ESPN Recruiting Nation Football

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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MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. -- ESPN 150 defensive tackle Dee Liner said he has known his decision for a month now, but he made it official on Wednesday. Liner, a former Auburn commitment, announced that he would sign with the University of Alabama.

“It feels real good to get all this stuff off my shoulders,” he said. “Alabama, it’s a real great school. They keep on winning championships. They develop their players into a man on and off the field. That’s why I chose them.”

Liner originally committed to Auburn as a sophomore, but when former head coach Gene Chizik and his staff were let go, the Alabama native decided to explore his options. Top SEC programs like Georgia and LSU made a late push, but in the end, Liner chose the Crimson Tide.

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound prospect is expected to start out as a defensive end, but he said the staff hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing the Jack linebacker in Alabama’s defense.

What is the impact of Liner's decision?

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Defensive tackle Jay-nard Bostwick (Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Centennial) joined Florida's No. 1-ranked recruiting class on Wednesday morning, making the announcement in a ceremony at his high school. Bostwick picked the Gators over Alabama and Miami.

He is the 27th-ranked player nationally at his position and 286th in the ESPN 300.

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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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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Over the weekend, in-state cornerback Jonathan Cook made his first trip to the University of Alabama since he committed to the Crimson Tide last month. It was Cook’s official visit, and he already can’t wait to get back to Tuscaloosa.

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Nobody is happier to be done with his decision more than junior college defensive tackle Ben Bradley (Hutchinson, Kan./Hutchinson CC).

Bradley ended a month worth of drama by announcing his commitment to Auburn via Twitter on Monday afternoon.

Bradley, who is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, picked the Tigers over Kentucky, Nebraska and Missouri. He is ranked No. 44 in the ESPN JC 100.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 cornerback Shaq Wiggins (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) has been committed to the University of Georgia for more than 10 months, but when asked this week at Under Armour All-America Game practice about his future, Wiggins did not sound so certain about his plans.

“I am still committed to UGA, but there is a very good chance that if I don’t go to Georgia, that I go to South Carolina,” Wiggins said. “After that it is Ole Miss, then Florida, then Texas A&M.”

The Gamecocks have emerged as a true threat to steal Wiggins, the No. 5 cornerback prospect in the country, from the Bulldogs.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- With just a player walk-through Thursday, things were relatively easy in Day 4 of practice at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports. A four-star defensive tackle gave further explanation about his decision to decommit from an SEC school, several players talked about who impressed them the most, and an ESPN 150 safety changed his decision date.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four-star Auburn commitment Dee Liner (Muscle Shoals, Ala./Muscle Shoals) and four-star linebacker Reuben Foster (Auburn, Ala./Auburn) had agreed to refrain from doing any interviews involving their recruitment.

But after Day 2 of Under Armour All-America Game practice at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports, Foster joined Liner in giving the latest on the five schools he's still considering.

“I am looking at Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Washington,” Foster said. “I have not officially set any of the visits, but I hope to take my first trip to Washington Jan. 11.”

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four-star Dee Liner (Muscle Shoals, Ala./Muscle Shoals), an Auburn commitment, has been hesitant to give any recruiting updates since former Tigers coach Gene Chizik was let go and replaced with Gus Malzahn. But the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman talked about his status after Day 2 of practice for the Under Armour All-America Game today at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports.

“I am committed to Auburn, but I am keeping my options open right now since they got the new coaching staff,” Liner said. “I am getting to know them better, but I have not made an official visit there and that will really factor in when I take that trip.”

Other than Auburn, Liner said that he is also considering Alabama, Miami and LSU, although he is unsure whether any other schools are in the mix at the moment.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama and Georgia provided the country with an instant classic in Saturday’s SEC championship game. Although the Crimson Tide pulled it out at the end, a number of top commitments were on the edge of their seats until the clock hit zero.

“It was a scare for me for a moment, but it was a really good game,” ESPN 150 tight end O.J. Howard said.

“I thought it was one of the best SEC championships that I’ve seen,” said four-star athlete Derrick Henry. “Both teams fought to the end, and I love seeing something like that. I love seeing both teams hungry for a win. I thought both teams fought really hard.”

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