Name: Duron Carter
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville, Kan.
Ht: 6 feet 5 inches, Wt: 210 pounds

I usually write articles about Alabama’s up-coming classes, like that of 2012, but once I finally got my hands on Duron Carter’s community college film I felt compelled to write this article to Alabama fans or anyone else interested.

Carter started his career at St. Thomas Aquinas high school, leading them to two straight Florida 5A titles. He had a huge year as a senior with 39 receptions, 739 yards and 14 touchdowns. Not surprisingly Carter then followed in his father’s footsteps by committing to his dad’s alma mater, Ohio State University. Despite how loaded the Buckeyes were, Carter managed to play as a true freshman and caught 13 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. However, this would mark the end of his career with the Buckeyes. Due to academic issues he was suspended for Ohio State’s Rose Bowl win over Oregon. As a result, Carter decided to transfer to Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan. It was there that most people closest to him said he grew up, not only off the field but on the field as well. He caught 44 balls for 690 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“He is a big-time receiver,” Coffeyville coach Darian Dulin said. “He’s one of the best I’ve been around at being able to get himself open. He has all the NFL-type moves, shake a guy off, get into space and make himself available. And he can catch any ball thrown to him. When he’s focused, he can get anything.”

When Carter’s father, NFL great Cris Carter, was recently spotted wearing a polo shirt sporting the Crimson Tide logo, many Buckeye fans were not happy.

“I’m supporting my son,” Cris Carter said. “There were times along this journey he looked like he did not have a lot of support. For me, when I have on Alabama stuff, it lets me know there was a team out there that had a lot of confidence in him; that he would get his grades.”

On Aug. 4, 2011, Carter will be joining his teammates at The Capstone for fall camp. Much credit goes to Bobby Williams for staying on top of Carter for the Crimson Tide, while a lot of teams gave up on him because of his academic issues. Andwhat do you know, Carter has asked for the No. 8 jersey. The same jersey worn by Alabama stand-out, Julio Jones, who was just selected No. 6 over-all in the NFL draft. Carter will have competition on the field from Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks who are both coming back for their senior year. Although there is a bevy of young talent on the Crimson Tide’s roster, Carter is competing against unproven receivers.

Though he is very physical off the ball and has exceptional hands, the number one skill that distinguishes Carter is that he gets open by running fantastic routes and reading what the defense gives him. Despite what many think, Carter is very fast and will give the Tide that huge deep threat that they currently lack. Possessing a huge frame at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing in at 215 pounds, Carter uses it well. He goes up and catches the ball at its highest point in the air, especially in the end zone and deep balls. That is a critical addition needed by the Tide. Carter catches the ball, usually with room to run and if he has open field in front of him he takes it to the house. Carter puts himself in great position to make it easy for the quarterback to give him a cushion to throw to.

Another outstanding trait in Carter is that if you man up on him, one-on-one, 90 percent of the time Carter is just too physical and will beat the defensive back on a fly route. However, if you give him a 10-yard cushion the quarterback simply snaps the ball and immediately throws to Carter. This gives him room to run and do his thing. We saw a lot of similar moves this past season with Julio Jones.

Though a completely different player from Julio Jones, Carter does bring to the Tide similar physical attributes. Big, fast, physical, strong and tall, he should make an immediate impact on the Tide’s offense this season. He gives Jim McIlwain the one weapon he is missing.

I expect big things from Carter this season. Especially after watching his community college film and talking to multiple sources close to the Tide family, including Phillip Sim’s father, I am even more excited about Carter’s commitment to the Crimson Tide.

Check out this highlight reel from Carter’s last season at Coffeyville Community College and tell me what you think. Carter Highlights

Kenyan Drake Powder Springs, Ga. - Hill Grove High School Ht: 6’1” Wt: 187 40: 4.4 Position: Ranked No. 1 All-Purpose Back in the country

Recently Kenyan Drake attended a Nike Football Training Camp in Athens, Ga. The camp had some of the best players in the country in attendance. The players came from Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Although Mike Davis took home top honors at the running back position, many scouts thought Kenyan Drake was more impressive. Alabama’s Kirby Smart is doing what he does best again in Georgia this year by wrapping up commitments left and right and none bigger than Drake.

