“I had LSU on my radar too”: When Patrick Surtain II discussed his conflict while choosing schools during the recruitment process

Patrick Surtain II was a highly five-star prospect who was sought after in high school. The cornerback was rated as the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2018 and the top player in his class. He was believed to be heading to LSU before an unexpected last-minute flip to Alabama.

In his appearance on the “All Things Covered” podcast in December 2021, Surtain discussed the saga around his commitment, which got a lot of attention then. He explained why he had decided against going to LSU and signed up with Alabama instead.

I just felt like it was right,” Surtain said 0:15). “When I went to Alabama – of course, I had a couple of official visits – what's built inside their program is something special. Of course, I had LSU on my radar as well, too. It was really them going into my last decision.

“Alabama stands out by the resources they had, the program and all that's within it. You're not going to get another experience like that, going and competing with top-level guys and five-star guys. With the GOAT, Nick Saban, day in–day out, you're going to look to get better and be the best version of yourself."

Surtain was not alone in choosing to play at Alabama for these reasons. During the days of Nick Saban, many talented players committed to the Crimson Tide because of what the program offers and the presence of the best coach in the college football landscape.

Patrick Surtain II hit the ground running immediately at Alabama

Despite the controversy around his commitment to Alabama, Patrick Surtain II made an instant impression right from his freshman season with the Crimson Tide. He started 12 games in 2018 and received praise from Saban.

“Patrick has done a really, really good job for us this year,” Saban said ahead of the 2018 Orange Bowl. “He’s got a maturity about him that’s beyond his years, and he’s been a really, really consistent player. He’s bright, he’s smart, he’s got very good football intuition.

“He understands what you’re trying to get done and what you’re trying to do and goes out there and executes it fairly well, especially for his experience and his age.”

Surtain even did better in his subsequent two seasons at Alabama. In three seasons, the defensive back recorded 117 tackles, 27 passes defended and four interceptions in 41 games. He was drafted as the ninth pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.