When the day began, Alabama already had a strong recruiting class. By the time National Signing Day wound down, the Crimson Tide had stormed to the top of the 247Sports recruiting rankings.

It’s the sixth straight season for Nick Saban and his staff atop the recruiting rankings, and the Tide got there with a slew of Signing Day commitments from high-profile recruits like five-star LBs Lyndell (Mack) Wilson and Ben Davis and four-star CB Shyheim Carter.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

Davis, Wilson and Carter were nice gets for the staff on Signing Day, and they also landed another four-star corner in Jared Mayden and flipped three-star corner Aaron Robinson from Florida.

Add those guys to the defensive signees already in place and you have the makings of another stingy Alabama defense down the line.

LEAVING IT LATE

Not since the Class of 2009 did the Crimson Tide have so much late drama on a Signing Day. In that class, Dre Kirkpatrick, Kenny Bell, Eddie Lacy, Tana Patrick and Brandon Moore all ended up at Alabama on Signing Day — and Trent Richardson added to that drama a bit as well.

It’s surprising that Alabama doesn’t face this sort of tension more often, considering the ultra-high level at which it recruits.

The Tide did miss on a few recruits, including five-star DT Derrick Brown, who chose Auburn over Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

SIGNEES

Ben Davis LB, five-star
Lyndell Wilson LB, five-star
B.J. Emmons RB, four-star
Nigel Knott CB, four-star
Shyheim Carter CB, four-star
Raekwon Davis DT, four-star
Scott Lashley T, four-star
Kendell Jones DT, four-star
Trevon Diggs ATH, four-star
Jared Mayden CB, four-star
Quinnen Williams DT, four-star
Deonte Brown G, four-star
Terrell Hall DL, four-star
Aaron Robinson CB, three-star
Joshua Jacobs RB, three-star
Jamar King DE, three-star
Irvin Smith, TE, three-star

EARLY ENROLLEES

Jonah Williams T, five-star
Charles Baldwin T, four-star
Jalen Hurts QB, four-star
Chris Owens G, four-star
Miller Forristal TE, three-star
T.J. Simmons WR, three-star
Shawn Jennings ATH, three-star
Christian Bell, DE, three-star (2015 grayshirt)

Editor’s note: Saturday Down South’s references to recruiting rankings are to the 247Sports.com industry composite ranking.