Alabama Official Visitor Spotlight: Trio of Crimson Tide commitments will be in town for A&M weekend

All eyes this weekend will be on the loaded group of uncommitted targets stepping foot on Alabama’s campus. Some key targets in the 2023 and 2024 cycles, including multiple five-star prospects, are gearing up to attend the Crimson Tide’s matchup with Texas A&M.

ICYMI: Alabama Official Visitor Spotlight: 5-star EDGE Keon Keeley

Also making their way into town for Saturday’s game against the Aggies are nearly two dozen Bama commitments. Three of those pledges — Eli Holstein, Miles McVay, and Raymond Pulido — will be utilizing their official visits to Alabama.

ALSO: Alabama Official Visitor Spotlight: Top-ranked 2023 TE Duce Robinson

In the story below, BamaInsider highlights each Alabama pledge who will be officially visiting the school this weekend.

QB — Eli Holstein

Commitment Date: May 24, 2022

Hometown: Zachary (La.)

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3.5/230 pounds

On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 59 national/No. 7 quarterback/No. 5 in Louisiana

Why Holstein committed to Alabama: “Building the relationships with those coaches constantly. Seeing what they have to offer me on and off the field, academic-wise. Obviously what they can for me on the field, development-wise, helped with my decision… I feel completely comfortable with my decision. There’s no turning back.”

The Skinny: Eli Holstein has been on campus this year as many times — if not more — as any Alabama commitment or target in the 2023 class. Surprisingly, the top-10 quarterback on the On3 Consensus did not utilize an official visit to the school up prior to this weekend.

We expect Holstein to be in the ear of five-star official visitors Duce Robinson and Keon Keeley, particularly Robinson. Robinson, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound tight end, is a quarterback’s best friend with his wide receiver-like movement skills and his athleticism at the position.

On the same note, Holstein will also likely be recruiting newly minted four-star receiver Jaren Hamilton. The Gainesville (Fla.) product is Alabama’s top remaining target at wideout in this class, and the speed he brings to the table meshes well with the canon of an arm that Holstein has.

BamaInsider previously caught up with Holstein in Louisiana back in late June. At the time, he was focused heavily on recruiting five-star receiver Shelton Sampson (now an LSU commit) to Alabama.

Holstein detailed what his message is to wideouts considering the Tide.

“If you want to play with the best quarterback in the country, you might as well come to Alabama,” Holstein previously told us. “I’m going to get you the ball. You’re going to get developed by Coach [Holmon] Wiggins, who is a phenomenal wide receivers coach. He gets credit, but I still don’t think he gets enough credit for what he’s done with the receivers he’s had in the past. Dominant college receivers and they’re getting to the NFL and dominating already in a year or two.”

Holstein, a former Texas A&M commitment, is locked in with the Crimson Tide despite another quarterback (Dylan Lonergan) being in this class. This visit will more so be about recruiting and getting further acclimated to campus ahead of his arrival in January.

OL — Miles McVay

Commitment Date: Aug. 11

Hometown: East St. Louis (IL.)

Height/Weight: 6-foot-6, 373 pounds

On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 199 national/No. 14 interior offensive lineman/No. 2 in Illinois

Why McVay committed to Alabama: “I have visited Alabama five or six times. It is different over there. I have watched two or three practices, so I have seen the players and the coaches at work and I could see why they win. It is very intense. Players practicing hard, coaches coaching hard, and Nick Saban is very involved. Everyone at Alabama grinds to win it all, get to the NFL, and that is what I want to be a part of.”

The Skinny: In the months leading up to Miles McVay’s commitment, there was little doubt where he would ultimately end up committing to.

McVay had been to Tuscaloosa a handful of times since the COVID-induced dead period concluded in June 2021. There was a level of comfortability with the coaches and players on campus that he did not feel elsewhere.

Like Holstein, McVay also did not need an official visit to validate that Alabama would be his future home. Now, in his first trip back to T-Town as a member of the Tide’s 2023 class, we also expect McVay to participate in Bama’s recruiting efforts.

On his visit for the Champions Cook-Out in late July, McVay was seen talking with Keeley who, at the time, was a Notre Dame commit. McVay was a de facto member of Bama’s class at that time as he communicated with Keeley that he would be committing to the program in August.

McVay regularly praises Alabama’s competitiveness in our conversations, so going up against Keeley one-on-one in practice is an opportunity he’d more than welcome. Keeley also embraces the hard-working mentality in practice, and we’d imagine the two will spend even more time with one another this weekend.

McVay is 100 percent locked in with the Crimson Tide and is also expected to enroll in January.

OL — Raymond Pulido

Commitment Date: Aug. 13

Hometown: Apple Valley (Calif.)

Height/Weight: 6-foot-6, 358 pounds

On3 Consensus Ranking: No. 406 national/No. 28 offensive tackle (likely will play guard at Alabama)/No. 28 in California

On why he committed to Alabama: “The competition really stood out to me a lot. You see a lot of guys coming in from IMG (Academy) and that has helped with competition. I talked to my parents, and we believe it’s the best place for me and my career. I can really flourish there and be the best football player I can be.”

The Skinny: As for how Pulido ended up with the Tide, it all started with an offer back in the spring.

He had plans to transfer from Apple Valley to St. John Bosco this year, with Pulido even participating in spring ball with the powerhouse program. That transfer did not go through, but it did put Pulido on the national radar, leading to an offer from Alabama in March.

Followed by a dominant camp performance on June 8, Bama labeled Pulido as one of the top guards in the country. He eventually returned to campus during the final week of July, solidifying his high interest in the Tide.

Pulido committed a couple of weeks later, adding even more size to a massive Alabama offensive line class. The average height and weight of Bama’s five o-linemen pledges is 6-foot-5.4, 340.2 pounds.

Also worth noting is that Pulido’s commitment played a part in Alabama wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins wining On3 National Recruiter of the Month honors for September. Wiggins coaches pass catchers, but is the area recruiter for the Tide out in California.

At this time, the expectation is that Pulido will not be an early enrollee at Alabama.

Also check out our other Alabama – Texas A&M game week stories and threads!

**** Alabama/Texas A&M Master Recruiting Thread

*** Bone’s Insider Report: The recruits to watch this weekend vs. Texas A&M ***

*** Alabama Official Visitor Spotlight: 5-star EDGE Keon Keeley

** Alabama Official Visitor Spotlight: Top-ranked 2023 TE Duce Robinson

** Key recruiting battles between Alabama and Texas A&M

* Top-10 player Ellis Robinson IV looks ahead to first game day visit at Alabama

* Game Week Central Thread