Monday, December 14, 2015 marked the beginning of the Dead Period for recruiting that will continue until January 13, 2016 - essentially the length of bowl season. This period basically means "no face-to-face contact". Mail, texting and phone calls are okay. A deeper explanation can be found at SBN.

JUCO SIGNING DAY



Currently, the Tide has 18 players committed to the 2016 class including four early enrollees and a greyshirt. Today, December 16, is mid-year juco national signing day. By the time you read this, the Tide may have one juco letter of intent (LOI) in house.

Charles Baldwin OL Brooklyn, NY (ASA College) 6'5"/305 4/5 stars - Baldwin is a tenacious refined lineman who excels equally at pass protection as he does at run blocking. Look for him to be a strong contender for the open right tackle job in the spring. He comes from the same juco that produced former Bama OL Leon Brown but is said to be much further along. Originally from Connecticut, he ranks among the top 4 juco players for 2016.

No other mid-year juco players appear to be on Bama's radar but ya never know...

One other juco possibility (but not a January enrollee) is Tennessee commit Jonathan Kongbo SDE 6'5"/264 4 stars. Bo Davis and Nick Saban paid the Arizona Western College star a visit and made him an offer. He plans to visit Tuscaloosa on January 15. Originally from Surrey, B.C., Canada, he had 49 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, and recovered a fumble to earn First Team All-Conference honors in 2015. A raw talent, Kongbo only began playing football as a high school senior. After redshirting his freshman season at Wyoming, he transferred to Arizona Western in the summer of 2015. He should have three playing years remaining.

EARLY ENROLLEES

Joining Baldwin in January will be the following three:

Jonah Williams OL Folsom, CA (Folsom) 6'5"/280 5 stars - A big pick-up for Alabama from a guy who will be ready to compete right away. He too will battle for the right tackle spot. Williams is among the top 3 tackles in the nation and in the top 20 overall.

Jalen Hurts QB Channelview, TX (Channelview) 6'2"/196 4 stars - Two days after winning the SEC Championship, Nick Saban was in the #4 dual-threat quarterback's living room in Texas. This past season, Hurts threw for 2,371 yards and 26 TDs with only 4 INT. He added 1,393 rushing yards and 25 scores on the ground.

T.J. Simmons WR Pinson, AL (Clay) 6'1"/191 3/4 stars - One of the fastest rising stars in the state, he had 47 catches his senior season for 1,228 yards and 20 TDs. He also caught two touchdown passes in last Saturday's Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic. He should be a solid 4 star by NSD.

Also joining the Tide is greyshirt Christian Bell DE Hoover, AL (Hoover) 6'4"/238 3 stars. He turned down offers from Mississippi State, Nebraska, South Carolina, and UCLA among others to pursue a chance to play for the Crimson Tide. He will be able to participate in bowl practice. His scholarship will count towards the Class of 2016.

Currently, it is unknown if Bama has more than five early enrollee slots open but we should know soon. Spring semester classes begin at the Capstone on January 13, 2016. These five student-athletes should be on campus at that time.

OTHER COMMITTED

Raekwon Davis DT Meridian, MS (Meridian) 6'7"/315 4 stars - A BIG BIG man. Davis made three unofficial visits to Alabama this fall and one to FSU. That said, Bama has had a tough time hanging on to recruits from the Magnolia state.

Trevon Diggs WR Gaithersburg, MD (The Avalon School) 6'0"/188 4 stars - Brother of Vikings rookie WR Stefon Diggs; May have some work in the classroom before he can enroll but a promising big play receiver.

B.J. Emmons RB Morganton, NC (Freedom) 5'10"/230 4 stars - Coming into a position of need, Emmons ran for 2,417 yards this year and a phenomenal 36 touchdowns; Among the top 4 running backs in the nation; Reportedly runs a 4.5 in the 40.

Kendell Jones DT Killeen, TX (Shoemaker) 6'4"/360 4/5 stars - This kid would fit in just fine with the current Bama DL rotation; Quick, athletic, and explosive; May play the nose at Bama. Firm commitment.

Deonte Brown OL Decatur, AL (Austin) 6'4"/335 4 stars - Solid commit; Big, strong, runs a 5.2; Excelled at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practices and game; Should play guard for the Tide.

Jaquan Yulee LB Chesapeake, VA (Indian River) 6'1"/249 4 stars - Top 3 ILB could be heir apparent; Runs a 4.73; Firmly committed to Alabama, but will take other official visits.

Chris Owens OG Arlington, TX (Arlington Lamar) 6'3"/315 3/4 stars - Runs a 5.45; Turns 18 next month; Added 35 lbs this past year; Plays 6A Texas football.

Shawn Jennings DB Dadeville, AL (Dadeville) 6'2"/217 3 stars - 93 total tackles, four interceptions as a junior; Senior season was cut short because of a September knee injury which required surgery; Brother of Bama RS frosh LB Anfernee Jennings; Full first name is Shawndarius; Also played some QB.

Miller Forristall TE Cartersville, GA (Cartersville) 6'5"/215 3/4 stars - A former quarterback still learning tight end; Very athletic, good hands; Will need to add some mass; Caught the winning touchdown pass in the AAAA state championship game for a 10-0 win over powerhouse Buford this past weekend; Runs a 4.68.

Brendan Scales TE Wildwood, MO (Lafayette) 6'4"/220 3/4 stars - Should be able to add weight and not lose athleticism; Potential to split out to create mismatches; Bench Max: 305, Squat Max: 550; Unofficially runs somewhere between 4.65 and 4.8.

Quinnen Williams DT Birmingham, AL (Wenonah) 6'4"/265 3/4 stars - A bit raw but was downright dominant in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practices and the game; Trending up, he should be a solid 4 star come February 3rd; Can play tackle or end depending on the scheme; Has a verified 40 time of 5.24.

Joshua Perry DB Amite, LA (Amite) 6'2"/183 3 stars - Could play cornerback or safety but likely the latter; Ole Miss may be catching his eye a little: Runs a 4.5.

Riley Cole LB Oneonta, AL (Oneonta) 6'3"/217 3 stars - An intelligent and versatile athlete, he rarely came off the field in 2015 playing linebacker, tight end, slot back, and long snapper; Earned a scholarship from Alabama after his camp performance in June; MVP of the Atlanta Nike Opening Regional last spring.

UP NEXT

If you had the great pleasure of being in Bryant-Denny Stadium to see Alabama dismantle LSU, you were not alone.

Big crowd on Alabama sideline. pic.twitter.com/2hpG1Xy6k7 — Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) November 8, 2015

The Crimson Tide had recruits aplenty in attendance, from Class 2016 to 2018. In the next installment, we will attempt to cover the uncommitted prospects and potential flippers.

#ROLLTIDE

#NSD2016