Four-star narrow end Jalil SkinnerThe tight end and 74th player in the 2022 class, announced his commitment to Alabama Friday afternoon live on CBS Sports HQ. Skinner, who was celebrating his 18th birthday, chose Crimson Tide over a pool of finalists including Texas, Florida State, Clemson State and Florida.
“The deciding factor for me – my family and I thought seriously – we loved the coaches, we loved Nick Saban and his family. They always pushed me to be the best…just to talk to him about life was great,” Skinner said before adding. “It was a very frank decision… no one was cut off yet.”
The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida ranks as the 10th best player in Florida, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Andrew Ivins of 247 Sports provided this exploratory report on Skinner:
Evins wrote, “A legit model of 6 feet 5 inches tall with a slender build. A wingspan of over 80 inches.” “One of the most unique skill players in the 2022 class due to his long frame. He spent most of his widely divided prep career as an oversized receiver. However, he is seen by most college staff as a tight flex end in the next level. Exceptional fishing radius. Uses long strides to make his way into the field Makes use of soft coverage on a consistent basis Not the most physical of possibilities, but relatively competitive post-hunt.
“The track background helped boost some straight-line speed. The entry level mind at this point in his development, which is almost to be expected for someone on the leaner side. He will obviously need to step up as he was under 225 lbs in the spring before graduating season.” He also needs to improve in attacking the ball in the air and can become more agile with his movement patterns.Not a polished product by any means, but has a very high ceiling given his physical stature.Should eventually contribute to a top 25 impact program in passing game once he matures Body. NFL is bullish.”
Skinner transferred to IMG from Greer High School in South Carolina. He has made official visits to Florida, Alabama, Texas, Miami and the state of Florida since his enlistment period ended on June 1. He is the 16th player to commit to the Nick Saban coach program during the current hiring cycle.