Take Two: Is Bama a serious contender for five-star Fleming?

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

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 an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.

MORE TAKE TWO: Is Clemson a lock for Bresee?

Julian Fleming is the top-rated receiver in the 2020 class and he’s long been considered someone who’s wrapped up in a battle between Big Ten powerhouses Ohio State and Penn State.

But the Catawissa (Pa.) Southern Columbia five-star recruit took his first official visit to Alabama this past weekend and when someone visits Tuscaloosa, it ramps up their recruitment even more.

Fleming, who also visited Clemson in early March, looks to be making the rounds nationally in search of his best fit. The Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes have basically been non-stop recruiting him for a couple years and many believed he’d end up at Penn State since he lives about 90 miles from campus.

But this Alabama trip could throw a wrench into everything. The Crimson Tide have shown the ability to go anywhere for any prospect and the national power has certainly developed elite wide receivers over the years.

Is Alabama now a serious player in Fleming’s recruitment or will this continue to be a Big Ten battle between Penn State and Ohio State?

“Getting him on campus is big, getting him around the coaching staff, because it’s pretty much a new coaching staff with a new offensive coordinator, new wide receivers coach. He had a little bit of a relationship with Holmon Wiggins when he was at Virginia Tech so they knew each other and he’s been recruiting him.

“Fleming’s high school quarterback the last two years, Stone Hollenbach, is an invited walk-on for Alabama and he’s down there with him. Heading into the weekend, Alabama was on the outside but you never know how an official visit might go. This is his first official visit and he’s going to take all these other trips. You may never know if he’ll visit Alabama again. Alabama already has three wide receiver commits in the 2020 class but they’re certainly going after him and a few other top guys. They’re trying to get four or five in this year’s class and Fleming is one of their top-tier guys.”

“Alabama always has a chance. If they can get you on campus, they’ll have an opportunity to steal you away. The kid we didn’t think who was going to leave Pennsylvania was Robert Foster and he ended up at Alabama and he’s now in the NFL. A lot of people thought he would stay more local. A lot of people think Fleming will go to Penn State or go to Ohio State.

“I still lean toward the Big Ten here but you can never count Alabama out especially if they can get you on an official visit.”