Take Two: Will Alabama lock down fast-rising Quandarrius Robinson?
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.
THE STORYLINE
No player in the newly-released Rivals100 made a bigger jump in the rankings than Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin linebacker Quandarrius Robinson and he might not be done moving up.
From not ranked in the Rivals250 to No. 28 overall, Robinson is only a few spots from five-star status and with his unique blend of length and athleticism he could be someone in that five-star discussion moving forward.
The four-star prospect had been committed to Auburn but backed off that pledge and is still considering the Tigers along with Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and others in his recruitment.
It looks like Alabama could have the edge, though, which follows a storyline over the last many years where players commit to Auburn early only to end up with the Crimson Tide.
Quinnen Williams, T.J. Yeldon, Cyrus Kouandjio and Dee Liner come to mind. Reuben Foster went from Alabama to Auburn and back to Alabama. Rashaan Evans attended Auburn High and had major connections to the Tigers but ended up picking Alabama instead.
Can Auburn or another SEC program convince Robinson to sign, or will the fast-rising outside linebacker be just another outstanding in-state prospect who heads to Alabama?
FIRST TAKE: Andrew Bone, BamaInsider.com
“There is a lot to love about Robinson on the field. He has all the tools you look for in an outside linebacker or edge rusher. He has incredible quickness coming off the ball. He has shown the ability to cover in space and make plays in the open field. He has a great frame and excellent speed. He continues to get better every year and has developed into one of the best overall players in the country. His stock should continue to climb and can earn another star in the next few months.
“Robinson grew up a big Auburn fan. He also gave an early commitment to the Tigers. He backed off from his decision after his junior season and has taken several visits. Most of his trips were to Alabama. He has developed a very strong relationship with outside linebackers coach Sal Sunseri. The connection appears as a key factor in his recruitment. Robinson will take official visits this month to Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee. He will spend a few days in Tuscaloosa next week on an unofficial visit and take his official to Alabama in the fall. Alabama appears in great shape for Robinson, but Auburn won’t go down without a fight anytime soon.”
SECOND TAKE: Mike Farrell, Rivals.com
“He has the highest ceiling out of anybody I’ve seen from the state of Alabama this year. He’s a tall linebacker so he could grow into a hybrid defensive end for sure. He’s 6-foot-5, 217 and could put on weight on that frame. He can have his hand in the dirt at times, he can stand up at times, he covers a ton of ground because of his length.
“After the early commitment to Auburn, Robinson obviously took a step back to look at his options. Most people think it’s going to be Alabama now and he’d be a good fit in that defense. There have been guys who have flipped from Auburn to Alabama who had success and it’s always interesting because before the early 2010s it was very rare for someone to commit to either Alabama or Auburn and then flip to the other school. Now it seems much more common. If he goes to Alabama and turns out to be a star, that hurts Auburn even more.”