Washington High RB Justin Taylor commits to Alabama (updated)
Alabama recruiters compared Washington High's Justin Taylor to Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. (AJC Photo by Collin C. Chappelle)
Suddenly running backs are committing all over the place.
Justin Taylor, a junior at Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High, committed to Alabama on Monday. He is the third Georgia back in a week to make a decision and the second in that span to choose the Crimson Tide.
Hillgrove’s Kenyan Drake committed to Alabama one week ago and Stephenson’s Mike Davis committed to Florida on Saturday. Including the commitment of Matt Jones of Seffner, Fla., to Florida last week, that’s four major 2012 running backs off the board in a week’s time — in February!
“Alabama was my number one school, so I felt like, why wait? That’s the school I want to be at,” Taylor said Monday afternoon. “When I found out they were as interested in me as I was in them I didn’t hesitate. I knew that’s where I wanted to go.”
Taylor said he has been a Crimson Tide fan since about the ninth grade. But he had never been to the Tuscaloosa campus until he attended their junior camp this past Saturday. At the time he wasn’t really sure where he stood.
“When I was there, Coach [Nick] Saban was talking to me and telling me everything that I needed to know,” he said. “I decided then that I was going to go ahead and commit because that’s the school I wanted to be at. But they didn’t offer me until this morning. My recruiting coach hit me up on Facebook and told me to give him a call. When I did, he handed the phone to Coach Saban and that’s when he told and I jumped right on it.”
Taylor (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) rushed for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 10 games last season, Pritchett said. He also had 15 catches for another 150 yards.
“I think he’ll fit in their system really well.” said Washington High coach Stanley Pritchett. “He’s kind of an all-in-one back with power, speed and balance. They compare him to Mark Ingram with some of the things he can do.”
Recruiting interest in Taylor picked up only recently. He landed the offer from the Crimson Tide after attending their junior day this past weekend. His other offers were from Arkansas and Georgia Tech. He said Gerogia had just started to show some interest.
“If I had never gotten an offer from Alabama, I was looking at Florida and Georgia Tech,” Taylor said. “Georgia Tech could have possibly ended up being where I went. But I didn’t really want to be close to home. I wanted to go away to college.”
Taylor said he didn’t have a problem with the fact that Drake had already committed to play the same position at Alabama.
“Nah,” he said. “I love the idea of being teammates with him. I know Kenyan. We’ve talked a bunch of times. I can sit there and talk to him like family. If we have to compete with each other, no problem.”
By Chip Towers, The College Recruiting Blog.
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287 comments Add your comment
Haters are pathetic
February 21st, 2011
2:52 pm
first
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
2:56 pm
Another back from Georgia, the rich getting richer.
Roll Tide
Dawg4life
February 21st, 2011
2:57 pm
2nd
Real Problem
February 21st, 2011
2:58 pm
Nice film….rich get richer.
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
Roll Tide
Yall wanted Crowell, but you didn’t get him. HAHAHAHAHA!!! Saban and his dastardly crew of shrub assassins struck out!!
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
Georgia got lucky with their last class, but when it comes to performing on the field we all know they lack coaching
bigtime
February 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
Good Job Chip, now if we can only get you to finish your blog with ‘ Roll Tide ‘ !!
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:02 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:01 pm
Roll Tide
Yall wanted Crowell, but you didn’t get him. HAHAHAHAHA!!! Saban and his dastardly crew of shrub assassins struck out!!
Wow you have a big mouth for someone that team lost to UCF in the Liberty bowl
WnE
February 21st, 2011
3:04 pm
3 RBs with Offers to GT commit to SEC Schools, all 3 play their HS FB within a 30 min. Drive to North Ave., yet the geeky,nerd, loser segment of the GT fanbase blames “Academics” for GT not being able to Recruit better.
Good HS player dream of “cashing in” one day, and playing in a gimmicky HS Offense is just not attractive to them, all 3 of these HS RBs are of the same talent level as was a Dwyer or a T. Choice, yet GT can’t close the deal on any of them.
You can’t go from Recruiting Dwyers to Recruiting Laskeys and not have it eventually show up in the won-loss column.
At some point the Kool-aid drinkers are gonna have to hold CPJ accountable for his crappy Recruiting during an Era of great HS FB in Ga. with a ton of Academic Qualifiers.
