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Gerry Hamilton
Near
ESPN Staff Writer- National Recruitment Analyst
- Over a decade covering recruitment, nationally and in Texas
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Tom VanHaaren
Near
ESPN Staff Writer- ESPN editor
- Joined ESPN in 2011
- Michigan Central Graduate
Alabama added two top 100 engagements to its class of 2021 on Friday when five-star offensive tackle Tommy Brockermeyer and his twin brother, James, announced their engagement to Crimson Tide.
Tommy is the No. 2 overall prospect, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound tackle of Alabama over Texas, Clemson, LSU and Auburn.
“Alabama is just a program that I felt I couldn’t ignore,” said Tommy. “His history and tradition of developing NFL tackles and winning tradition is unlike any other school. I also wanted to challenge myself to play against the best competition in college football.”
James, the 99th overall prospect, is a 6-foot-3, 255-pound center Alabama chose over Auburn, Texas and LSU.
“The winning tradition is second to none along with a conditioning program and unreal strength,” said James. “Every coach [Nick] Saban has made an insurmountable one, and they are a factory of offensive lines. “
Both brothers are from the All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth, Texas, and have strong ties to the University of Texas soccer program. Her older brother Luke currently plays for Texas; his father, Blake, was an All-American to the Longhorns in the 1990s; and her grandfather, Kay, also played in Texas.
At first it seemed like the Longhorns were the team to beat, but as their recruiting process progressed, Alabama steadily gained momentum.
As twins, they both said that they were very likely to end up at the same school even though they were going through the recruitment process as two different perspectives. That added a layer to their recruitment, as they had to try to find the right place for two people instead of just one.
“It is probably more difficult because they are two different people looking at the same thing,” James said. “So two people who appeal to the same thing is obviously more difficult than getting one person.”
Alabama was able to convince both brothers that Tuscaloosa was the place to be, and now the two ESPN 300 offensive linemen are joining a few months already successful on the recruiting path for Saban and his staff.
The Crimson Tide has had 10 ESPN 300 engagements since May, including three five-star prospects with Tommy Brockermeyer; tackle partner JC Latham, the No. 9 prospect in the class; and defensive end Dallas Turner, the 13th general recruit.
Alabama was ranked out of the top 25 in the class rankings in early May, but has since steadily risen as coaches have added talent to the class. Prior to these two engagements, Alabama was ranked 13th overall. It is now likely to come up with the Brockermeyers on board.
The coaches now have 12 ESPN 300 commitments in the class, which is tied with LSU and North Carolina and just behind Ohio State with 15.
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