DeMarcco Hellams has been dreaming about May 27 since he started watching college football.

The 4-star safety from Hyattsville, Md., will move to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on that date and begin the next step in his football journey as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide. And the nation’s No. 8-ranked safety, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, cannot wait to get started.

“Since I signed, since I committed, I’ve been thinking about the day when I finally get to be on campus,” Hellams told BamaOnLine in an exclusive interview. “I know I’ve signed, but to officially be a player at the University of Alabama, a dream school of mine since I was old to watch college football -- and then just to be coached by great coaches, especially Coach (Nick) Saban, who’s a defensive guru. And just getting on campus.

“I didn’t get a chance to early enroll, so just catching up on the time I’ve missed out as far as playbook-wise, strength and conditioning-wise, and God willing, just competing for a spot to play freshman year.”

Hellams is one of 12 players that will join Alabama’s football program at the end of the month, including one of four defensive backs. Since signing with the Crimson Tide in the early signing period back in December, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound safety has focused on “getting my body right and just making sure that I come in conditioned and prepared to compete for early playing time.”

He has also kept in contact with Alabama’s coaches, including new safeties coach Charles Kelly.

Alabama safety signee DeMarcco Hellams

“It’s been great so far,” Hellams said of Kelly. “I went down for a week during my spring break and really got a lot to catch up with him. Coach (Karl) Scott recruited me a lot, but Coach Kelly, they added him as a safeties coach and just going down there, he just talked to me a lot about guys that he’s coached in the places that he’s been, the guys that he coached and where they are now, like the guys he had at Florida State. And I just tried and chat with him one-on-one about what his vision for me was and my future at Alabama.”

Kelly’s message to Hellams was similar to what the talented safety heard from head coach Nick Saban, who “talked to me about how he won a national championship playing two freshmen.” Those two freshmen were Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison, who are both now in the NFL.

“Coach Kelly, he talked about how he competed at Florida State with freshmen -- Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James and guys like that,” Hellams said. “Guys who are versatile in the secondary and can play multiple positions. He just saw me in that way as a guy who he can put in a lot of plays on the defensive side of the ball, a guy who can play man, zone, come down and hit, high football IQ. So, he just wants me to be the Swiss Army Knife, the defensive guy who can play both safeties, Star and just get after it as best to help the team as possible.”

At DeMatha Catholic (Md.) High School, Hellams earned Washington Post Metro Offensive Player of the Year honors after catching 78 passes for 1,469 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior. Also starring on the defensive side of the football, he recorded 12 interceptions -- three of which he returned for touchdowns -- along with 91 tackles at defensive back. In DeMatha’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinal win, he contributed two touchdowns, two interceptions and a blocked punt for a safety to help the Stags reach the WCAC championship game.

Hellams was recruited to play safety, but he said he can play every secondary position and is open to whatever the coaches have in mind for him in order to achieve his goal of making an immediate impact.

“My goal is to obviously play early,” Hellams said when asked what he wants to accomplish in 2019. “Freshman All-American, having playing time, whether that’s a starting position or not. My goal this year is just to get on the field as best as I can and help my team any way that’s possible.”

Alabama safety signee DeMarcco Hellams

As for the immediate future, his sights are set on a little bit less ambitious goals.

“Just becoming a leader of my class and stepping up as much as I can as a freshman,” Hellams said. “Just showing the coaches that I’m here to work. Getting adjusted to the school, as far as being a college student for the first time, getting up on my own, going to class on my own. Just having the responsibility to hold myself accountable.

“I’m just looking forward to just getting to Alabama, getting into the workouts, getting into class and just adjusting to the life of being a college student, finally.”

Hellams is one of five freshman defensive backs to join the UA football team this offseason. He arrives at a position that is in need of depth behind veterans like Xavier McKinney and Jared Mayden. But even though he could immediately work his way onto the depth chart in his first season on campus, there was more that lured the highly-recruited safety to Alabama than a lack of depth.

“Just the culture,” Hellams said. “There were a lot of rumors about what Alabama is. There are a lot of schools who wanted me, and a lot of schools, they played a negative recruiting game, as far as they see a school they know that you’re interested in and they talk about them.

“But when I got the chance to visit Alabama for itself and what it’s worth and to see it in my own light, it’s a lot like the program where I came from. A program that has great coaching, but overall, it’s a program ran by the players. They hold each other accountable, and when you run a program like that, it shows on the field as far as championships go.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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