The Crimson Tide are getting mighty comfortable at the top of the recruiting standings. For the fifth straight season, Alabama wrapped up the No. 1 spot in the recruiting rankings, finishing strong on National Signing Day.

All of Alabama’s commits coming into the day put their signature on a National Letter of Intent with the Crimson Tide,  save for one grayshirt, giving the school 23 total signees for the 2015 class.

Last-minute addition

There was one NSD development; four-star wide receiver Daylon Charlot chose Alabama over SEC West rival LSU. The victory was heightened by Charlot’s hometown; the Patterson, La. native was one of just three top-10 players in the state to spurn LSU.

Signing Charlot made missing out on four-star receiver K.J. Hill less of an issue. Hill, a former Arkansas commit and an Arkansas native, decided in the final hours to sign on with reigning national champion Ohio State.

All quiet

Much of the drama felt by other programs was taken out of the process for the Crimson Tide. Alabama already had seven players enrolled, including No. 2 quarterback Blake Barnett, four-star safeties Deionte Thompson and Ronnie Harrison and four-star offensive guards Dallas Warmack and Brandon Kennedy.

Barnett was excited to add another receiving weapon to his class, which already included five-star wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

After a few decommitments in the final days before NSD, there were no other defections from the Crimson Tide’s recruiting class.

Reloading all over

While the Crimson Tide lose three offensive line starters, they reloaded up front with four four-star offensive linemen and five total. Offensive line coach Mario Cristobal will have plenty of young talent to mold over the next few years to carry on the Crimson Tide’s strong tradition up front.

Alabama stocked up on the other side of the line, bringing in four defensive linemen, including five-star defensive tackle Daron Payne and four-star defensive end Mekhi Brown. Already on campus is junior college transfer Jonathan Taylor, once a Georgia Bulldog before heading to JUCO.

The defensive backfield will be loaded with young talent in 2015. After landing two five-star cornerbacks in 2014, Alabama brought in two more, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kendall Sheffield, to make the pool even deeper. The two four-star safeties already on campus will help cushion the blow of losing Landon Collins and Nick Perry.

Up to speed

Alabama has come to be known for it’s heavy-hitting, north-south linebackers. That may be starting to change with the 2015 class. Players like four-star Adonis Thomas, four-star Joshua McMillon and three-star Keaton Anderson all bring more speed and sideline-to-sideline athleticism than some of their predecessors at Alabama.

Signees

  • Calvin Ridley WR, five-star
  • Kendall Sheffield, CB, five-star
  • Daron Payne, DT, five-star
  • Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, five-star
  • Damien Harris, RB, five-star
  • Lester Cotton, OG, four-star
  • Richie Petitbon, OG, four-star
  • Daylon Charlot, WR, four-star
  • Mekhi Brown, DE, four-star
  • Hale Hentges, TE, four-star
  • Shawn Burgess-Becker, ATH, four-star
  • Adonis Thomas, LB, four-star
  • Anfernee Jennings, DE, four-star
  • Joshua McMillon, LB, four-star
  • Keaton Anderson, LB, three-star
  • Matt Womack, OT, three-star

Early enrollees

  • Blake Barnett, QB, five-star
  • Deionte Thompson, S, four-star
  • Desherrius Flowers, RB, four-star
  • Ronnie Harrison, S, four-star
  • Dallas Warmack, OG, four-star
  • Brandon Kennedy, OG, four-star
  • Jonathan Taylor, DT, three-star (JUCO)

Grayshirt

  • Christian Bell, DE, three-star

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