By any measure, Alabama football had its best three-day period of 2020 this past weekend.
The Brockermeyers’ twin engagements on Friday, followed by Terrence Ferguson’s promise on Sunday, led Crimson Tide to No. 2 in the Composite Ranking 247Sports of the 2021 class.
All three are highly skilled offensive linemen, and when you launch tackle JC Latham on June 12, this Alabama class has a chance to be the most talented frontline group of the Nick Saban era.
On paper, they already are.
Tommy Brockermeyer is the number 1 offensive tackle in the 247Sports composition, while brother James Brockermeyer is the top ranked center. Ferguson is registered at n. # 2 on guard standings while Latham is at n. # 5 at tackle. Only James Brockermeyer is out of the top 50 overall rankings, according to 247Sports. They are yet another high-ranking guard far from deploying their own freshman star team in the fall of 2021.
Looking back at Saban’s 14 previous recruiting classes in Alabama, it offers some context for this recent career with star linemen.
The class of 2019 had three offensive linemen among the top 76 overall, but it’s too early to say how the group will perform. Evan Neal, the highest ranked tackle and No. 7 overall prospect, started as a true rookie on guard as the sole early contributor.
It’s hard to deny what the two tackles accomplished in the 2017 signing class. Alex Leatherwood (No. 4 overall, No. 1 tackle) could be one of the draft’s best picks next year, while Jedrick Wills ( No. 34 overall, No. 7 in tackle) was the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft.
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The class that produced the most headlines signed in 2009. Four of that group continued, three were first-round picks and the other started more than a dozen games in the league. From junior college came James Carpenter, a two-year starter who was selected against Mark Ingram at No. 25 in the 2011 draft. He started 11 games last year with the Giants and 108 of the 114 NFL games in the that appeared in nine seasons.
DJ Fluker was the sure thing of the class of 2009 as No. 3 tackle and No. 30 overall prospect before being selected 11th in 2013. Chance Warmack (No. 426 overall) and Anthony Steen (No. 467) came out. of radar to help build possibly the best Alabama offensive line in history.
The 2012 national championship lineup included those three, Cyrus Kouandjio and Barrett Jones. Kouandjio remains Alabama’s top-ranked recruit since 2000 with a 247Sports rating as the No. 2 player in the class of 2011 that also included future first-round pick Ryan Kelly. Jones was the only starter to flourish in the class of 2008 that included five-star Tyler Love.
Three headlines came from the class of 2014 when they included JUCO transferred to Leon Brown. Top-ranked tackle Cam Robinson started Day 1 for three seasons in Alabama, while Ross Pierschbacher started for four years.
All five signatories to the 2015 offensive linemen made headlines, but only two accomplished that in Alabama. Richie Petitbon (Illinois), Dallas Warmack (Oregon) and Brandon Kennedy (Tennessee) found greener pastures elsewhere, while Lester Cotton and Matt Womack found initial jobs at Tuscaloosa at points in their respective college careers.
RELATED: What Alabama is getting with the Brockermeyer twins
Add it and the 2021 class will chase 2009 for the top state among Alabama’s incoming offensive lines. It produced three of the five first-round OL picks that Saban recruited. The team also included Steen, who started 13 games in the NFL after joining as a free agent.
There’s a long way to go before last weekend’s signature class can be considered legendary. Of course, the four commitments are not binding, so anything can happen before the initial December signing period.
And a high recruitment ranking doesn’t always translate to starting on Saturdays in the SEC. But this collection of 2021 offensive linemen has a chance to rival 2009 if reality meets expectations.
Alabama offensive line classes in the Saban era
Class of 2021
5. Tommy Brockermeyer, No. 1 OT
17. JC Latham, No. 5 OT
47. Terrence Ferguson, No. 2 OG
188. James Brockermeyer, No. 1 OC
Class of 2020
332. Javion Cohen, No. 25 OT
387. Damieon George, No. 31 OT
475. Seth McLaughlin, No. 10 OC
2019 (one holder)
7. Evan Neal, No. 1 OT
40. Pierce Quick, No. 7 OT
76. Amari Kight, No. 10 OT
177. Darian Dalcourt, No. 11 OG
290. Tanner Bowles, No. 19 OG
2018 (zero starts)
113. Emil Ekiyor, No. 3 C
132. Tommy Brown, No. 4 OG
2017 (2 starters, 1 first-round draft pick)
4. Alex Leatherwood, No. 1 OT
34. Jedrick Wills, No. 7 OT (No. 10 pick)
180. Kendall Randolph, No. 12 OG
943. Hunter Brannon, No. 12 C
2016 (2 starters, 1 first-round pick)
17. Jonah Williams, No. 2 OT (No. 11 pick)
177. Deonte Brown, No. 9 OG
187. Chris Owens, No. 10 OG
201. Scott Lashley, No. 20 OT (transferred to the state of Mississippi in January).
2015 (2 starters)
54. Lester Cotton, No. 4 OG
62. Richie Petitbon, No. 5 OG (transferred, started in Illinois)
219. Dallas Warmack, No. 10 OG (transferred, started in Oregon)
296. Brandon Kennedy, No. 19 OG (transferred, started in Tennessee)
623. Matt Womack, No. 69 OT
2014 (3 starters, 2 draft picks)
4. Cam Robinson, No. 1 OT (second round pick)
73 Ross Pierschbacher, No. 6 OT (5th round)
167. JC Hassenauer, No. 1 OC (started 3 games)
280. Joshua Casher, No. 2 OC
2. (JUCO) Dominick Jackson, No. 1 OT
2013 (2 starters, 1 draft pick)
61. Grant Hill, No. 2 OG
471. Bradley Bozeman, No. 27 OG (sixth round)
19. (JUCO) Leon Brown, No. 1 OT
2012 (1 holder)
130. Brandon Greene, No. 13 OT
255. Alphonse Taylor, No. 28 OT
643. Caleb Gulledge, No. 60 OT
2011 (2 starters, 2 draft picks)
2. Cyrus Kouandjio, No. 2 OT (2nd round)
236. Ryan Kelly, No. 3 OC (No. 18 pick)
372. Isaac Luatua, No. 17 OG
2010 (2 starters, 2 draft picks)
182. Arie Kouandjio, No. 19 OT (fourth round)
383. Chad Lindsay, No. 18 OG
640. Austin Shepherd, No. 46 OT (seventh round)
2009 (4 starters, 3 first-round draft picks)
30. DJ Fluker, No. 3 OT (No. 11 pick)
426. Chance Warmack, No. 26 OG (Pick No. 10)
467. Anthony Steen, No. 30 OG
596. Kellen Williams, No. 39 OG
626. Darius McKeller, No. 44 OT
22. (JUCO) James Carpenter, No. 1 OT (No. 25 draft pick).
2008 (1 starter, 1 draft pick)
23. Tyler Love, No. 3 OT
161. Barrett Jones, No. 5 OG (fourth round)
265. John Michael Boswell, No. 26 OT
2007 (1 holder)
178. William Vlachos, No. 3 OC
296. Alfred McCullough, No. 17 OG
459. Patrick Crump, No. 29 OG
Starters in italics
* 247 Composite Sports Ranking
