Key visitors coming to Tuscaloosa for Alabama Champions Cookout

The Crimson Tide host the annual Alabama football cookout on Saturday and they plan to welcome their 13 commits alongside a VIP group of uncommitted targets.

The Tide return to the practice field on August 6 and high school recruits start their official practices for the season next week, so it’s the last chance for the staff and the prospects to be face to face until the season. Official visits will kick off again once the season does on September 6.

Nick Saban and his staff have been hot on the recruiting trail this month and it looks like they could cap it off with another commitment or two before the dead period hits on Monday.

Alabama Champions Cookout: Undecided Visitors

Earl Little Jr.

Earl Little Jr. is making the long trip up to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama football cookout from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is a really good sign for the Crimson Tide.

Little, the No. 12 cornerback in the nation and No. 95 overall, named Alabama as the leader in his recruitment after his unofficial visit last month. His timeline to commit, however, isn’t for another few months if he chooses to keep his recruitment going through signing day.

The Tide is holding off Florida, Florida State, Miami, LSU, USC and others for the 6-foot, 175-pound four-star.

Khurtiss Perry

Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing defensive lineman Khurtiss Perry will be in T-Town for the Alabama football cookout on Saturday, just a few days after naming his top 10. The Tide made the cut, as did Auburn, Oregon, Ohio State, UCF, Michigan, Miami, Texas, Tennessee and LSU.

Perry was just in Tuscaloosa last month and he also visited Ohio State, UCF and Auburn.

The in-state target is ranked No. 45 nationally, just a few spots shy of five-star status.

Marquis Gracial

The Alabama Champions Cookout is an opportunity for Freddie Roach to work his magic on current Missouri commit Marquis Gracial. The four-star defensive tackle from Saint Charles High School is a Show Me State native, so it won’t be easy.

Alabama was in Gracial’s top five before he committed to Missouri in May, along with the Tigers, Oregon, Arizona State and Iowa State. Besides Missouri, Gracial’s taken just one other official visit to Iowa State.

The top-100 defensive lineman is 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds.

Elijah Pritchett

Uncommitted offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett is coming to Tuscaloosa from Columbus, Georgia, for the second time in two months. Holding one of the Tide’s national title trophies on his first visit, Pritchett described it as “a feeling like no other.”

Pritchett has Alabama in his top eight with Georgia, USC, FSU, LSU, Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia Tech, but it’s safe to say the defending champions are in the top half of the list. The 6-foot-6 QB protector is the No. 9 offensive tackle prospect in the country.

Justice Finkley

Alabama’s commits will be working hard this weekend to land Hewitt-Trussville defensive lineman Justice Finkley. The Tide, the Longhorns and the Colorado Buffs are the top contenders for the four-star.

Coincidentally, Finkley’s end of summer/early season decision is approaching rapidly. Nick Saban and Alabama can take the cookout RSVP as a major advantage over the competition.

Shazz Preston

Lastly, the Tide host uncommitted four-star wideout Shazz Preston of St. James High in Louisiana on Saturday. Preston’s considered a lean to the home state LSU Tigers but you can’t count Alabama out of this one.

He named a top seven of LSU, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, USC, Mississippi State and Miami in April before taking official visits to Texas and USC in June. He also took unofficial visits to Alabama, Georgia and LSU.