Rated the No. 1 All-Purpose Back in the country, Kenyan Drake is No. 73 overall. It’s easy to see why Drake is ranked as an all-purpose back since he can be lined up from the back field, to the slot and to the receiver position. Great at catching the ball after running routes, Drake could be a true receiver at the next level. He has very good hands that do not drop many balls. With his quick sweeps and tosses to the outside, Drake is used often like Onterio McCalebb from Auburn. Drake already outweighs McCalebb by almost 20 pounds and looks to be just as explosive. He possesses a great stiff arm that he is able to manage well with his long arms. Drake has excellent top-end speed and runs a lot tougher than most people would think an all-purpose back could. The Tide will give Drake first dibs at running back and could possibly move him to wide receiver.

Many think that all-purpose backs are not tough and are not made for the Alabama system. Most are not, but at 6 foot 1, 187 pounds, Drake has plenty of time to add weight. Look for Alabama to heavily continue recruiting running backs. I recently talked to Drake’s high school coach, Phillip Ironside and am trying to get a one-on-one with him and Kenyan. Kenyan is currently attending a track meet, but I will update as soon as possible.

Eddie Williams
Position: Athlete, 6’4”, 197 lbs
High School: Arnold High School, Panama City, Florida
Landing Eddie Williams as the first commitment of the 2012 Class could not have created a bigger buzz around Nick Saban’s always closely-watched recruitment classes. The class is already headed in a fantastic direction, with 12 commits to date. Look for this class to fill up much more quickly than any previous class.

Eddie Williams is one of the most dangerous athletes in the country, with or without the ball in his hands. He has lightning speed to go along with his great athletic ability. You can put Williams in the Wild Cat and he will take it to the house or you can put him at wide receiver and get the same result. On defense, ball hawk is the only word that comes to mind. Williams reads the quarterback’s eyes better than any safety prospect I have seen in a long time. He is notorious for bone-crushing hits, as well as great technique. Landing Williams to start off this class will prove more profitable down the line, as he is an avid recruiter for more 2012 prospects with whom to attend the University of Alabama.

The following is an interview I had with Eddie Williams and his high school coach James Hale. Williams is expected to attended A-Day at Alabama with one of his high school teammates.

Mike Parker: Coach, when you and your team visited the University of Alabama, what were your first impressions? James Hale: We took our entire football team there in 2007. Every year we would pick a place to go, to different colleges. We went to the University of Alabama in 2007 and a lot of the kids got to see the facilities: the indoor practice facility, the stadium, the weight room. It was all very impressive. We were really impressed with the coaching staff. The way Coach Saban runs the program, probably one of the best in the country.

MP: So has Nick been recruiting Eddie for quite some time? JH: Yes. Eddie went there his freshman summer. He went to Florida and Florida State, but he really liked the campus at Alabama, really liked the coaches. He did a great job up there as a freshman at the football camp.

MP: What was it that differentiated Alabama from some of the other top-notch schools, like Florida State, Miami and Florida? They’re all right up there. So what was it that jumped out for Eddie about Alabama?

JH: I think one of the things that impressed Eddie about Alabama was when he went to the spring games, especially when he had his uncle up there. There were 92,000 people at the game.You go to the other stadiums, you go to their spring games, and the stadium is half full. I think that got Eddie’s attention. I know it did. He commented to me about that, about the support that Alabama gives their fans and the facilities that are second to none. He plays in the secondary and he knows Coach Saban coached in the NFL and is known as probably the best defense coach in the country, and one of the best, if not the best head coach in the country. So, Eddie just took all that into consideration and I think all of that is what won him over for Alabama.

MP: Did Coach Saban recruit Eddie to play free safety?

