Bama Track & Field Athletes Bring Home Hardware; Crimson Tide Lands 4-Star OT Tommy Brown; 2018 UA Football Commits; Jalen Hurts Named To Davey O'Brien Award Watch List; Cam Taylor Commits To Mizzou

Bama Track & Field Athletes Bring Home Hardware

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – A pair of Crimson Tide student-athletes have brought home some hardware. University of Alabama sophomore Takyera Roberson and incoming freshman Jaimie Robinson reached the medal platform for the United States Track & Field Team at the 2017 Pan American U20 Track & Field Championships this weekend in Trujillo, Peru.

Roberson ran the anchor let for the U.S. in the 4x400-meter relay, the final women's event of the meet on Sunday. The four young women raced to the gold medal in a PanAm meet record time of 3:28.55. It was Canada (3:33.19) and Ecuador (3:46.57) finishing second and third, respectively. The winning time surpasses the previous meet record of 3:29.67, which was set by the United States at the 2007 Pan American U20 meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It should also be mentioned that Roberson earned a fourth-place finish in the women's 400 meters on Friday with a time of 52.89.

Robinson, who will enroll at The Capstone this fall, finished in second place in the women's triple jump on Saturday with a leap of 43-8 ½ (13.32m). Cuba'a Davisleydi Velazco won gold with a mark of 44-7 (13.59m). Jasmine Moore of the United States finished third at 43-5 ¾ (13.25m).

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Crimson Tide Lands 4-Star OT Tommy Brown

Tommy Brown to the Crimson Tide
Twitter Photo

The University of Alabama has picked up a major commitment for the class of 2018. He is four-star offensive tackle Tommy Brown out of Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei.

The 6' 5", 313-pounder was offered just last month by head coach Nick Saban. Tommy's dad, Vince, was on the track & field team, specializing in the shot put, back in the 80s. One might surmise the alma mater of his dad may have helped in the decision-making process.

Brown is rated the No. 12 offensive tackle and No. 169 overall player in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. Brown is Bama's seventh commit for the class of 2018, moving the Tide up to No. 42 in the recruiting rankings per 247Sports.

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2018 University Of Alabama Football Commits

The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team currently has 7 student-athletes who have committed to furthering their football careers at the Capstone. As new commits and signees are announced the list will be updated and released.

Here is the complete list of 2018 commitments and signees to UA as of 07/23/17:

• Jordan Davis, DE (6-6, 240), Memphis, Tennessee
• Xavier Williams, WR/ATH (6-1, 185), Hollywood, Florida
• Quay Walker, OLF ( 6-4, 220), Cordele, Georgia
• Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB (6-0, 160), Mobile, ALABAMA*
• Skyler DeLong, P (6-4, 180), Ft. Mill, South Carolina
• Stephon Wynn, Jr., DE (6-4, 285), Anderson, South Carolina
• Tommy Brown, OT (6-5, 313), Santa Ana ,California

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Jalen Hurts Is Named To 

Davey O'Brien Award Watch List

University of Alabama QB Jalen Hurts
Photo Credit: UA Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts dazzled the fans of the Crimson Tide last season, not to mention the entire Southeastern Conference. This season should be no different. In fact, Hurts is said to have improved in his passing abilities to go along with his uncanny ability to move the ball via the run. He has now been named to the Davey O'Brien Award watch list, his second 2017 preseason award watch list.

The Davey O'Brien Award was started in 1981, and is presented each year to the student-athlete considered to the best quarterback in college football. The award has actually been around a little longer than that, having previously been called the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy started in 1977 and originally was given annually to the nation's top overall college football player.

No former Tide player has ever won the Davey O'Brien Award nor the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy. Back in 2013 Bama's A.J. McCarron was named a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award which eventually went to FSU's Jameis Winston.

Last season Hurts was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year after producing 2,780 yards, 23 touchdowns, completing 62.8 percent of his passes and a 139.1 quarterback rating. He rushed for a total of 956 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns, both Alabama single-season records for a quarterback.

Here is a look at Crimson Tiders named to 2017 Preseason Watch Lists:

Maxwell Award

Jalen Hurts | QB |So.
Minkah Fitzpatrick | DB | Jr.
Calvin Ridley | WR | Jr.
Bo Scarbrough | RB | Jr.

Chuck Bednarik Award

Minkah Fitzpatrick
Da’Ron Payne | DL | Jr.

John Mackey Award

Hale Hentges | TE |Jr.

Rimington Trophy

Bradley Bozeman | OL | RS Sr.

Ray Guy Award

JK Scott | P | Sr.

Outland Trophy

Bradly Bozeman
Jonah Williams | OL | So.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Minkah Fitzpatrick
Da’Ron Payne
Rashaan Evans | LB | Sr.
Ronnie Harrison | DB | Jr.

Jim Thorpe Award

Minkah Fitzpatrick
Ronnie Harrison

Butkus Award

Rashaan Evans
Shaun Dion Hamilton | LB | Sr.

Paul Hornung Award

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Biletnikoff Award

Calvin Ridley

Wuerffel Trophy

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Davey O’Brien Award

Jalen Hurts

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Cam Taylor Commits To Mizzou

Cam Taylor to Mizzou
247Sports Photo

It appears Alabama lost to Missouri. No, not on the football field. In a particular recruit. Park Crossing's Cam Taylor made his choice to remain in the Southeastern Conference, but instead of the Crimson Tide picking up the young man, he selected the Missouri Tigers of the SEC Eastern Division.

Taylor played quarterback at Prattville last year, but suffered an injury in November requiring surgery to repair a torn knee ligament. The youngster then decided to bolt from Prattville to Park Crossing where everyone expects him to be the starting quarterback this coming fall.

Most major recruiting services have the 6' 0", 200-pound three-star recruit listed as an athlete rather than the quarterback position. Missouri's offered came in the form of a "sort-of promise" as a safety.
Taylor is ranked No. 10 in the state of Alabama by 247Sports for the class of 2018.