Several months away from the 2022 National Signing Day, and some big recruits are committing early. The latest and biggest domino to fall was edge rusher Jeremiah Alexander re-committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide on July 8th. According to 247Sports, Alexander ranks as the 16th overall prospect in the 2022 Recruiting Class. He is the top-ranked edge rusher and the top prospect from the state of Alabama in the 2022 Recruiting Class. The Crimson Tide are currently the 11th ranked team in the 2022 Recruiting field as they rose three spots from 14th after the commitment from Alexander. Alabama’s recruiting picks up late in the season or right before Early National Signing Day. Alexander’s commitment to the Tide means that the team is well ahead of schedule.
Alabama Adds Dynamic and Explosive Pass Rusher in Jeremiah Alexander
Jeremiah Alexander is a Freak of an Athlete
Alexander ranks as the top-ranked edge rusher due to his three dominant years with the Thompson High School Warriors in Alabaster, Alabama. Alexander has a rare blend of explosiveness with speed and power. He can win matchups with speed on the outside against more athletic offensive tackles. He can also win matchups with aggression and strength to overpower his blockers. Alexander possesses a great balance in his pass rush and a keen eye for spotting the ball carrier and their trajectory. He does not miss when making the tackle in the open. When double-teamed, he is highly efficient in slipping through the middle of the block or getting to the outside. Alexander is also smart and quick to change the defense to match the scheme of the offense. He takes proper pursuit angles to get to the ball carrier.
In his three years with the Thompson Warriors, Alexander has been an instant contributor for their high-caliber defense. Thompson won the last two Alabama 7A State Titles. This past season, the Warriors have averaged 15.9 points allowed per game due to their leadership and playmaking abilities of Alexander. Last season, Alexander accounted for 116 total tackles, 71 solo tackles, 31 tackles for loss, nine sacks, ten quarterback hits, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles. Through his three seasons at Thompson, Alexander accumulated 309 total tackles, 196 solo tackles, 72 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, eight forced fumbles, and 31 quarterback hits. Alexander will look to finish his senior season at Thompson strong with a potential third consecutive state title.
Alexander’s Recruiting Journey
Alexander’s journey in the recruiting field as a five-star recruit has been different. From October 18th to the 23rd in 2019, his freshman season, Alexander got offers from Florida, LSU, Tennessee, and Florida State. These were the first schools to offer Alexander. On February 19th, 2019, Alexander received an offer from the Crimson Tide. On March 9th, 2020, two days after participating in Junior Day, Alexander made his first commitment to Alabama. Alexander, however, de-committed to the Tide on October 27th, 2020, to open more options for potential schools. Just this year alone, Alexander received more offers from USC, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Clemson, UCLA, and UCF. Alexander’s final choices were Alabama, Clemson, USC, and UCF.
What Alexander Will Bring to the Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide get one of their highest-rated edge rusher in program history. If Alexander signs with the Tide, he will be the seventh highest-rated defensive end or edge rusher in program history according to overall grades by 247Sports. Alexander’s dynamic pass-rushing abilities and his football intelligence make him a player that can contribute immediately to the Tide’s defense. His ability to shift the defense are attributes that Tide head coach Nick Saban loves in defenders. His ability to be dynamic makes him a likely candidate to contribute to the field early in his career. Alexander could replicate his impact for Alabama as he does for Thompson High School. He could play jack linebacker where Will Anderson Jr starts for another potential season or at the sam linebacker where could start his freshman season.
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