Five-star recruit Ben Davis knows where he's going to college, and it will likely make his father, former Alabama linebacker Wayne Davis, very happy. The Gordo (Al.) High School standout will join the Crimson Tide in 2016.
Davis is a 6'4, 235 lb linebacker who shares half his genes with the leading tackler in Alabama program history. He was a composite five-star recruit in 2016, earning top-tier grades from 247Sports, Rivals, and Scout. Of the major recruiting services, only ESPN - who named just nine prospects as five-star athletes - failed to put Davis in the uppermost category. The Alabamian ranked anywhere from the fifth-best recruit in the country (Rivals) to the 24th (ESPN). His last game as a high school football player came in the Under Armour All-American Game on January 2nd.
Davis had scholarship offers from the nation's top programs. Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Florida, Florida State, Iowa, Miami, Tennessee, Arizona State, and many more vied for his services in the past two years. He took five official campus visits this winter - to Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Auburn, and Alabama. Here's a highlight reel that not only shows off his defensive chops but also showcases his athleticism and playmaking ability as a wide receiver.
He'll have to compete for a spot on one of the nation's toughest defenses. Alabama led the nation by allowing fewer than 76 rushing yards per game last fall. If Davis wants to contribute as a true freshman he'll have to outplay the cache of four and five star recruits that make up the Crimson Tide roster.
You can follow Ben Davis as he makes the transition from high school superstar to above-average Alabama freshman through his Twitter, @BenDavis_1.