For two programs 625 miles apart, Alabama and Ohio State cross paths quite a bit on the recruiting trail. The two programs often vie for the best prospects in the country, but rarely does either one manage to pull a blue-chipper out of the other's state.
In 2011, Nick Saban did just that when he signed Springfield linebacker Trey DePriest, considered one of the top two prospects in the Buckeye State that year as well as one of the best linebackers in the country.
Ohio's Division I Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, DePriest was an absolute terror for the Wildcats after breaking on to the scene as a sophomore. As a linebacker, running back and punter for Springfield, DePriest did it all, recording back-to-back seasons with at least 100 tackles and rushing for 812 yards, catching 13 passes and scoring 13 touchdowns as a senior.
By the time his final prep campaign rolled around, Scout.com was calling the two-time All-State selection the top linebacker in his class and the tackling machine was viewed by many as the future at linebacker for the Buckeyes.
While not entirely unexpected, DePriest's decision to attend Alabama stung many in Ohio. After all, Springfield was only 45 miles down the street from Ohio State's Columbus campus. To compound matters, one year earlier, five-star linebacker Jordan Hicks picked Texas over Ohio State. Two years in a row, the Buckeyes swung and missed on the best linebacker in Ohio.
Still, it was big news for Alabama and Springfield, who still display a photo of Saban meeting with the prized recruit, nearly five years later, on the school's athletics website.
As a freshman, DePriest played in all 13 games, but played sparingly. Thanks to his efforts as a special teams contributor, he got more playing time as a sophomore. In 2012, DePriest finished with 59 total tackles and four TFL. His junior season was his breakout season, when he totaled 65 tackles and 7 TFL to go along with 2 sacks.
| Year | G-S | TT | UT | AT | TFL | QBH | Sacks | FF | FR | PBU | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 13-0 | 25 | 11 | 14 | 1.5-10 | 1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 |
| 2012 | 14-13 | 59 | 30 | 29 | 4-16 | 2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0-0 |
| 2013 | 13-13 | 65 | 30 | 35 | 7.5-23 | 0 | 2-15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1-0 |
| 2014 | 13-13 | 81 | 39 | 42 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | N/A | 0-0 |
This season is probably DePriest's best, though. Through 13 games, he has totaled 81 total tackles, including a career-high 14 in the Iron Bowl against Auburn. Great numbers by any means, and certainly effective when you consider the talent that surrounds him on the Crimson Tide's defense.
With 230 tackles to his name, DePriest has been a significant contributor to Alabama's defense throughout his entire career in Tuscaloosa. Although never named an All-American as his five-star status as a prospect would seem to forecast, he was recently named First Team All-SEC by the league's coaches, and that group knows talent when it sees it.
It's common to wonder, when a top recruit leaves the state for another school, if that player would have been better with the Buckeyes. There's no way to resolve hypothetical situations like that, but DePriest at least has a chance to face his hometown Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl.
