Saban recruits Alabama well not just to keep in-state footprint, but also because of the talent level and commitment to success, including academic progress.
From the 2011-2017 recruiting classes, forty-two of the 146 enrollees came from Alabama (33%).
Attrition prior to graduating or leaving early for the NFL (Signing Class listed)
Only one of those forty-two was dismissed (Cook).
Only one left school due to academics (Flowers) (Bo Scarbrough signed in '14, but did not qualify and entered in '15.)
Three took medical scholarships. (Paige - Class '12, G Hill '12, Gulledge-'11)
Three, including two this offseason, transferred. (Liner '13, Bell '15, Jennings '16)
In total, eight of those forty-two left early and thirty-four are either on the current team, left early for the NFL or graduated. Some well-know names of those Alabama players include Reuben Foster, O.J. Howard, Marlon Humphrey, T.J. Yeldon, Reggie Ragland, and, earlier, C.J. Mosley, Dee Milliner, A.J. McCarron, Nico Johnson.
All 50 states, ranked by their percentage of the country's elite college football recruits (Alabama is seventh.)
Ranking all 50 states and D.C. by elite college football recruits per capita (Alabama is fifth.)
Just sayin'