@core6athletes
Alabama is hosting five-star linebacker Clifton Garrett (Plainfield, Ill., Plainfield South) today before he visits LSU for the Tigers spring game on Saturday and the 6-3, 230-pound linebacker received a scholarship from the Crimson Tide after meeting with Nick Saban.
The University of Alabama has offered me a scholarship!! #RollTide!!
— Clifton Garrett CG3 (@CG340) April 19, 2013
This is an important weekend for Garrett as the top-ranked outside linebacker, according to 247Sports.com, visits the two SEC west heavyweights. He is also being hotly pursued by Ole Miss and Florida within the conference.
Garrett had an extended phone conversation with Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze earlier this week and received an in-home visit from Gators defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin as well. In addition to the SEC schools chasing him, he is drawing significant interest from powerhouse programs like USC, who also had a coach visit him this week, and Ohio State is still trying to hang around.
Seeing these two programs so close to each other will be able to give him an instant comparison between the two, and help him to determine where they stack up against each other. Alabama has had the better of LSU on the field in recent years, so could that continue on the recruiting trail as well?
Tide coach Bobby Williams has been the primary recruiter for Garrett and one of his big pitches has to be the that Alabama always has an embarrassment of riches on defense and churn out as many future NFL players than any other program. Garrett has to be piqued by the thought of being the next in a long line of stellar defensive stalwarts.
His aggressive style of play, punishing tackling ability and ability make plays would fit in well in Tuscaloosa if he elected to play there. The same can be said at LSU, who has already offered Garrett. His appearance at the Tigers spring game promises to be in an unbelievable atmosphere that will undoubtedly impress and make Garrett think long and hard about who his top teams are on the drive back home.
Currently, Garrett lists no leader and he may elect to keep that close to the vest. At one point Ohio State was viewed as his initial leader, and then it was Ole Miss after he felt like family on his unofficial visit. One thing we know to be true is he’s in high demand from coast to coast.
I will have continuing updates on the recruitment of Garrett throughout this weekend and until the moment he commits and signs his letter of intent.
Patrick’s a college football writer for Rant Sports and radio host. Follow him on Twitter and add him to your Google network.
