MOBILE, Ala. — Jalen Wells, South Alabama’s newest verbal commitment for the 2013 football class, made his pledge to the Jaguars late last week.
Wells, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound player from Dublin, Ga., is listed as a tight end by 247Sports and as an outside linebacker by Scout.com. The Jaguars are recruiting him as a defensive end.
New to the Game
Wells played organized football for the first time last season after focusing on basketball. He caught 29 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns.
He attended South Alabama’s 7-on-7 tournament in Mobile this summer, where he drew the attention of the Jaguars’ coaching staff. South Alabama extended a scholarship offer in July.
Wells also competed in track and field for Dublin, running the 5,000 meters and competing in the triple jump.
Recruiting Profile
247Sports rates Wells a three-star prospect and the No. 80 tight end nationally. Scout.com rates him a two-star prospect and No. 123 among outside linebackers.
Florida, Georgia, N.C. State, Mississippi State and Georgia Tech showed interest in Wells but had not offered him a scholarship.
South Alabama’s 2013 Commitments
South Alabama, coached by Joey Jones and entering its first season of Sun Belt Conference football as a transitional FBS member, has also received verbal commitments from:
- Tiquan Lang, cornerback, Lowndes (Ga.): 5-8, 168 pounds; 73 tackles, three interceptions and a blocked kick in 2011, with five kickoff returns for 201 yards and a touchdown and six punt returns for 113 yards
- Terrell Pinson, free safety, Itawamba Community College: 6-3, 200 pounds; caught 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown as a freshman wide receiver
- Xavier Johnson, running back, Chamberlain (Fla.): 5-9, 170 pounds; rushed for 1,736 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2011
- Caleb Hayman, wide receiver/tight end, Gainesville (Fla.): 6-1, 193 pounds
- Dejon Funderburk, wide receiver, Washington High in Pensacola (Fla.): 6-0, 175 pounds; 31 catches for 720 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 362 rushing yards and four scores
- Taylor Lamb, quarterback, Calhoun (Ga.): 6-1, 190 pounds; completed 73 percent of his passes for 3,635 yards, 40 touchdowns and nine interceptions
- Justin Jones, running back, Northeast Mississippi Community College: 5-6, 180 pounds; rushed for 920 yards and caught 27 passes as a freshman
- Roman Buchanan, safety, Daleville (Ala.): 6-2, 195 pounds; 72 solo tackles, 45 assisted tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, four pass breakups and a blocked field goal as a junior
- Tevaris McCormick, wide receiver, Biloxi (Miss.): 5-9, 170 pounds; 769 receiving yards, 213 rushing yards and 265 return yards with 16 total touchdowns
- Jacob Chaffin, defensive tackle, Spain Park (Ala.): 6-3, 260 pounds; 38 solo tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior
- Devon Earl, safety, Hoover (Ala.): 61 tackles, five interceptions, 10 pass deflections and 3.5 tackles for loss as a junior
- Noah Armstrong, offensive tackle, Lawrence County (Ala.): 6-8, 300 pounds; also held offers from Arkansas State, Western Kentucky and Southern Miss
- Willie Williams Jr., defensive end, Sumter County High in Americus (Ga.): 6-2, 255 pounds; also recruited by Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas and UCLA
- Brandon King, safety/linebacker, Highland Community College (Kan.): 6-2, 212 pounds; 118 tackles, 70 solo, six tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble last season
Verbal commitments are not binding. The national signing period for high school prospects begins in February.
