Crystal Ball from Sam Webb for Deuce Spurlock

Submitted by jbibiza on July 8th, 2021 at 12:50 PM

He's a 3 star 'Athlete' from Alabama. Good size at 6'2" and 210 lbs, plus good speed.
Plays safety and WR; I am guessing we see him as a safety.
Not sure about the quality of the opposition, but the kid can play.

Highlights:   https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8162983/5f98ea2768988508c888d4b2

247:  https://247sports.com/Player/Deuce-Spurlock-46101976/

lilpenny1316

July 8th, 2021 at 1:09 PM ^

Madison, AL (Huntsville area) is closer to Nashville than Tuscaloosa. I wonder how big our recruiting in the Nashville area is playing a role in his recruitment.

Hail to the Vi…

July 8th, 2021 at 1:15 PM ^

Sounds like an outside linebacker in this defense once you put 20 lbs on his frame.

Other "notable" offers: BC, Miss. St., Pitt., Wash. St, and a bunch of G5 schools... he firmly fits the "lottery ticket" prospect profile, so will be interesting to see how his senior film looks.

AZBlue

July 8th, 2021 at 5:29 PM ^

Yes - the new D is actually close to a 5-2-4 in terms of our personnel under Don Brown if they follow the Ravens’ system.

I have read that much of the difficulty/responsibility shifts from DL to the ILB in this system —but also infer that they should generally be “cleaner” of OL blocking and need to be able to read and react quickly sideline to side = smarter and faster should be valued more than size.  (To be clear you will not see a LB at 200# in this system but it is not unreasonable to see both players you mentioned getting up to 220-230 by year 2 or 3 on campus.)

Really hoping to see some more “educated guesses” of analysis on the Ravens’ D in HTTV before we see what actually shows on the field.

Magnus

July 8th, 2021 at 10:10 PM ^

I think Alexander and Spurlock are guys you put at inside linebacker and let them run. Have the NT and DE guys eat up the A- and B-gaps (for the most part), and then let those fast S/LB guys find the ball. 

If you look at Patrick Queen and L.J. Fort of the Ravens, they're both between 229-232 pounds and can run pretty well. That's what you have in Alexander (4.4 forty) and Spurlock. 

And yes, I think both Henry and Eugenio will end up around 260 pounds or so in college.

JonnyHintz

July 8th, 2021 at 6:42 PM ^

Being that we’re going to be “multiple,” and there are a variety of ways to run a 3-4 defense, it makes sense to still have a few lighter outside linebackers around. 
 

The jumbo OLB 3-4 can function more like a 5-2-4 in many ways. While another form of the 3-4 is essentially a 4-3 with your traditional outside linebackers except your WDE stands up (as your fourth linebacker) Giving you one jumbo LB on the field to go along with a “normal” OLB. Could be an option, especially on passing downs, in order to get some more athleticism out there.

Golden section

July 8th, 2021 at 1:43 PM ^

Isn't Deuce Spurlock a character from a Raymond Chandler novel? 

Slumped face down on his second hand walnut desk, Deuce Spurlock was trying to recover from the previous evening. He had absorbed a lot of tequila shoots and even more right hooks from a jealous husband, although he didn't know which one.  

So he didn't flinch when she walked in. There were knock-outs in this town, sure. But this was Veronica Patterson, MGM's, hottest young starlet. 

He tried to point his eyes in her direction but even they hurt.

" Deuce Spurlock, PI." was all the detective could blubber out of his drooling and bloodied mouth.

GoBlueInAlabama

July 8th, 2021 at 1:51 PM ^

Madison Academy is one of the state powers in its classification.  MA is more talented than the teams they play in regional play.  They will ultimately face the teams from Birmingham and Montgomery during their annual deep playoff run.

MA usually produces a couple of P5 athletes every year.  The 2021 team seems to have at least 2-3 D1 players.

I will watch them play my kids school.  Should be fun to watch him play

GoBlueInAlabama

July 8th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^

Honestly it’s not bad at all.  Most people leave me alone.  Michigan is unfortunately an afterthought for most people down here.  It’s all SEC all the time.  The questions I get often are ‘what’s going on with Michigan’ or ‘how do you feel about Harbaugh’.

As for Alabama, it is Saban’s world.  The fans in this state care so deeply about that football team.  Absolutely everything in Tuscaloosa is geared towards winning football games.  Nobody steps out of line and everybody within the school wants to win.  They have zero infighting amongst the fans/boosters/administration.  Ive been to several games in Tuscaloosa and it is an incredible environment for a 16-18 year old to see.  It’s loud and you can feel the energy plus the football is incredible.  The girls are very good looking when compared to many in the north (warm weather and sun tends to help).

 I do not believe anything scandalous is going on; at least anything more than at any other major program.  They simply care more about winning football games at all costs within the university.  Lower academic standards plus the history of success leads to Alabama being able to recruit whoever they want…and that is why they just keep rolling year after year.