What happened to the star recruits who decommitted from Alabama?

[jbcarol]

Players who were once pledged to Alabama before landing elsewhere

There were success stories, the middle ground, those who didn't pan out and the young ones who are still to be determined.

We ranked success stories who went on to good careers --

1. Keenan Allen (2010) Cal WR
Allen was viewed as the logical replacement for Julio Jones after he went to the NFL. Alabama lacked a star receiver at that spot until Amari Cooper arrived in 2012. Allen is Cal's all-time leading receiver with 205 catches and 2,570 yards with 17 touchdowns.

2. DeMarcus Walker (2013) FSU DL
Then-FSU defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was "99 percent" the reason he made the change. Pruitt, of course, is now Alabama's defensive coordinator... Walker was a consensus All-American in 2016, ACC defensive player of the year...

3. Artie Burns (2013) Miami DB
Dropped Alabama 11 months before signing day after being an early commit for the 2013 class. Burns then led ACC with 6 INTs in 2015, left early for NFL...

4. JaWuan James (2010) Tennessee OL
The textbook case of Alabama's football program was a factor in James' decommitment.

5. Darius Philon (2012) Arkansas DL
Played two seasons, was a second-team AP All-American in 2014 making 46 tackles, 11.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks. Drafted in the sixth round, he played eight games in 2015 and 14 last year with the Chargers and has 16 career tackles.

...

8. Leo Lewis (2015) Mississippi State LB
This was a case of a recruit who committed to two schools before signing with a third. Ole Miss was the original destination after Alabama before landing in Starkville. It's gone well. [Currently part of Ole Miss response to the NCAA Notice of Allegations, claimining Lewis was picking on them.]


Didn't pan out
A few of the former Alabama commits didn't go on to big careers elsewhere.

Ricky Town (2015) Ventura College QB
Town was one of the biggest names in Alabama's 2015 class before he dropped the Tide. He first went to USC, then Arkansas and never played in two seasons. Transferred to JUCO after the 2016 season. Town's decommitment led to Blake Barnett to drop his Notre Dame pledge and sign with Alabama.