In a recruiting development that hardly comes as a shock, Alabama has secured the commitment of the top in-state recruit in Alabama. Defensive end LaBryan Ray announced his decision to join the Crimson Tide Wednesday afternoon in a press conference setting at his high school.
Ray chose Alabama over Florida. His last official visit was last week at Florida, a week after visiting Alabama. Tennessee was also in the mix with an official visit earlier in January.
Rivals ranks Ray as the second best strongside defensive end in the country and is the top-rated recruit from the state of Alabama. The last time the top-rated recruit from the state of Alabama committed to a program other than the Crimson Tide was in 2012 when quarterback Jameis Winston committed to Florida State. Since 2003, according to the Rivals database, Winston and wide receiver Chad Jackson (Florida, 2003) are the only top-rated recruits from Alabama not to commit to Alabama.
The addition of Ray may have played a role in seeing four-star defensive end Jarez Parks opt to grayshirt at Alabama. Parks pushed back his announcement as it started to become clear Alabama’s recruiting class was filling up and losing room for scholarships.