To build a dynasty, one must have a strong foundation.

In college football, that foundation comes from recruiting the best players and getting them to perform at a peak level on Saturdays.

During much of Nick Saban’s tenure, The University of Alabama has dominated on the field during games and off the field with stellar recruiting classes.

Alabama’s 2013 signing class was ranked first nationally by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals.com and MaxPreps. The Crimson Tide is ranked third in the Scout.com team rankings.

“I think that signing day is combination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people,” Saban said. “The assistant coaches do a good job supporting the staff, and this organization does a good job. Our administration and our community do a good job of supporting us in every way, from Dr. Bonner to Dr. Witt, to Mal Moore, to just about everyone involved.”

The 25 total players, including seven mid-year enrollees, come from 13 states – Alabama (7), Georgia (3), Florida (2), Louisiana (2), Tennessee (2), Texas (2), Arkansas (1), California (1), Maryland (1), Pennsylvania (1), New Jersey (1), Utah (1) and Virginia (1).

“I think that with all the information that is available now, it’s probably is a little easier to know who the best players are on a national scope,” Saban said.

The process, as Saban calls it, has infiltrated high schools and is now working to the coaches’ advantage. High-profile recruits are using their own influence to persuade other prep standouts to join them at the Capstone.

Tight end O.J. Howard spent a lot of time pitching Alabama to players after he committed to Alabama last year.

“Yeah I tried. I went to a lot of camps this summer, so every camp I went to, I tried to get guys to come,” Howard said. “Dee Liner is one of the biggest guys I think I had an impact on. Dee’s my boy, and he ended up coming here, so I’m happy.”

Howard said he’s “claiming Liner” as his first recruit.

“[Liner] was trying to get me to come to Auburn for a long time,” Howard said. “I was like, ‘Man lets go to Bama. They’re winning championships. Let’s just go up there and have fun together.’ He eventually ended up coming. He saw the bigger picture, I guess, and he’s coming this way.”

(See also “National Signing Day 2013 liveblog”)

Howard is one of the guys expected to make an immediate impact. Prior to the 2012 season, Alabama was seen as a ground-and-pound offense with passing as a side dish instead of a main course. With AJ McCarron returning for his senior season and a slew of incoming and returning weapons, the Tide could have its most explosive offensive season in 2013.

“A couple of years ago, Alabama wasn’t passing much, but it’s changed,” Howard said. “They’re opening it up a little more. We can spread the field, and you never know what can happen.”

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As listed by position, the Crimson Tide added to its roster four running backs, three defensive linemen, three linebackers, three defensive backs, three offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two wide receivers, two athletes, one tight end, one long snapper and one defensive lineman/linebacker.

Seven players – Cooper Bateman (QB), Leon Brown (OL), Raheem Falkins (WR), Derrick Henry (RB), Brandon Hill (OL), O.J. Howard (TE) and Parker McLeod (QB) – are already attending classes at the University. They all enrolled in January, began taking classes for the spring 2013 semester and will be able to participate in Alabama’s spring football practices. The other 18 players signed national letters of intent on Wednesday. The Crimson Tide had eight players enroll in the spring of 2012, nine in 2011, 11 in 2010 and four in 2009.

Players like T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper exploded onto the scene as true freshmen in 2012; the biggest question surrounding this class is which players can make an immediate impact?

Offensively, Greg Ostendorf, reporter for ESPN’s Recruiting Nation, said to look no further than Howard and running back Alvin Kamara.

“O.J. Howard is going to make some sort of impact,” Ostendorf said. “I don’t know if it’ll be at tight end because he’s a little small right now, but I can see him at H-back, coming out of the backfield. They’re just going to find ways to get him the ball.

Ostendorf said Kamara is “different” from what Alabama already has.

“He gives them a change of pace back,” Ostendorf said. “He can go out in the slot if need be. He’s just a really good athlete that a lot of people don’t know about.”

Defensively, Ostendorf pointed to defensive back Eddie Jackson as someone that could have a chance to play from day one.

“He’s got some work to do, but if he gets here in the summer and works hard, he’ll have a chance to make an immediate impact,” Ostendorf said.

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While it may look like Alabama’s backfield will be overcrowded, Saban said a team can never have too many running backs.

Eddie Lacy left for the NFL draft, leaving T.J. Yeldon as the expected heir apparent. Behind Yeldon, only Kenyan Drake played the entire season. Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart will be returning from knee injuries, but Saban said there is no guarantee both will be 100 percent.

The Tide brought in four running backs in the 2013 class, but Saban shot down the notion that the Tide has a crammed stable of runners.

“I don’t really see how we have a stacked group at running back,” Saban said. “We have one guy coming back that rushed for a 1,000 yards. We have another guy that carried the ball a few times as a freshman, and two guys that got hurt that may or may not be able to come back and play that position very well. To me, to have really good depth at running back, you need five really good players. Three of those guys usually play a lot, so I know in your guys’ little fantasy football world you put these guys’ names down, but there are circumstances. I think a lot of these guys are going to have a good opportunity to contribute next year.”

Alabama also brought in two scholarship quarterbacks and prefered walk-on Luke Del Rio, bringing its roster total to seven. After this season, the Tide will have a huge hole to fill as it did following the 2010 season. JC Shurburtt, national recruiting director for 247Sports, believes the battle could come down to Cooper Bateman and Parker McLeod.

“Bateman needs to be coached and is far from a finished product, but he could really compete for the job,” Shurburtt said. “He’s got good feet and can run a little bit. He has a big arm, but he’ll need to get a little more accurate. They can coach that into him and get him ready. I don’t know that Parker McLeod has the same skillset or upside that Bateman does, but neither did Greg McElroy when he and Star Jackson got to Alabama, and we saw how that turned out. It’s going to be fun to watch those two compete, but I think athletically and potential wise, Bateman is the guy.”

Leading in today’s Crimson White:

Scholarship cuts to affect incoming National Merit Scholars

Smoking ban proposal reaches SGA

Tide, Tigers duel in hovercraft battle

http://thecrimsonwhite.com/2013/02/06/national-signing-day-2013-liveblog/