Alabama Summer Enrollee Spotlight: Earl Little Jr.

After welcoming in a dozen early enrollees in January, the remainder of Alabama’s 2022 class is ready to reach on campus on the finish of the month. The Crimson Tide might be joined by 11 freshmen summer season arrivals in addition to junior school switch Miles Kitselman, who dedicated to Alabama earlier this month.

Over the following two weeks, BamaCentral will break down the arrivals one after the other. As we speak we proceed with SI99 cornerback Earl Little Jr.

The participant

The Florida native is an all-around good defensive again, and his velocity an athleticism make him greater than succesful to compete with the perfect in the way forward for school soccer. Little Jr. breaks on the ball with goal, and he’s energetic together with his palms on the proper time to power incompletions. He usually returns punts for American Heritage, utilizing his velocity to get the the sting for chunks of yards.

Little spent his highschool days at American Heritage Excessive in Plantation, Florida, the alma mater of former Alabama cornerback and present Denver Bronco Patrick Surtain II. At 6-foot, 175 kilos, Little makes use of each ounce of his measurement to make tackles within the open discipline. He makes receivers uncomfortable together with his aggressiveness and makes use of his instincts to play freely.

How he matches into Alabama

Little’s recreation may match rather well into the position that Malachi Moore and Brian Department at the moment fill, the position that Minkah Fitzpatrick made well-known: the star place. Little may very well be efficient on the star spot if he had been to decide on Alabama as a result of he’s a gifted athlete and has the flexibility to undercut routes and switch them into defensive touchdowns. He’s additionally aggressive sufficient to verify tackles and be efficient on occasional blitzes.

Moreover, Little has greater than sufficient expertise in a standard nook spot and could have the chance to develop and progress as he learns to protect elite broad receivers within the Alabama program. 

What to anticipate subsequent 12 months

Little has loads of competitors as all cornerback positions this 12 months and can unlikely see a lot enjoying time outdoors of late-game motion in rubbish time. Forward of him at star are the aforementioned Moore and Department, and together with his skillset lining him up with Kool-Help McKinstry and Khyree Jackson, that is numerous talent to beat as a real freshman.

There’s additionally LSU switch Eli Ricks, redshirt-freshman Terrion Arnold and redshirt-sophomore Jahquez Robinson forward of him on the different cornerback place, together with Jordan Battle, Daniel Wright and Kristian Story at sturdy security. Say what you need about any of Alabama’s positions this season, however the defensive backs may be probably the most proficient unit on the group.

It’s extremely unlikely that Little will make any form of affect his freshman season, and that is not on him. With all the expertise forward of him, he has a complete season to develop on the group and achieve expertise from these forward of him. That being mentioned, he possesses the skillset to have the ability to see some enjoying time, simply not as a starter and definitely to not begin the season. 

Key quote

“Earl, I believe, is an impressive participant. He’s obtained actually good ft. He can run. He’s an instinctive participant. He performs with toughness. He was on the highest of our board all 12 months lengthy as one of many excellent corners within the nation. We’re excited to have him, we’re excited to get him. I believe he’s going to have an important alternative right here with us based mostly on the gamers that we have now coming again. He’s a really mature younger man. I believe that he’s sensible, and I believe these sort of guys form of can develop just a little extra rapidly. His dad was an important participant. His dad’s a coach. I believe generally that provides to a guys’ total data and talent to grasp ideas and develop confidence in how they should play. We’re enthusiastic about Earle Little.” — Nick Saban

Gallery: Earl Little Jr.