Getty Alabama celebrates a touchdown against Norte Dame on January 1, 2021. The Crimson Tide received a verbal commitment from one of the top receiving prospects in the nation for the 2025 class.
The newest verbal pledge for the Alabama Crimson Tide wasted no time in firing off his first early message for future Tide opponents.
Jaime Ffrench, four-star wide receiver from Mandarin High in Jacksonville, Florida, not only became the fifth verbal commitment for head coach Nick Saban and Alabama’s 2025 class, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound wideout didn’t take long to send off his early warning to teams that will soon face him and the Tide.
“What we’re building there is special, especially with the coaching staff Bama has,” Ffrench began, via On3.com recruiting analyst Hayes Fawcett on Saturday, July 22.
But then came this five-word message to Tide fans…and warning for those who step against Alabama.
“It’s going to be wild!” Ffrench said.
Wideout Details Reasons Behind Choosing Alabama
Ffrench was a highly touted wideout for his class who’s already considered a future starter by multiple outlets — as the four-star rating indicates he can start at any place.
Even as someone who’s yet to play his junior season of prep football, Ffrench emerged as one of the nation’s most coveted WR prospects in the nation with 32 total scholarship offers per 247Sports. And via On3.com, in-state powerhouses Florida, Florida State, then Ohio State and LSU were considered contenders to land Ffrench. Among the coaches who was running point on Ffrench’s recruitment was Buckeyes wide receivers coach Brian Hartline — also a former NFL wideout who played for the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns.
Ffrench, however, told Fawcett that multiple members of the Tide staff helped coax him into choosing the Tide.
“I have a very tight relationship with the staff mostly: tight end coach [Joe] Cox and of course receiver coach [Holmon] Wiggins. Also the offensive coordinator, coach [Tommy] Rees,” Ffrench explained.
That’s practically the entire offensive staff minus the offensive line and running backs coach — painting the picture that Alabama sent an early full court press to earn a commitment from Ffrench early. But that’s not all. Someone prominent on the Tide staff was also instrumental in being the sale closer.
“Me and (Nick) Saban speak a lot from time to time as well,” Ffrench said.
Ffrench additionally was intrigued by the lineage of wideouts who have come out of Tuscaloosa — a la Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Jaylen Waddle.
“Coach Wiggins is the same guy that developed them so why can’t I go get developed? He’s a very great coach and knows what he’s doing numbers speak for themselves,” Ffrench said.
Type of WR Alabama is Getting
As a reminder, verbal commitments does not mean a player is officially on board for that program. He must still sign the National Letter of Intent to become an official member of the recruiting class.
Ffrench, however, already possesses the skillset that Tide fans have gotten used to seeing out of their past and current wideouts.
“A skilled route runner with superb body control and strong hands,” was the first sentence written by 247Sports Director of Scouting Andre Ivins wrote in his evaluation of Ffrench. But he adds how Ffrench has “attention to detail” on his routes that “allows him to separate underneath, while agile feet allow him to keep defenders off-balance as attacks the deeper parts of the field.”
Long story short, Ffrench will come with separation against defenders — bringing potential shades of Smith, Waddle and other past Tide WR greats. If he follows through and remains committed to the Tide, he could continue the current pipeline of cornerstone wideouts Alabama is producing.