mcbride.jpg

Alabama signee Montel McBride, center, has failed to qualify and will head to junior college (photo courtesy 247Sports)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - AL.com has learned that Montel McBride, an offensive lineman who signed with Alabama in February, has failed to academically qualify to enroll at UA and will start his career in junior college.

The 6-foot-4, 329-pound McBride, a Plant City, Fla., native, has signed with Iowa Western Community College. McBride committed to Iowa Western on Monday and sent the school his letter of intent on Tuesday afternoon.

McBride committed to Alabama last summer, but was one of three signees who did not enroll at the start of summer school. Since then, defensive lineman Johnny Dwight did qualify, but running back Bo Scarbrough from Northport has not enrolled yet.

The last Alabama high school signee to end up at a junior college straight from high school was cornerback Deion Belue. He signed with Alabama in 2010, but didn't qualify and had to go to Northeast Mississippi Community College before landing at Alabama prior to his junior season.

Iowa Western is one of the top junior college programs in the country. The Reivers won the NJCAA national championship in 2012 and went 11-1 last season.

Alabama begins fall practice on Friday.