Recruits talk Alabama summer camp II

Four-star athlete Nick Cull was one of the standout performers during Alabama’s camp on Saturday, catching the eye of several Crimson Tide coaches. Chief among those was Nick Saban who took some time to meet with the Donalsonville, Ga. native later in the day.

“It went great,” Cull said. “He (Saban) said I had great ball skills. He said I impressed him today at camp. We vibed great. When we were camping, he was over there giving me some tips on everything. His personality, when it comes to football, he ain’t smiling too much. That’s the type of coach that I like.”

Along with doling out some praise, Saban told Cull, 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, that he’d like to see him put on some more weight. Alabama currently sees the do-it-all defensive back fitting in at safety or Star at the next level. Cull, who plays receiver, cornerback, safety and nickelback for Seminole County High School, said he is hoping to bulk up to 185 pounds by the start of his senior season this fall.

Saturday marked Cull’s first trip to Alabama as he continues his summer tour across the Southeast. The four-star was able to take a tour of the Tide’s facilities and said he was particularly impressed with Alabama’s recovery program as part of the team’s new sports science center.

However, Alabama’s tradition is ultimately what sets Tuscaloosa, Ala. apart from other stops.

“It’s their culture and tradition and the players they produce,” Cull said. “Everybody that comes out of Alabama is really outstanding because of the culture. They produce champions. They really produce some great guys in the secondary. That’s what I love about them. How they love my game and how my game fits into their scheme, that’s what really sticks out to me.”

Cull said he’s currently looking for someone to build him a graphic for when he announces his top schools in the near future. He said the list will likely feature five or six programs with Alabama firmly in the mix.

Cull, who plans on making his college decision sometime during his senior season, is planning to return to Alabama sometime this fall for an official visit. He also has official visits lined up for Miami, South Carolina and Florida.

— This interview was written by BamaInsider reporter Tony Tsoukalas

Harris has hauled in numerous offers from schools across the country including Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Iowa, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M and USC, to name a few. He attended Alabama’s camp on Saturday and earned a scholarship offer.

“Coach Saban said that I have an offer, but he needs to watch my film until I can commit. I felt great about it. I can’t wait for them to hit me back. This is literally my dream.

“Coach Saban told me they like me and they are going to stay in touch. He told me to keep working hard. The fact that I got a chance to talk to him means he saw something he liked in me at the camp.”

Harris said he enjoyed working with offensive line coach Doug Marrone. He learned more about pass protection and how to win reps.

“I liked how the coaches and players were actively coaching us up on the little things that we needed to fix,” he said. “I felt like I did pretty good. Coach Saban said I had a great day at camp.”

He measured 6-foot-5, 292-pounds in Tuscaloosa. The talented in-state lineman said that he does not have any additional camps or visits scheduled at this time. He is waiting to hear a decision from Alabama after Coach Saban evaluates his film.

Johnson-Rubell traveled to Tuscaloosa for the first time to compete in the Alabama camp on Saturday. He arrived on Friday to visit campus and showcased his skills the next day.

“I loved the facilities,” Johnson-Rubell said. ‘You don’t even have to go to a hospital. There’s a hospital in the facility. I love the family-first program especially after college.

“The camp was amazing. I liked the fast pace, doing drills, felt like an Alabama athlete. I love that the coaches really care about perfecting your craft and just how to be a better person/man.”

The rising sophomore worked with first year cornerbacks coach Jay Valai who informed him of good news following the camp.

“Coach Valai said he really loves my game,” he said. “He’s originally from Texas so that was a really good thing for me. He likes that I’m fast and physical, but most importantly that I am very coachable. Coach Valai presented the offer to me after the camp.”

The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder did not have an opportunity to speak with Nick Saban, but says he hopes to have a conversation with him soon. Johnson-Rubell has received several other early offers including Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas, USC, SMU, Texas A&M, TCU and Tulsa.

A big group of prospects from Milton High School in Alpharetta, visited/camped at Alabama on Saturday including Lebbeus Overton, the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 class. Another heralded underclassman for the Eagles is Debron Gatling. His offer list is extensive which includes Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Alabama did not extend an offer to Gatling on Saturday, but most of the top performers in the 2024 class (unless outside of the Southeast) were not offered by Alabama. It was more so a decision by Nick Saban to wait on extending offers to regional sophomores.

“I felt like I did good,” Gatling said. “The camp was great. I loved working with Coach Wiggins. He taught me a lot. He would compliment me on stuff when I did good.”

It was the first time Gatling visited the Tide’s campus. He liked what he saw and enjoyed the time spent working with the coaches.

“I really liked how the coaches are engaged with everything,” he said. “They help everybody. I loved it. What I like about Alabama is the facilities, the coaches and really everything.”

Gatling will attend the Clemson camp on Sunday.

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