Ross, O’Leary, Gailey had a “lesser excuse” than CPJ since the Academics in Ga. back then wasn’t like it is now for HS FB players, CPJ has NO EXCUSES, he has a lot of Academic Qualifiers to choose from and he’s getting his a.s.s. handed to him on the Recruiting Trail.
Time for the GT fanbase to face some harsh reality.
secbama
February 21st, 2011
3:05 pm
Barry Sanders Jr. next.
bigtime
February 21st, 2011
3:06 pm
Blackoutanyone?…… It looks like this is the reason that he waited until today to commit.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/02/justin_taylor_latest_alabama_c.html
Big get for Bama and IMO this puts Fowler back to LB where he is probably better suited.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:07 pm
secbama
February 21st, 2011
3:05 pm
Barry Sanders Jr. next.
The next great back at Bama
Roll Tide
Real Problem
February 21st, 2011
3:08 pm
Seems like we did loose to UCF……Flatwoods Dawg, might want to take some of the crow feathers out of your mouth. Let us crow when we do something on the field. Just a thought.
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:09 pm
Roll Tide
At least UGA never lost to Louisians-Monroe.
DawginLex
February 21st, 2011
3:12 pm
Some Bama math for you.
170 players from the state of Georgia commit to D-1 programs every year.
According to roll Tide, they are all supposed to go to UGA or else we have “missed”.
All of these backs that have recently are not as good as Crowell, Ealey, King and Malcome.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:12 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:09 pm
Roll Tide
At least UGA never lost to Louisians-Monroe.
Dude when is the last time UGA won the SEC???? We are winning National Championships over here at Bama while you guys are still playing hard to beat Tech, Kentucky, and Vandy
FSU ACC
February 21st, 2011
3:14 pm
Ouch the techies lose out again. It’s sad when a kid would rather go to hillbilly central than stay in the ATL where he wouldn’t have to worry about being forced to squeal like a pig.
secbama
February 21st, 2011
3:14 pm
How is your QB’s ankle? Where is Mettenburger…oh…he is at LSU. Poor pups.
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:15 pm
Roll tide
In Richt’s 10 years at UGA he has won 2 SEC titles. Bammer won one in that ten years.Richt won SEC titles in 2002 & 2005.
RRTDawgs
February 21st, 2011
3:15 pm
OK i am starting to panic a little Richt you can not rest on just the 2011 class i am mean you have to get as many instate blue chips as possible and its not looking good right now K. Conley do have any news .
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:17 pm
DawginLex
Don’t make Bammer fans upset. They will take it out on your shrubbery.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:18 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:15 pm
Roll tide
In Richt’s 10 years at UGA he has won 2 SEC titles. Bammer won one in that ten years.Richt won SEC titles in 2002 & 2005.
How many National Championships???? You guys barely beat Florida 2 times in 10 years and you talk about winning SEC. Get from the bottom of the SEC EAST first then talk.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 21st, 2011
3:19 pm
RRTDawgs
Get A grip! There are still over 11 months till NSD.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:19 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:17 pm
DawginLex
Don’t make Bammer fans upset. They will take it out on your shrubbery.
We would take out your mascot but they die so fast because they get tired of watching a team that sucks on the field
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:21 pm
Roll Tide
Hush!! You know Tuberville owned the Trembling Tide.
FSU ACC
February 21st, 2011
3:21 pm
roll toliet
You hillbillies would never be able to compete in sunny Florida. The gaytors are the best in the SEC and we own them now the same way alabammerians own their sisters.
UGASlobberknocker
February 21st, 2011
3:22 pm
I wonder why UGA isnt signing up people early like they have in the past..that must be 9 or 10 people already inked at Bama
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:23 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:21 pm
Roll Tide
Hush!! You know Tuberville owned the Trembling Tide.
How many times have you guys beat Florida?? Is that still a rivalry because I thought you have to win more than two times in ten years.
RRTDawgs
February 21st, 2011
3:23 pm
Win With Richt i hope something happens soon Saban is hitting the state hard i am just saying he needs get on the road that’s all .
Muschamp owns Richt
February 21st, 2011
3:24 pm
Hey mutts another loss is coming this year so that bye week will not help you losers
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:25 pm
Roll Tide
Well considering that your mascot is a roll of toilet paper, you know what we in georgia do with toilet paper. WE put it to good use. We use it to wipe our Saban.
