Alabama has pulled yet another elite linebacker out of Auburn's backyard.

Markail Benton became the 12th player to join Alabama's 2017 recruiting class when he slipped on a black Crimson Tide 2015 national championship hat in front of his family, friends and coaches at Central-Phenix City High School Friday.

"When I took the visit to Alabama the last time I had a great time at the camp," Benton said. "They have great coaches, great facilities. You can't get better coaching at Alabama with Coach (Nick) Saban."

Though he never named a leader or favorite, many believed Auburn was the team to beat for the majority of Benton's recruitment. The Plains are just a short drive up U.S. 280, and he was a frequent visitor to the campus. He also has a former teammate, cornerback John Broussard, on the Auburn roster.

"Auburn's a great school, don't get me wrong," Benton said. "They have a great facility too, and it's like 30 minutes up the road so I would take a visit to Auburn every weekend. But I mean, Alabama's got better coaching."

Benton is now the third elite linebacker in the area to pick Alabama over Auburn in the last three years. Former five-star prospects Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans, who both played at Auburn High School, did the same in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Benton's relationship with Foster played a factor in his decision.

"Alabama wins championships," he said. "They win games... The times that I go up there now, (Foster) told me to stay focused and if I want to win championships and games, come to Alabama."

Benton's family is a mix of Alabama and Auburn fans and he said he would "toss and turn" at night between the Tide and Tigers. He didn't know which school he would pick until Friday morning.

Central head coach Jamey Dubose praised Benton's maturity and the way he handled his recruiting process. Alabama's late push also caught him by surprise.

"I'm going to be honest with you, I would have bet a month and a half, two months ago it would have been Auburn," Dubose said. "That's me. He changed along the way... I talked to him at one point and Auburn was so close and he likes going to colleges and seeing things.

"He had a strong relationship with the coaching staffs both at Auburn and Alabama. Alabama was so far away, they couldn't get around quite as much, and maybe that's why he didn't have as much a tie or seen as much on campus there."

Benton said the Tide like him as an inside linebacker on first and second downs and as a pass rusher on third downs.

He is the No. 3 recruit in the state and the No. 6 outside linebacker in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.