Alabama has been reeling in high-profile recruits since Nick Saban arrived in 2007. The 4- and 5-star prospects have been foundational pieces in building one of the greatest college sports dynasties.

Sometimes, however, Saban elects to bring in a player who doesn’t come with all the pedigree.

Take Levi Wallace, for instance. The AP midseason All-American didn’t have any Division I scholarship offers, but he chose Alabama to learn under Saban, who specializes in defensive backs.

Overachiever? Among Alabama's offensive skill players, nobody had a lower overall recruiting rank than Jacobs (No. 471 in 2016).

What has made Saban elite is not only his ability to recruit, but also his ability to develop. The man just seems to find diamonds in the rough.

He found one on offense in sophomore running back Josh Jacobs.

Jacobs was only a 3-star prospects coming out of Tulsa, Okla., in 2016, and had a select few offers from Power 5 programs, including Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa State, Purdue and of course, Alabama.

Fast forward to just over a year later, and Jacobs can now be considered one of the most important pieces to the Tide’s national title run this season.

As a true freshman in 2016, the 5-10, 212-pound running back put up 723 yards of total offense (567 rushing, 156 receiving) with four touchdowns. He proved to be a capable player at the position in every facet — as a runner, receiver and pass protector.

This season started off a little little bit differently, however, as Jacobs missed the first two games due to a hamstring injury he suffered in preseason camp.

He returned against Colorado State in Week 3, and while his usage remained limited as he worked into game shape, he has slowly started to emerge as a dynamic option for new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Here’s a recap of some of the impact plays that Jacobs has provided:

  • 18-yard TD reception (Ole Miss)
  • 18-yard reception (Ole Miss)
  • 45-yard run (Ole Miss)
  • 21-yard reception (Tennessee)
  • 22-yard run (Tennessee)

Jacobs has done this despite receiving limited snaps. He is fifth on the team in carries (24) and tied for seventh in receptions (6).

There’s no doubt that Jacobs is at his best in the open field, so Daboll tries to create as many opportunities as possible to get Jacobs the ball in space.

The following clip is from last season, but it’s an excellent representation of Jacobs’ suddenness and ability to make people miss in the open field.

He isn’t just a receiving option, however.

In the offseason, Jacobs put on 8 pounds, going from 204 to 212, and that extra weight has allowed him to hold up better as a runner (both outside and inside) — despite limited opportunities.

He is the most versatile player on the offense, and the fact that he can act as an effective safety net — by turning short passes into long gains — for quarterback Jalen Hurts cannot be undervalued.

While Daboll will continue to utilize a committee approach that includes Jacobs, Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Najee Harris, don’t be surprised if Jacobs starts to see a higher percentage of the touches on offense — he is receiving a modest 6 percent (only 30 out of a possible 500 touches).

His talent continues to be overlooked due to the crowded backfield he is a part of, but Jacobs could provide the team some key plays in the back-half of the season that allow the Tide to make another run at a national title.