'Bubba's kind of a dog': Nick Saban praises Tide signee from Texas
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama was able to flip two of its remaining targets on Wednesday, the first day of college football’s early signing period. The first was athlete Aeryn Hampton, who was committed to Texas, followed by in-state tailback Kevin Riley, a Miami pledge.
Known by some as “Bubba,” Hampton had been committed to the Longhorns since July and shut down his recruitment last week. However, the window was left open for the Crimson Tide, which maintained its relationship with the nation’s No. 9 athlete in the On3 Industry Rankings, and after a visit to Daingerfield (Texas) High School, Nick Saban flipped him.
Shortly after receiving his letter of intent, Saban assessed the 5-foot-10, 175-pound athlete.
“Bubba’s kind of a dog, man,” said Saban of Hampton on Wednesday afternoon. “He’s one of those guys that’s a great competitor, makes a lot of plays whatever he plays on offense, wherever he plays on the field. He doesn’t come off the field very often. They had a very successful season this year.
“I know they had a disappointment in the playoffs, but this guy’s a great competitor, can do a lot of things and we’re really excited about having him.”
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A versatile player out of the state of Texas, Hampton played on both sides of the ball for coach Davin Nelson while also playing basketball and running track. The No. 41 player in the state of Texas, per the On3 Industry Rankings, Hampton was the District 11-3A MVP in 2022 after he caught 55 passes for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns in addition to recording 57 tackles, five tackles for loss, three interceptions and two forced fumbles as a junior.
Now, the Lone Star State product will begin his college career in Tuscaloosa for the Tide.
“The development coach Saban has on players and the program means a lot to my decision,” Hampton told On3’s Hayes Fawcett. “I feel like that was the best choice for me.”
Hampton was one of two players from the state of Texas – as well as interior offensive lineman Casey Poe – and one of 23 overall players who signed with Alabama on Wednesday. Last year, the Tide also signed two top-100 Texas recruits in Jalen Hale and Jordan Renaud.
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