Alabama head coach Nick Saban has developed a reputation for being ahead of the game when it comes to recruiting but over the weekend Saban may have put the Crimson Tide far ahead of the competition with one of the country's future star prospects. Baton Rouge (La.) athlete Dylan Moses was one of several players to receive a scholarship offer from Alabama during the Crimson Tide's Junior Day event over the weekend, though unlike most of the other players that received offers, Moses is not a junior. He's in 8th grade.

"We got the invitation to come to Alabama's Junior Day a few weeks ago and to be honest we were kind of surprised," said Dylan's father Edward Moses Jr. "When we got there, Coach (Burton) Burns took us around and introduced us to the entire coaching staff and they all seemed very interested in Dylan. They treated him like a five-star recruit."

"We met with Coach Saban after lunch and he talked to Dylan about his future and what he needed to do to achieve his potential as a student and as a football player. When he said he was offering Dylan a scholarship, we asked a lot of questions just to make sure we knew exactly what he meant. Coach Saban said the Alabama staff believes Dylan has a chance to be the best player in the country in the Class of 2017 and they were ready to offer him a scholarship. That's when the fireworks started going off in our heads."

Moses, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound athlete, already received an offer from LSU last summer, thanks in large part to his attendance at LSU's youth football camps over the past five years. Edward Moses said his son caught the attention of Alabama thanks to a highlight film that began circulating after his remarkable 8th-grade season, in which he starred at both running back and linebacker.

"He's got most of his experience at running back and linebacker but I would like him to learn to play defensive back as well, though he might end up growing out of that position," Edward said. "I think when you look at Alabama and LSU, they are two programs known for being the best developers of running backs and defensive backs in the nation so he really can't go wrong either way."

Moses will be attending University Lab High School starting this fall, a high school within a stone's throw of LSU's Tiger Stadium. It's also the alma mater of recent Alabama signee Tim Williams. Despite the early start to his recruitment, Moses isn't planning to make a decision anytime soon.

"We aren't putting any pressure on him with the recruiting process right now. I think the fact that this is happening so early for him is helping him mature a little quicker than most 14 year-olds would and I think that's probably a good thing for him. Right now, all Dylan really knows is that LSU and Alabama are his favorites and he's going to spend the next few years focusing on becoming the best player he can be. I don't think he feels any need to rush his decision."

Moses is planning to attend the upcoming Rivals Camp in Hoover on April 6 as well as an upcoming Nike Football Training Camp sometime this spring.

Check out video highlights of Moses from his 8th grade season.