Alabama football recruiting: 5 must-have 2016 recruits for the Crimson Tide

By John Buhler | Jan 29, 2016

Jan 23, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Southeastern conference commissioner Greg Sankey holds the College Football Playoff trophy with Alabama running back Derrick Henry (2) and head coach Nick Saban during a presentation to celebrate the victory in the CFP National Championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Eddie Jackson (4) celebrates with teammates after an interception against the Clemson Tigers in the second quarter in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Perhaps the biggest target that the Alabama Crimson Tide need to try to convince to sign with them between now and Wednesday’s National Signing Day is No. 8 overall prospect and No. 1 outside linebacker in the 2016 high school graduating class in Mique Juarez of Torrance, California.

Juarez will likely choose between Alabama, Ole Miss, or the Pac-12’s UCLA Bruins. Staying in-state at UCLA is certainly a possibility for the 6’2″, 235 pound outside linebacker, as Bruins head coach Jim Mora, Jr. is a very skillful recruiter in the Pac-12. However, so are Nick Saban and Hugh Freeze in the SEC.

Both Alabama and Ole Miss have had No. 1 overall recruiting classes in the four years and have shown the ability to get guys to commit out of their normal recruiting base. Ole Miss isn’t on Alabama’s level recruiting nationally, but only Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, and maybe Oregon are on that level with Alabama.

If Saban does choose to pursue Juarez out of California, he needs to make sure that the only SEC team that has a chance at signing him is Alabama. He could very stay in Southern California and play for Coach Mora’s Bruins, but Saban can’t enjoy the thought of a top 10 player in the country leaving California to play for an Ole Miss team that has beaten the Crimson Tide in SEC play each of the last two years.

Overall, Alabama can certainly have the pull to recruit outside of the states in the SEC to procure college football talent. However, it is probably in the Tide’s best interest to lock up most if its targets in and around Alabama, but shouldn’t be opposed to becoming a more national program by signing a player like Juarez out of California.

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