great job recruiting and they’re going to focus really hard on in-state kids this year so they’re going to make a run as will other schools, but if I had to pick a school right now I’d pick Alabama.”
