We’re a long way from National Signing Day 2016, but many of the SEC’s top recruiters have been targeting the top players in this class for months now.

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, the Top 10 players in the class from the state of Alabama include seven defensive players.

Three of those are outside linebackers, including a pair of five-star recruits in Lyndell Wilson (national No. 9) and Ben Davis (national No. 22). The site predicts that all three players will head to Tuscaloosa, which would be a huge boon for a Crimson Tide team that has struggled to find elite pass rushers at the position.

RELATED: Alabama could use a difference-making pass rusher at linebacker

Last year, all 10 of the best recruits from the state signed with Alabama or Auburn. This year, only one of the 10 already is committed — four-star RB Denzel Mitchell, who says he’s going to Ole Miss. Alabama and Auburn both have expressed interest in Mitchell, so it will be interesting to see if either home-state teams can pry him from the Rebels sometime in the next 11 months.

Whereas last year’s state-of-Alabama class finished with one five-star and 11 four-star players, this year’s currently features three five-star guys and just six four-star players.

Player Rating Position 247 Sports Prediction
1. Lyndell Wilson 5-star OLB Alabama
2. Ben Davis 5-star OLB Alabama
3. Marlon Davidson 5-star DE Auburn
4. John Broussard 4-star CB Auburn
5. Jeremiah Moon 4-star OLB Alabama
6. Darius Whitfield 4-star DE Alabama
7. Denzel Mitchell 4-star RB Ole Miss*
8. P.J. Blue 4-star OLB Auburn
9. Deonte Brown 4-star G Alabama
10. Velus Jones Jr. 3-star WR N/A

*Already committed.