Decision Day: Will Alabama add another OL to its 2023 class?
It has been a big month for Alabama when it comes to recruiting in the trenches. Since the start of the month, the Tide have added in-state defensive lineman Hunter Osborne and coveted offensive lineman Miles McVay to the fold.
On Saturday, two more key targets for the program will announce their college decisions: Kelby Collins and Raymond Pulido.
Pulido, a massive 6-foot-6, 358-pounder out of California, will announce shortly after Collins commits. Here are the details for Pulido’s upcoming decision and which school is trending for his services.
Date: Aug. 13
Finalists: Alabama, Arizona, Louisville, Oregon, UCLA
How he will announce: Per his father, Pulido will either post on his Twitter or his Instagram
Time: 4:00 p.m. CST
Discussion: Talk of Champions message board
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The Alabama Crimson Tide are trending for Raymond Pulido
Alabama’s pursuit of Pulido began back in the spring when they extended an offer to him on March 11. The Apple Valley (Calif.) product was on their radar, but a camp performance in Tuscaloosa a few months later proved to be pivotal for Pulido.
Displaying his skill set at a June 8 camp, the Crimson Tide came away impressed and amped up their pursuit of Pulido. Following that multi-day visit, Pulido returned to the school a month later for a more in-depth look at T-Town, where he was accompanied by Alabama pledge Wilkin Formby.
With two trips to Alabama and also a pair of predictions submitted in their favor, the Tide hold a commanding lead for Pulido on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. Per the RPM, Nick Saban’s program has a 95.6 percent chance of adding Pulido to their 2023 class today.
Why are the Crimson Tide high in the mix for Pulido and trending for his services? Raymond’s father, Robert, recently spoke with BamaInsider about what’s made Alabama a top contender for his son.
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“What really stands out to all of us is Alabama is completely set up for success for its student-athletes,” Robert Pulido previously told BamaInsider’s Andrew Bone. “It doesn’t matter which coaches are there. Coach Saban has his belief system and also the way of carrying out his vision. What really impressed him (Raymond) is how Coach Saban adapts to the new age of student-athletes.”
Pulido also continued by highlighting the impact of offensive line coach Eric Wolford in his son’s recruitment.
“He likes Coach Wolf a lot,” Robert Pulido continued. “He asked Coach Wolf a lot of questions on why he coaches certain ways and why he will block at a certain angle. Really appreciates the way he coaches. He really wants to know how he will be developed and coached.”
The On3 Consensus tabs Pulido as the No. 422 overall recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Though he’ll play guard if he goes to Alabama, the On3 Consensus labels Pulido as the No. 29 tackle prospect in the nation.
BamaInsider will have full coverage of the decisions of Collins and Pulido today as the Tide will hope to add commitments No. 20 and No. 21 to their top-ranked class.