JH: He told Eddie he could go out and try to play any position he wanted to. He would give him an opportunity to play quarterback, receiver or wherever he wants to play. He would give him that opportunity and see how it works out, but he definitely wants to play in the secondary.

Eddie Williams joins the interview:
Mike Parker: Eddie, what was your first impression of Nick Saban?

Eddie Williams: My first impression of Coach Saban was that he is a real businessman, not about no game. He was real straight up. MP: Just real straight up? Is that a lot different from the way the other head coaches are? EW: Well you know most of the other coaches. I guess you could say they play around and have fun, but Coach Saban is all business. I don’t go too much for that “buddy-buddy” thing.

MP: You mean the others are telling you what you really want to hear?

EW: Yeah.

MP: Eddie, you were the first commit of the Class of 2012, which is very special, especially for a player of your caliber. You’re probably the best player in the state of Florida, maybe even the country. So what was your first impression when you visited the University of Alabama?

EW: My first impression when I first came to the University of Alabama was the facility and how fan-based it is. They have a lot of fans who love and support the team. I talked to some of the guys around the campus and some coaches and they were telling me about the way they run things at Alabama. I had never heard of anything like that before.

MP: Do you know exactly what position Nick Saban wants you to play?

EW: He told me I could play either side of the ball. He told he would give me a chance to play any position I want to play and if I think I want to play a different position he would have a meeting with me about it and talk about it. MP: But you definitely want to play in the secondary?

EW: Yes.

MP: You’re pretty tall already, Eddie. What are you, about 6 foot 4, 200 pounds?

MP: Whoa, that’s a package right there, boy! EW: (laughs).

MP: Eddie, you said you were going to actively recruit players. How is that going? Have you already started that?

EW: You know, one of these days I go up there, the spring games, things like that, and that’s how I get around and talk to most of the players.

MP: What is it about Nick Saban’s defense that is so attractive that he is able to get these elite DB’s and end up putting them in the NFL?

EW: Something about Alabama defense. It’s not a normal-based defense. It’s basically run like the NFL. So when a DB goes to a combine it won’t be anything to them. They already know what to do.

MP: Yes, I get that. So Eddie, how do you think Alabama is going to do next season?

EW: I think they will have a pretty good season. Last year they had such a young team, but this year they should have a real good season. Especially with all the young talent they had last year.

MP: Now, Mark Barron who plays free safety, probably the position you would come in to play, if I had to guess, will definitely be drafted to the NFL next season. So, you know there will be an open spot there. Do you have your eye on that position?

EW: Definitely, yes.

MP: Are you already looking forward to it?

EW: Yes.

MP: (laughs). I feel some eagerness in that answer. After all, that is one of the top positions in the country to play: free safety for Nick Saban.

Reggie Ragland

Ht: 6’4”;  Wt: 245lbs;  40: 4.55

 

            Reggie Ragland who plays linebacker, running back, and tight end is a great jumbo size athlete. His in-state commitment was a big statement and should help the Tide land other in-state recruits. Coach Sal Sunseri did a fantastic job at recruiting Ragland which is no surprise considering Ragland has been one of the Tide’s best recruiters in the last two years.

            For his size he is extremely fast and reminds me a lot of two ex-Alabama players, Rolando McClain and Demeco Ryan, which happened to be two players he compares himself to. Ragland reminds me of a bull dozer on both defense and offense. He plows over his opponents on offense and the defensive side of the ball. When he hits you, you just may not know it until the next day. He has a body a lot like Dont’a Hightower except he’s much faster. This is a huge pickup for the Tide.  

Eddie Williams

Ht: 6’4” Wt: 197lbs; Class: 2012 (High School); 40: 4.45; Hometown: Panama City, Florida; School: Arnold

  

Eddie Williams 6’4” 197lbs, Athlete from Panama City, Florida has already committed to the Tide and when the rankings come out he will most likely be the #1 player out of the state of Florida. Williams was the first commit of the Tide 2012 Class and has made it a priority to recruit the Pan Handle State for Alabama. The Alabama’s coaching staff could not be happier with Williams committing to the Tide, but Williams will also have an influence on other recruits in one of the greatest recruiting states of the country, Florida.

