RB Najee Harris requests flight to Alabama

[Thunder]

Antioch (CA) Antioch RB Najee Harris, the #1 recruit in the country, has reportedly requested a flight change to Alabama. He was supposed to fly back to Oakland after the Army All-American Bowl.

This is an interesting development. If you fly to San Antonio, TX, with the intention of coming back home to gather your stuff before enrolling early, how do you then change your plans mid-trip and head to Alabama? One would think that whether he’s going to Michigan or Alabama, he would still need to return to Oakland. It’s also curious because if he had made up his mind for Michigan, he would presumably want to head there immediately since classes have already begun. He has more time to get to Alabama since they haven’t started classes, but he’s apparently speeding up his trip.

Of course, there’s also the possibility that the things he needs for college could be shipped to him in Tuscaloosa or Ann Arbor or wherever he’s going.

I don’t know what’s going on, but it certainly has been interesting.

[Lanknows]

LOL. Sometimes it’s nice to be a RB-truther. As I said before, Wilson (and now Filiaga) are a bigger deal to me, and I don’t think Harris was a savior. But… it sure would have been nice.

As for “coming home to get stuff” – I think that was probably a rumor based on speculation and anyway, like you said, you can have stuff shipped and get the rest later.

One does wonder why he is keeping things open with Michigan if his intent is to go to the school he is committed to already. Personal amusement isn’t out of the question but most likely he did have some consideration after his commitment and just didn’t want to talk to media.

Regardless, good luck to him. You really can’t fault any RB for picking Alabama, or any recruit for not wanting to play the game.

Also –

You mean Oakland not Oaklahoma.

[Thunder]

Thanks – I need an editor!

[crazyjoedavola]

I only follow recruiting casually, and mostly to get a kick out of the die hard fans freaking out one way or another over flaky teenagers… but I would have to see it to believe that Michigan can steal a #1 recruit from Alabama. Beating them out for a commitment I can see, but to steal their pledge at a RB position sounds highly unlikely to me.

[Lanknows]

If you follow recruiting long enough you learn skepticism is wise. Still, there are a handful rational voices who have earned some trust. When Sam Webb made his case for why he thinks Harris was coming to Michigan that ‘moved the needle’ for me.

This report should be taken with a grain of salt like the others. We’ll find out sometime in the next week, which is just fine.

[crazyjoedavola]

Sam Webb’s job is to generate clicks on a website and to do so he has to be as positive as possible regarding recruiting. Anything is possible, but all the speculation and analysis of Najee’s recruitment is comical at this point. I think he sticks with Bama but I won’t lose sleep over it either way. We need linemen who can make an early impact on both sides of the ball, chasing Rbs at this point reminds me a little of RR chasing slot receivers.

[Lanknows]

I don’t doubt that. I think Webb’s assertion today that things were not over with Aubrey Solomon is a great example of that. The kid directly said he didn’t like Michigan football and semi-publicly blasted them. He’s not coming to Michigan. But after the AA game is done and the EEs are all on campus Michigan recruiting is going to have very few storylines between now and signing day. So Webb’s looking ahead and keeping the story hot.

But, the Najee Harris uncertainty is, I think, authentic from Sam Webb and he doesn’t seem to be entirely alone. Far from it. Yes most of these guys are seeking clicks, but they also have a reputation to uphold. There is so much content out these days that you can’t just blow smoke and expect people to subscribe and tune in.

[CaptainKirk]

The “4 truths” about Najee Harris and his recruitment:
#1 – Committed to Alabama a long, long time ago
#2 – Never de-committed from Alabama
#3 – Never stated he was going to look at around at other schools for reasons relating to being dissatisfied with Alabama
#4 – Has never stated any type of preference for Michigan over Alabama
This should calm M fans down should he remain committed to Alabama: he was never ours to begin or end with….he’s been Roll Tide the whole time.

[Thunder]

While all of that is true, he did take an official to Michigan. And when given opportunities to reaffirm his commitment to Alabama, he has avoided doing so. So there’s certainly some…uncertainty. I won’t be extremely upset if he stays committed to Alabama, because like you said, he “was never ours to begin with.” But Michigan is definitely giving Alabama a run for its money.

[Lanknows]

Like Thunder said, there is plenty of reason to think he is or did consider Michigan since committing. Doesn’t mean he’s coming to UM but it’s not a simple as you outlined.

[ScKon]

It is pretty odd that he didn’t want a lot of attention, but as a kid committed to AL, made known he wasn’t decided. There’s always the chance of an 11th hour, Mike Weber Jr. situation, i suppose.

[Lanknows]

It’s not odd anymore. Commitments are more like ‘reservations’ these days.

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