Aledo, Texas, is a small town less than 20 miles from Fort Worth that has won three straight UIL 5A Division II football championships. A couple of Alabama players have been superstars on those teams in sophomore running back Jase McClellen and freshman wide receiver JoJo Earle.
Both players were previously committed to other schools before signing with Alabama (McClellan to Oklahoma and Earle to LSU). Alabama recently extended offers to a pair of Aledo stars and will get another on campus this weekend.
Bryan Allen was committed to LSU for more than nine months prior to re-opening his recruitment. He opted to commit the following month to the University of Texas. Allen has kept the door open for other programs to recruit him, and Alabama has expressed interest throughout the last year.
Allen received an offer from Alabama on May 28 and will visit Tuscaloosa this weekend. He was offered by Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Valai who had also previously recruited to Allen when he coached at Texas.
“I am happy and honored,” Allen said regarding his offer from Alabama, “If you consider yourself an elite (prospect) Bama is one of those offers you want.”
His younger brother, Jaden Allen, a cornerback in the 2024 class, will participate in Alabama’s camp on Saturday. Jaden received an offer from Texas on Tuesday. He has several other offers including LSU, Mississippi State and USC.
Alabama remains in the hunt for another talented tight end in the 2022 class. The Crimson Tide hired a new tight ends coach, Drew Svoboda, during the spring and had to play a little bit of catch-up in terms of evaluating tight end targets.
Coach Saban, along with Jay Valai (area recruiter), spoke with Jason Llewellyn last week to inform him of the offer from Alabama.
“It’s awesome,” Llewellyn said. “I’m very blessed and humbled by the offer like I have been with all my offers because without the Lord and all the people that have helped me along the way I wouldn’t be where I am now.
“They just said that they need a complete tight end that can block, run routes and stay on the field all game. They think I would be the perfect guy to fill that role.”
Llewellyn said his conversation with Alabama last week was the first time he had spoken with the defending national champions. He has not visited Tuscaloosa. He does not have a visit scheduled, but will consider a trip in the future.
“It is Alabama, but I am fully committed to Oklahoma,” he stated.
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