On Saturday, Alabama football put the finishing touches on its 2024 high school recruiting class with two blue-chip commitments, both at a position of need.
Four-star running back Daniel Hill and four-star defensive back Zay mincy both announced their commitments to the Crimson Tide during the All-American Game (formerly the Army All-American game) in San Antonio, Texas.
Both players signed privately during the early signing period and made those signings public Saturday.
Hill — the No. 176 overall player (No. 15 RB) in the 247Sports Composite — is a different type of running back than Alabama’s had over the last several years.
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 240 pounds, Hill’s a physical runner with pretty good speed and acceleration for his size and is also a willing blocker when given the opportunity.
Perhaps the most impressive part about Hill’s player profile is the versatility he displayed at Meridian (Miss.)
High. He served as the team’s starting quarterback, though mostly running out of the backfield, played some wide receiver, and returned a kick for a touchdown as a return man. Overall, he finished his 2023 season with 2,611 offensive yards (307 passing, 2,064 rushing, 240 receiving) and 29 touchdowns.
On Friday, Alabama senior running back Roydell Williams entered the transfer portal.
Fellow senior Jase McClellan has yet to make his plans public, but should he leave, Hill’s commitment replenishes the running back room to five scholarship backs (what it carried in 2023) with rising junior Jam Miller, sophomore Justice Haynes, redshirt freshman Richard Young and incoming true freshman Kevin Riley, another four-star prospect.
Hill visited Alabama close to 20 times during the recruitment process, he was a significant target and his versatility with his frame can be employed in a variety of ways on offense and special teams.
Mincey — the No. 55 overall player (No. 4 safety) — is an aggressive, versatile defensive back who fits the profile that secondary coach Travaris Robinson is targeting.
At 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, Mincey starred for his Mainland High (Fla.) team that captured a Class 5A state championship.
He had 53 total tackles, 19 pass deflections and three interceptions while playing cornerback.
His long arms allow him to disrupt wide receivers off the line of scrimmage, he shows good fluidity for a taller corner and regularly undercuts routes to make plays on the ball.