Williams is a huge fan of Kriby Smart and coach Jeremy Pruitt after working with them during the Tide’s early July camp. Williams also received the chance to work with the man himself, Nick Saban. He loves that Nick Saban works his players hard and pushes them to the limit. He is also very intrigued by the fact that Nick Saban would be working with him one-on-one for the rest of his career at Alabama.

Eddie Williams is one of the most explosive players in the country. He plays multiple positions in high school ranging from quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back, and linebacker. He also returns kickoffs and punts. Williams has extreme power and acceleration to make him a candidate for one of the top players in the country. The question is, what position will Eddie Williams play for Alabama? Will it be wide receiver or safety? But these seem to be the two positions that the coaching staff prefers Williams to play. At wide receiver he has great hands, runs good routes, and is fantastic at going up and getting the ball. Williams also has extreme breakaway speed. At defensive back he is great at wrapping up and also squaring his feet before he makes the tackle. After watching his film you do not want to be a wide receiver running a slant route when Williams is at free safety. The most impressive thing about Williams is how he reads the quarterbacks eyes, as if he knows where the ball is going before the quarterback throws the ball.

Alabama already has 12 commits but Williams is the best of them all. Let’s hope he does what he intends to do and help the Tide land some of the top players in Florida.

The in-state prospects that the Tide has already offered are as followed:

            Justin Thomas/Dual-Threat QB

            Jameis Winston/Dual-Threat QB

            T.J Yeldon/Running Back

            Michael Flint/Offensive Tackle

            Caleb Peterson/Offensive Tackle

            Caleb Gulledge/Strongside Defensive End

            Cassanova McKinzy/Strongside Defensive End

            Reggie Ragland/Outside Linebacker

            Kwon Alexander/Outside Linebacker

            Trae Elston/Safety

            Chris Casher/Athlete

            Tyler Hayes/Athlete

            Justin Shanks/Defensive Tackle

 

The in-state prospects that are committed right now are:

            Justin Thomas/Dual-Threat QB                             *Alabama

            Michael Flint/Offensive Tackle                              *Auburn

            Caleb Gulledge/Strongside Defensive End            *Alabama

            Reggie Ragland/Outside Linebacker                     *Alabama

            Chris Casher/Athlete                                           *Florida State

            Tyler Hayes/Athlete-                                            *Alabama

           

 

The state of Alabama is loaded with talent and look for the Tide to close out strong in-state. Considering they have already put out 13 offers in-state compared to last year which only offering nine in-state prospects. This fact definitely speaks volumes.

           

Offensive lineman Brandon Greene, from Cedar Grove High (Ellenwood, GA) has verbally committed to the Tide, passing up offers from Louisville, Ole Miss and UCF.

Much like Chance Warnack, who is also a Georgia native, had only a couple of offers coming out of high school and yet he started as a red-shirt freshman at left guard for the Crimson Tide last year. Greene reminds me a lot of him.  Nick Saban’s eye for talent goes a lot further in my opinion than how many offers a prospect has. Greene is supposedly a great pass blocker and at 6’6 280 pounds, he has plenty of room to grow and should be a prospect to keep an eye on for the future

Chris Black, from Jacksonville Florida, recently took a trip to Tuscaloosa for junior day and now firmly has the Tide in his top 2 choices with Alabama and Florida State leading the way. Black has offers from almost everyone in the country including: Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Miami, South Carolina…ect.  Black had never been to the Capstone and was extremely impressed with the facilities, coaching staff and the campus

Black, at 5’11 170 pounds is not a very big wide receiver, but makes up for it with his speed and elusiveness. He is a do-it-all type of offensive weapon and the Tide plans to use him that way. Black looks to be on the top tier of the Tide’s recruitment of wide receivers for 2012. Black compares himself to Mardy Gilyard, and plays a lot like him. He plans to return to the Capstone for the A-Day game on April 16^th.