With less than two weeks until the early signing period, Alabama flipped commitments from two of the country’s top defensive back recruits Saturday.
Safety Daxton Hill, a five-star prospect, announced he was decommitting from Michigan to join the Crimson Tide. Hours later, four-star cornerback Jeffery Carter followed suit, switching to Alabama after committing to Texas A&M.
Hill is the top-ranked safety and No. 13-ranked prospect overall in the ESPN 300. He had been committed to the Wolverines since September and chose them over Alabama, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State the first time around.
Respect it💯 pic.twitter.com/4jalHMrF50
— Dirty30 (@daxhill5) December 8, 2018
The 6-foot-1, 187-pound safety out of Booker T. Washington High School was the highest-ranked commit for Michigan in the 2019 class. He is the younger brother of Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill, who is entering the NFL draft after this season.
Hill is not expected to sign in the early period and has said he will wait until February to sign his national letter of intent.
Carter, the No. 4-ranked cornerback and No. 37 overall, had been committed to Texas A&M since the summer. The Mansfield, Texas, prospect stands at 6-foot, 182 pounds.
What’s understood don’t need to be explained💯 RESPECT MY DECISION! pic.twitter.com/v1iNZM6JfK
— Scooby (@jcarter2133) December 9, 2018
Hill and Carter become the Tide’s second- and third-highest commits, behind offensive lineman Pierce Quick, who is ranked No. 4.
It wasn’t all good news for Nick Saban’s staff on Saturday, however, as Rashad Cheney, the No. 15 defensive tackle (No. 215 overall), decommitted from the Tide and flipped to Minnesota.
Alabama now has 19 ESPN 300 commitments, the most in the country. Georgia is next with 13, followed by the Aggies and Texas with 12.
This time last year, Alabama had 14 total commitments and was ranked as the No. 11 overall recruiting class heading into the early signing period. Now, in the 2019 class, Alabama has the No. 1-ranked class with 24 total commitments.