Alabama has been one of the best teams on the recruiting path since May, and that momentum continued Sunday when ESPN 300 offensive lineman TJ Ferguson, ranked No. 78 overall, became engaged to Crimson Tide.
Ferguson is a 6-foot-4-inch, 290-pound offensive lineman from Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, and is now the eleventh ESPN 300 prospect to commit to Alabama since May.
His decision ultimately came down to Alabama, the state of Florida and Georgia, but Ferguson said that a personal touch from coach Nick Saban is what put Crimson Tide on top.
“Coach Saban would schedule a Facetime or Zoom call once a week, almost every week from March or April,” said Ferguson. “Just knowing that made me feel like a priority. Knowing the history there, I know it’s a great show just like the other shows, so you’re looking for something to stand out and that was one of them.”
Initially, Ferguson planned to make the five official visits, but the dead period created due to the coronavirus pandemic caused him to alter his plans. He and his family needed to find a way to feel comfortable enough with the staff to make their decision, not knowing when the downtime would end.
Saban’s video calls proved valuable and helped the family achieve that level of comfort with the program and with the coaches. Before building the relationship with Saban, Ferguson was unsure of what to expect from the head coach.
I’d seen Saban’s professional approach and talked to him before, but I didn’t know him on a truly personal level. Talking to him one on one gave Ferguson a chance to get to know a different side of Saban, which ultimately led to a compromise.
“I definitely see where most people see it as a business, because I thought the same thing when I met it,” said Ferguson. “When you think about Nick Saban, you don’t think about something personal, but about knowing him, and seeing that he’s like us changed a lot. The things that go from academic tours, of course, football, but we talk a lot about things that they are not soccer with me and with all my family. “
Those video calls helped give Alabama four ESPN 300 offensive line engagements in the class, and four ESPN 300 engagements in the past six days with twins Tommy and James Brockermeyer and linebacker Kendrick Blackshire.
Ferguson also gives Crimson Tide nine commitments ranked in the top 150 of the ESPN 300.
Alabama now has 15 total commitments in the class, and with the Brockermeyers and Ferguson jumping on board, the Crimson Tide should see the class ranking rise even more than the current spot at No. 13.
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