Jared CohenAnother one of the top players in the deep and talented 2017 class is off the board and in this case, it is one of the nation’s best kickers. Williams Field’s Brandon Ruiz announced friday that he has committed to the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide.
I Am Proud To Announce That I Am Committed To The University of Alabama🐘🐘🐘#Rolltide #RTR pic.twitter.com/Oczrs886hZ
— Brandon Ruiz (@BrandonRRuiz) June 10, 2016
Ruiz had not spoken with the Alabama staff until attending their camp last weekend.
“I was 100% ready to commit to Alabama before I even got the offer. So when I got the offer I accepted it right away,” Ruiz told Sports360AZ. “Alabama has always been my dream school and it is going to challenge me to get better.”
The 5-10, 170 pound kicker was as big a threat to score as any football player in Arizona last season compiling 73 of the 313 total points the Black Hawks scored in 2015 with his longest field goal going for 51 yards.
Ruiz had nine total offers including Arizona, Arizona State, Army, Brown, Iowa State, Navy, Oregon State and most recently from Tennessee in a addition to Alabama.
Alabama’s tradition and the resume of Nick Saban was too good to be true for Ruiz in the end.
“Yes it’s an amazing feeling just him saying “hey is this Brandon, this is coach saban,'” Ruiz stated. “I feel like The excitement won’t him me fully until I finally put on the uniform.”
He had become somewhat of an internet sensation this offseason posting videos of nailing 70+ yard field goals, one of which with swirling wind.
Broke my record again today with a 76-Yard Field Goal off the Ground🔥👀🌟🏈 #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/lss1B634tQ
— Brandon Ruiz (@BrandonRRuiz) April 25, 2016
“I did start to get some more interest in me as almost every college had seen the videos and all loved it,” mentioned Ruiz.
There have now been kickers in two consecutive seasons to commit to a premiere SEC program. In 2015, Desert Vista’s Connor Culp committed to LSU.
Photos: Andy Silvas
