"insider" news on JJ, RR

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Very Comfortable
1. Dre Kirkpatrick, 95%
2. Tana Patrick, 95%
3. Brandon Moore, 95%
4. Ed Stinson, 90%

Comfortable
5. Bobby Massie, 80% (We have long been considered the favorite for his signature and many around the camp would be thoroughly surprised if he chose to go else where with his signature. UGA will make a serious push for his services, but I do not see anyone over-taking us from what I have heard. Saban and staff have done a great job on selling him the fact that he will contribute early and he most likely will should he come to Bama as expected.)

6. Patrick Patterson, 60%

7. Darren Myles Jr., 55% (Myles is one that I think we will snag. With Craig Loston committing to LSU to play over this weekend, Myles knows that he will be our only "true" free-safety in this class. If he goes to LSU he will likely have to compete with Loston, not to mention the Hatcher kid from last year. I've noted before that his father, being a coach, thinks very highly of Saban and his ability to run a program and recruit/develop quality defensive backs. Myles is not scared of competition by any stretch of the imagination, but the chance to play early at a big time SEC school is very appealing. It seems many have written him off, but I'm hearing very positive things on Myles Jr. FWIW, this kid will be every bit as good as Loston, he just is not as mature (physically) as Loston yet. Loston is ready for the SEC now, whereas I think Myles needs a year to develop. Things are looking good on the Myles front).


Races
8. Rueban Randle (Anyone who claims to have inside information on this kid, aside from family of course, is more than likely pissing in the wind. I've said it already once before, the Randle family should really be commended with how they have handled this difficult process. All I can say is there are numeros people who feel very comfortable with where we stand as of now with RR. It will be very tough to beat LSU out for him, and this is not like Toliver last year, or Edwards or Jackson this year. This is a real 50-50 chance and he is really torn. It is truly amazing how well our staff has recruited RR and gone about the process. The good thing is, he probably won't officially visit LSU, and while this isn't a huge deal as he has been there numerous times...it will not give them a chance to just roll the carpet out for him on an official. After missing on Debose, if we take RR that would be a major coup).

9. Morgan Moses (There is a lot more to the situation than meets the eye and I wish not to get into any of it right now. After signing day I will touch on the subject. I will say this, we are in very good shape if we want to be...and so is Ohio State).

10. Phillip Lutzenkirchen (You have to give credit where credit is due. Chizik has done a pretty good job thus far on the recruiting trail and one of those has been with Lutz. I'm now told that it would be surprising if Lutz went to UT or Bama. For some reason he really likes Auburn. Originally he stayed committed because he was just going to buy his time there until switching but with the recent staff hires and the direction the offense should take, atleast on paper, it seems he will indeed stay put. This is not certain, we still get a chance with him on campus to actually show him how important the TE position is in our offense. But the bottom line is Chizik has hired a pretty good offensive staff thus far, and that went a long way with Lutz due to his like for Auburn. This one is not over, but we have fallen behind).


Slipping
11. Chad Bumphis (At this point in time I would be very surprised if we landed his signature. I said in my last update that things were about even, that we may have been a little behind. I think I am ready to say now based on a few things, that Bumphis will be going to Mississippi State. It will take some really good recruiting down the stretch to turn Bumphis, I don't think we can).

12. Kendall Kelly (I once considered him a lock, but I'm told now that we could be on the outside looking in. I will expound more after signing day...but I wold not be surprised one bit if he left the state. His recruitment will be very, very interesting down the stretch. This is another one where there is probably conflicting reports. I don't really want to get into details especially since he is an in-state kid. I hope he stays in-state...but).

13. Fletcher Cox (Dan Mullen has done a fantastic job of coming in and recruiting in this short period of time. I know this contradicts a lot of reports that are out there, and I hope my information is wrong in this instance, but I'm being told we are not leading for Cox. I would currently put or chances around 50-50 at best, and if I had to pick today where he would sign based on what I gathered over the weekend, it would not be here. His OV coming up this weekend will be huge and we need to blow him away. Mullen will get the last chance to convince him and his family, so this weekend will be key. Mullen has really done a good job of selling the MSU guys that he is the man to turn it around).


Other
14. Janzen Jackson (Sadly, this is Tolliver all over again. Jackson is a great player and is really enamoured with playing for Saban. I would put or chances at slim to none that he leaves the state. The good thing for us is we get the last crack at him before signing day. That goes a long way with kids, the last impression. I don't epexct Jackson in this class though, but there is interest there).

15. Eddie Lacy (As I said last time...I'm still hearing a strong possibility to sign and place Lacy. As of now I'm expecting him to be in this class, but things do change of course).

16. Gene Robinson (Do not be surprised if we make a late push for him depending on what a few other guys do)


Other notables
**** I still have nothing concrete regarding BJ Scott moving to defense. I was told, however, that our staff actually felt very good about their chances with Branden Smith. This came as a bit of a shock to me. It is now more unclear than ever what Scott will do. As I said before, based on what I've heard Chris Jackson will move to CB and out of the safety position before his career is over at UA. CB will be a major focus point next year in recruiting. I'm not saying Scott will go to defense (as many do) or that he will stay on offense...I'm just saying that as of now, based on the information that I have, he will be on offense. Depth at both positions is critical.

**** No word on any coaching update. I do however think Coach Collins from McNeese State (another coach with ties to Louisiana, in addittion to him having a good relationship with Janzen Jackson's father) will get a look.


Signing Class Prediction
QB: AJ McCarron
RB: Trent Richardson
RB: Eddie Lacy (S&P)
RB: Mike Marrow
WR: Michael Bowman
WR: Patrick Patterson
WR: Kevin Norwood
WR: Rueban Randle (Prediction)
TE: William Ming
OT: DJ Fluker
OT: Darius McKellar
OT: Bobby Massie
OG: Chance Warmack
OG: James Carpenter
OG: Anthony Steen
OG: Kellen Williams
DE: Anthony Orr
DE: Darrington Sentimore
DE: Chris Bonds
DE: Brandon Moore
NT: Quinton Dial
SAM: Jonathan Atchison
WLB: Tana Patrick
MLB: Nico Johnson
JAK: Ed Stinson
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick
CB: Gerald West
FS: Darren Myles Jr.
SS: Rod Woodson

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