Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- ESPN 150 athlete Bo Scarbrough (Tuscaloosa, Ala./Northridge) committed to Alabama in September, but that hasn’t stopped other schools from recruiting him. Last week, Florida running backs coach Brian White paid him a visit.

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Editor's note: This is a series introducing Alabama's 2013 recruiting class that will continue to run after signing day.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama signed a strong wide receiver group in the 2012 class, but that didn’t stop Robert Foster, the No. 2 receiver in 2013, from signing with the Tide. The Monaca, Pa., native had a lot of pressure stay in state and go to Pittsburgh, but the opportunity to play for Alabama was too good to pass up. Foster made trips to Tuscaloosa in the spring for A-Day and again in the fall for the Mississippi State game, which was his official visit.

Q: What made you sign with Alabama?

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Last week, the University of Alabama inked the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the second year in a row. The class was made up of prospects from 13 different states and featured a combination of skill players and interior linemen.

This week’s O-zone takes a closer look at the class, breaking down its strengths and weaknesses, and singling out a few players who could stand out when they get on campus.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- When the ink dried Wednesday night, the University of Alabama came away with the No. 1 recruiting class for the second year in a row. Coach Nick Saban garners most of the attention, but the job done by his staff should not go unnoticed.

Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart deserves credit for staying with Reuben Foster. The ESPN 150 linebacker initially committed to Alabama and then flipped to Auburn. But in the end, he signed with the Crimson Tide. Smart never gave up on him.

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A little behind on the recruiting trail? Worry not -- TideNation has you covered. To catch you up on where the Alabama recruiting class of 2013 stands, we'll take you through the high points, including how the coaching staff has addressed certain needs and set the team up for seasons to come.

Team needs: With three of five starting offensive linemen and two of three defensive lineman starters off to the NFL draft, Alabama was forced to focus on finding help in the trenches. Nick Saban and the rest of the UA coaching staff had success filling those needs with the 2013 class, particularly along the offensive line. The Crimson Tide secured the commitments of four offensive linemen, one coming by way of a junior college in New York. Leon Brown, who was ranked in the top 20 of all junior college prospects by ESPN, could find himself competing for the starting right tackle job vacated by D.J. Fluker.

Help is on the way: Outside of the lines, Alabama was once again in search of talented athletes to continue bringing potency to an offense that's been on a steady rise the past few years. Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon were difference makers in 2012 and there could be one or two who do the same this year. Derrick Henry, the No. 1 athlete in the country and Alabama's lone five-star commitment, could be the biggest wild card of the class. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he's an option at tailback, H-back and possibly linebacker. He'll begin at running back, where he set a national career rushing yards record at Yulee High in Florida.

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Editor’s note: Every Tuesday and Thursday until national signing day, TideNation will review each position and look at who figures to start, who could rise up the depth chart and who might be on the way. Today we’ll look at the wide receivers.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Even with a national championship in hand, the Alabama coaching staff must look back at the passing game and wonder, "What if?"

What if DeAndrew White hadn't torn up his knee against Ole Miss? Would Amari Cooper have won the starting job and become AJ McCarron's go-to target if he had?

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Editor's note: The season is over and the Alabama Crimson Tide are national champions yet again. But what happens next? TideNation examines the most pressing storylines of the offseason as the Tide gear up for another title defense.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Dee Milliner said it before he left for the NFL draft. The junior cornerback knew the kind of talent Alabama had at receiver then and what it would look like a year from now with quarterback AJ McCarron at the helm.

"When he comes back next year, that’s just even more experience on top of what he’s got now," Milliner said. "With the weapons we have at receiver, he can be unbelievable as a quarterback."

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The University of Alabama was well represented at the Under Armour All-America Game this week with six commitments. The Crimson Tide contingent didn’t just show up during the practice sessions. They made an impression. ESPN national recruiting director Tom Luginbill was in Florida all week, and he breaks down each and every Alabama pledge.

QB Cooper Bateman (ESPN 150 -- No. 89)
Bateman has exhibited some leadership qualities this week that we have not seen from him before. Each day he has made huge strides and you can see very clearly that he has some intangibles that you cannot coach. The physical tools are present, but there is a presence about him within this group that is magnetic. He has been as advertised and even exceeded expectations in some areas.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four-star quarterback Cooper Bateman (Salt Lake City/Cottonwood) is one of three quarterbacks on the Black team at the Under Armour All-America Game.

The 6-foot-3, 196-pound pocket passer, who has been committed to Alabama since May, said he is excited to be throwing to Alabama tight end commit O.J. Howard and new Alabama wide receiver commit Robert Foster.

"This is great," Bateman said. "I got guys I throw to back at home, but nothing like O.J. and Robert. I've seen Robert for a little while and the other guys have talked about him. But I'm glad we got him though, I'm excited to work with him."

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Robert Foster II said his son's biggest flaw -- if you can call it one -- is that he tries to make everyone happy, so much so it gets in the way of his own well-being far too often.

That almost happened Friday afternoon.

Robert Foster, the No. 2 receiver nationally out of Monaca (Pa.) Central Valley, told all of his close family on Wednesday that he was going to Pittsburgh. And he meant it -- it wasn't a ploy to get his family off of the scent for his Friday announcement.

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Robert Foster (Monaca, Pa./Central Valley), who is No. 28 in the ESPN 150 and the No. 2 wide receiver in the nation, has been a significant target for Alabama from the start.

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