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Desmond Ricks, a four-star cornerback at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., announced his commitment to Alabama on Thursday on 247Sports’ YouTube channel, choosing the Crimson Tide over LSU and Florida. Ricks is a 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pounder who ranks him 42nd overall in the 2023 class. He was the top-ranked cornerback in the country until October 22, when he announced his reclassification.
Reclassified from the 2024 class, Ricks made an official visit to all three finalists since moving to the 2023 class.
247Sports Scouting Director Andrew Ivins provided the following scouting report on Ricks.
“You can run and, more importantly, find football, a key skill in an era when most offensive coordinators are looking to widen the field,” Ivins wrote. “It’s rather battle-tested for a young man who saw so many targets coming his way both on Friday night and on the 7-on-7 and camp circuits.”
Ivins sees Ricks as one of college football’s biggest stars when he arrives on campus.
“He spent a good chunk of grade 12 working on the inside in one of the most talented prep secondaries in the country. Come to think of it, Ceiling seems to end up being the tallest wide defender in the world for his ability to steal slow lanes for his size. Should be considered a multi-year starter and potential All-Conference player.
Ricks is the 15th Top 100 player to commit to Alabama during the hiring cycle. All players in coach Nick Saban’s class are four- or five-star prospects, with the exception of kicker Conor Talty, the second-ranked kicker in the nation. Alabama’s class is now his second-best recruiting class in the history of the 247Sports rankings, behind Texas A&M’s class in the previous cycle.
