TUSCALOOSA — In a series of tweets last week, Mack Wilson sent Alabama’s social media-savvy fan base into a bit of a tizzy as he hinted at a possible return next season.

But for the junior linebacker from Montgomery, who many draft analysts have as projected as a potential first-round selection in next April’s NFL Draft, his future isn’t a concern at the moment.

More:Wilson family thankful for experience at Alabama

“I’m just focused on this next game and hopefully we get to the championship, that game, and then after that I’ll sit down with my family and make the best decision and do what’s best for me,” Wilson said Monday.

When asked to clarify whether or not he’s already made a decision about his future, Wilson was almost as ambiguous: “As far as I know I’m here.”

While that might appear open for interpretation, Wilson’s mother told the Montgomery Advertiser it’s more a statement of fact since her son has already chosen to forgo early entry into the NFL and return to Alabama for his senior season.

“His plan is to return for his senior year because he said he has unfinished business,” Sandra Wilson told the Advertiser on Monday afternoon, “meaning he did not get the award that he was aiming to get, so he said he’s going to focus on his degree as well as the award he’s trying to get his senior year.”

Of course, Wilson has until the NFL’s Jan. 14 deadline for underclassmen to declare their intentions, but all indications are he’ll follow in the paths of former Alabama middle linebackers Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans, both of whom completed their collegiate eligibility with the Crimson Tide.

Sandra said the two have had multiple conversations about Wilson’s future over the last month, including during the Thanksgiving break and once again this past weekend while she was in Tuscaloosa to celebrate the graduation of Wilson’s girlfriend, Micah Cato, on Saturday.

“My baby, you know, he told me that he wasn’t ready,” Sandra said. “He wasn’t ready to go to the next level yet because I guess there’s certain goals that he’s set that he’s trying to accomplish. So he’s going to try to get those his senior year.”

Among those goals is finishing his bachelor’s degree in business, which Sandra believes should be completed within the next calendar year, while his potential draft stock – no matter how high it may be at this point – isn’t “one of his main priorities right now.”

“His main focus is on what he’s trying to accomplish before he graduates, as well as (getting) his degree,” Sandra said. “His degree is the most important thing out of all of it. That’s what I’ve told him most of all, ‘Your education is the key thing,’ because that’s something he can fall back on if football doesn’t last as long.”

Wilson is currently viewed as the second-best inside linebacker prospect in the 2019 draft class, behind only LSU’s Devin White, and thus is projected as a mid-to-late first-round option in April.

Long considered an option to leave early given his projected draft stock, Wilson sparked interest in a potential return when he implied he was pursuing the Butkus Award next season – which would necessitate playing his senior season at Alabama – in a congratulatory tweet to this year’s winner, LSU linebacker Devin White, shortly after it was announced the evening of Dec. 4.

“Congrats to my brother @DevinWhite__40 ... you deserve it family,” Wilson tweeted about 5:30 that night. “I’m coming for it next year though. It’s nun (nothing) but LOVE #Brother4L #SameDream”

An hour and a half later, Wilson appeared to double-down on his previous tweet with another featuring a picture of himself superimposed over an image of Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask with the message: “God sat me down and talked to me, I LISTENED! Them long dark nights gone come to light sooner or later ... #Patience #Dirty3o™️ #UnfinishedBusiness #Nobody$afe"

Turns out that "#UnfinishedBusiness" will be on full display next season at Alabama.