5-star RB Trey Sanders will make Alabama, Florida, or Georgia happy

The No. 1 running back in the nation announces his destination Wednesday.

On Wednesday sometime in the 1 p.m. ET hour, one of the most high-profile recruitments in the 2019 class will come to a close as five-star running back Trey Sanders will announce his college choice. His announcement is planned for ESPNU and WatchESPN.

Sanders is one of the top players from IMG Academy, an elite boarding school in Bradenton (Fla.). He is rated the top running back in the nation and a top-five player nationally on the 247Sports Composite.

Sanders has a lot of elite traits.

It starts with his size. Sanders is a legitimate 6’1 and 215 pounds. Seeing him in person, he is an imposing figure. And he runs big, rarely being brought down by arm tackles:

That size can also make him a quality pass protector.

Sanders isn’t just some plodding running back, though. He has good explosion and agility for his size. He regularly bursts through holes and takes runs the distance. And he has the ability to make defenders miss, even in tight spaces:

Sanders is also a decent pass-catcher:

And keep in mind this is against the best competition in the country.

Several schools seem to think they have a shot.

Sanders was committed to Alabama for a time, before backing off. His longest relationship is with Alabama, and the Tide have a legitimate need at running back. He took his official visit to Alabama on Nov. 24th, and most believe Sanders will go to Alabama. However, with Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley leaving to take the Maryland head coaching position, I believe other schools have a legitimate shot. Locksley was one of the Alabama recruiters who regularly recruited IMG.

Georgia is the school with the most buzz as the Early Signing Period arrives. The Bulldogs once had elite running back John Emery Jr. committed, but he flipped back to the home-state LSU Tigers. In turn, UGA landed Florida running back Kenny McIntosh, but the Dawgs are looking for more. Sanders took his official visit to Georgia on Dec. 7, and since then the buzz around Georgia’s chances has been great. Fellow IMG teammate Nolan Smith, an elite defensive end prospect committed to Georgia, is one of the school’s staunchest recruiters.

Sanders’ most recent visit was to Florida, a program that has been heavily involved with his recruitment in 2018. The Gators took his brother Ulmstead Sanders, a walk-on linebacker from junior college, in the 2018 class, a move that likely helped to jump-start the relationship and sway his mother. Sanders has visited the Gators multiple times, and while few seem to be picking them to actually land him, they should not be dismissed too easily.

Texas and Florida State have also been involved in the recruitment of Sanders. He took his official to Texas in September, and to FSU in November, but neither school expects to land Sanders, according to sources.

There’s been a lot of misdirection in this one. It could all be a smokescreen for him to roll with the Tide, or perhaps it’s all real.