>>Alabama Has Nation's Top Recruiting Class
For the sixth consecutive year, Nick Saban has brought the nation's No. 1 recruiting class on the 247Sports Composite team rankings to Alabama coming out of National Signing Day. The Tide came into Wednesday as the No. 7 class but rapidly moved up the board as signings rolled into Tuscaloosa.
Alabama locked up the No. 1 ranking thanks to a flurry of signing day commitments, most notably a pair of in-state, five-star linebackers Ben Davis and Mack Wilson and four-star cornerback Shyheim Carter from Louisiana.
Davis, son of Alabama legend and all-time leading tackler Wayne Davis, chose Alabama over Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame and Georgia.
As an Alabama legacy, Davis knows Alabama style, and put on the Bear Bryant houndstooth hat, not a regular ballcap, to announce his commitment to the Tide.
Davis is the top-rated inside linebacker in the country and the No. 10 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Wilson is the No. 2 rated outside linebacker and No. 15 overall recruit on the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Wilson joins Ben Davis as in-state, five-star linebackers to commit to Nick Saban and the Tide on National Signing Day as the Alabama defense continues to reload with talent.
LSU came into National Signing Day with the top class and still held on to an excellent group, finishing at No. 3, just behind Alabama and Florida State -- which had a fantastic Signing Day and occupied the top spot in the composite rankings for much of the day.
In the end, no one was able to keep up with Saban and the Tide as they cleaned up with three five-stars, 14 four-stars and seven three-stars, according to 247Sports' Composite rankings, which combines rankings from all the major recruiting services.
>>No. 1 Prospect, Gary Chooses Michigan
The five-star defensive tackle from Paramus (N.J.) Catholic spent the final hours going back and forth between Clemson and Michigan. The Wolverines were considered the favorite early on, but the Tigers got the last visit with Gary and "closed a lot of ground on the Maize and Blue," according to 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong.
In the end, Gary stuck with the Wolverines and coach Jim Harbaugh despite the late push from Clemson. Gary joins Jabrill Peppers as five-star prospects to sign with Michigan coming from Paramus Catholic, along with Chris Patridge, the school's former coach who is now a member of Harbaugh's staff.
Gary's commitment is the story of National Signing Day, as he is considered a unique talent on the line. At 6-foot-5 and 293 pounds, Gary has the frame and size to jump in immediately. He's one of the few players in this recruiting cycle you can honestly label as an "instant impact guy."
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