Dylan Moses, the No. 1 player in the ESPN Junior 300, spent the last two days making unofficial visits to Alabama and LSU. He was previously committed to the Tigers and now favors the Crimson Tide.

The 6-foot-2, now 238-pound linebacker and running has been on campus in Tuscaloosa a number of times in the last three years, but time spent Monday with head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was invaluable.

“I talked to Coach Saban for about an hour,” Moses said. “We just talked about life and everything off the field other than football. My relationship with Coach Pruitt is progressing pretty well. I like his defense and I like his style. I can see myself in his scheme.”

For the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game selection, time spent with the players might be most impactful at this point in the process. Whenever Moses has a question about the program, he can talk to a former teammate and friend.

“The person I am closest with on the Alabama team is Tim Williams, who I played with in high school. … To be able to get advice from Tim is great. He told me to keep pushing and great things would happen for me. He plays the position I play, so to get his perspective on Alabama is good.”

While Alabama remains the frontrunner, Tuesday was big for LSU with Moses spending time with new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

“… I talked to Coach Aranda for a while, and got to know him. It was an eye-opener because I haven’t been there in a while. To see the team and the structure of the defense for Coach Aranda, it was good. The structure of the defense looked good. I asked Coach Aranda how I would fit into the defensive scheme. I got a perspective on what he wants from his defense, and his linebackers. We talked about how he would use the defensive linemen, and the entire defense.”

Aranda’s influence will be big for the Tigers to close the gap on Alabama. Les Miles’ message Tuesday was about the big picture with an emphasis on how much Moses signing with the Tigers would mean to the area and state.

“Coach Miles’ message to me was to keep my head on straight, keep working hard and take care of my books. He told me how much LSU needed me and how much my hometown needed me back. He also told me how much Louisiana needed me back home. He said it would be honor to get to coach me.”

Despite the home-town sales pitch, the Tide are still standing taller.

“Comparing right now, I honestly think Alabama has a real structure. Their offense and defense are really structured -- the whole program is really structured. LSU has a good structure too. It’s really close right now. LSU tells me they need me, Alabama tells me they need me. Alabama has about 10 linebackers at my position over there and LSU has about two … Alabama will have guys leave early after next year for the NFL draft. I love both schools, I’m just looking around and trying to enjoy the process.”

Moses, who will announce a final decision in December, is narrowing in on the most important criteria.

“Personally, I think I can play in any type or defensive scheme,” Moses said. “What’s most important is how the vibe is around a program, and how the head coach and assistants interact with the players. I want to be able to talk about personal things with the head coach and the staff. I want to feel at home.”

Moses will continue his week of unofficial visits Friday with a visit to Texas, followed by Texas A&M on Saturday.