An Alabama Crimson Tide early enrollee emerges as the 247Sports No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2019. Defensive lineman Antonio Alfano of Colonia (N.J.) was announced Tuesday as the new No. 1 prospect in the country ahead of Nolan Smith, Demarvin Leal and Derek Stingley.

Alfano is the fourth New Jersey recruit in six years to finish inside the 247Sports Top 10. He joins Rashan Gary in 2016 as No. 1 overall prospects. Alfano is the first Colonia defensive lineman to go to a power-five school since Eric LeGrand signed with Rutgers in 2008.

What gave Alfano the nod at No. 1?

“What this boiled down to for us was, what’s he missing? He had every box checked,” Simmons said during the 247Sports rankings reveal broadcast. “He’s 6-foot-4, 275 pounds. He’s got 11-inch hands, which is huge, 34-inch arms, a 4.8 40 (yard dash), which is freakish at that size, a 37-inch vertical jump. So all of the testing numbers are there. Okay, turn on the film. The film is phenomenal. His numbers, 10 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, dominates competition everywhere he’s been.

“Then he goes into the All-American Bowl. Truly, you couldn’t block him. He’s got versatility. He can play on the defensive end in any scheme. He can be a 4-3 D-end, a 3-4 D-end. He could blow up physically and become an interior guy, a true 3-technique. He could be, right now, probably effectively play a 3-4 outside linebacker as a stand up, edge rusher. I just think there’s so much to like.”

Take one look at the NFL Draft crop for 2019 and you can see why there is such a focus on the defensive line. From Clemson’s loaded line to Quinnen Williams to Rashan Gary, Nick Bosa, Ed Oliver, Jeffery Simmons and beyond, there is a premium on defensive linemen at the next level. If Alfano lives up to his early expectations, he could join them soon.

“We asked coaching staffs that didn’t land him,” Simmons said. “Can you tell me what we’re missing on Alfano? What is his flaw? We couldn’t come up with one. It’s Nick Bosa-ish profile for Antonio Alfano. Robert Nkemdiche is another comp we’ve made. I really believe that he’s got a chance to be a really unique player at Alabama.

“ … When we look ahead to the NFL Draft, defensive line is the position we see drafted No. 1,” Simmons said. “If there was something that we were missing on Alfano, if we could come up with an on-the-field flaw, we may have gone with Leal. We may have gone with Stingley. We may have gone with Nolan Smith. But we just couldn’t find that flaw to give us the nudge to somebody else.”

Alabama ranks No. 1 overall in the 247Sports Composite rankings in 2019 class after an impressive early signing period. The Crimson Tide already have 15 signees enrolled in classes, nine more signed and four verbal commitments.