Paul N Destin
February 21st, 2011
3:25 pm
Power back for Nick. I read the UGA QB has a broken ankle in two places? Man I hope he can recover and be ready for Fall. He is a goodun! This could get the attention of the entire squad right off the bat for spring training and work as a positive for every other position.
Don4654
February 21st, 2011
3:25 pm
Anybody know if this kid is any good?I saw him listed as running a 4.84 forty time.
Don4654
February 21st, 2011
3:27 pm
Bama fan here,sorry to hear about Murray.He is a good one.
DawginLex
February 21st, 2011
3:27 pm
Richt doesn’t have any problem winning in Tuscaloser. He is undefeated over there.
roll tard you need to worry about your own program. We at least have control of our own state. You can’t even beat Auburn. How big was that comeback?
Also, your coach won’t stay much longer either. Believe what you will but he is always looking out for himself.
We beat auburn 4 out of the last 5. Don’t think Bama can say the same. Auburn owns your state.
Paul N Destin
February 21st, 2011
3:28 pm
Tubberville made a good living off Mike Shula but once master Saban arrived the party was over much like Pat (the old drunk) Dye did with Bill Curry. The Auburn glory years …beating Bill Curry and Mike Shula. What can I say.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:28 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:25 pm
Roll Tide
Well considering that your mascot is a roll of toilet paper, you know what we in georgia do with toilet paper. WE put it to good use. We use it to wipe our Saban.
You guys use it also after you lose to Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kentucky every year. How does the bottom of the SEC East feel loser
WIN WITH RICHT
February 21st, 2011
3:30 pm
RRTDawgs
Be patient. It is better to be selective, than offer everybody when you don’t have the scholarships available. Let Saban and his dastardly crew continue to oversign because it will bite them in the Butt soon.
WnE
February 21st, 2011
3:30 pm
I’m not a UGA.y fan but they do have 2 pretty good RBs with 4yrs. of eligibility left; K. “Boo” Malcome(sp?) and I. Crowell both have 4 yrs. left to play.
Having those 2 on scholly will make it hard to get a top flight RB in 2012, but CMR should be OK for RBs in 2013.
OTOH GT has lost Dwyer and Allen in successive yrs. and their recruits in the pipeline are not nearly as good and GT relies on its RBs more than most schools.
I find it hard for a run-first school to not be able to sign top RBs that are Academic Qualifiers that play their HS FB within 30-mins. of GT.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:31 pm
roll tard you need to worry about your own program. We at least have control of our own state. You can’t even beat Auburn. How big was that comeback?
I thought Georgia had a two touchdown lead against auburn also, but we all know that their defense can’t stop anything with all those holes. Just ask Marcus Lattimore after he ran the same play down your throats the second half
bigtime
February 21st, 2011
3:31 pm
Don4654………. Here is footage via Blackoutanyone on a previous blog http://prepsreport.com/MediaPlayers/BTWGA.html
bigtime
February 21st, 2011
3:32 pm
7th down on the right
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:33 pm
Roll Tide
Didn’t South Carolina spank your butt last fall. Spurrier likes to play you bammers.
bigtime
February 21st, 2011
3:33 pm
The Hatorade Cup runneth over
DawginLex
February 21st, 2011
3:34 pm
Projected 2011 SEC West
LSU
Arkansas
Auburn
Miss St
Alabama
ole Miss
DawginLex
February 21st, 2011
3:35 pm
Projected 2011 SEC East
Georgia
SC
UT
Florida
KY
Vandy
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:35 pm
That is right. With Crowell, Malcome, and Ealey, UGA is solid at RB.
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:37 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:33 pm
Roll Tide
Didn’t South Carolina spank your butt last fall. Spurrier likes to play you bammers.
17-6??? You losers didn’t even score a touchdown and you are talking why????
Roll Tide
February 21st, 2011
3:39 pm
Flatwoods Dawg
February 21st, 2011
3:35 pm
That is right. With Crowell, Malcome, and Ealey, UGA is solid at RB.
Ealey will be arrested or kick off the team before the beatdown against Boise State, and Caleb King is dumb as a doorknob
DawginLex
February 21st, 2011
3:40 pm
A redneck bammer calling someone as dumb as a doorknob
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