Alabama Football Recruiting: Tide Offer 2017 Four-Star DE

The Alabama Crimson Tide have offered a scholarship to Class of 2017 four-star defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher (Saint Joseph, MI) on Friday during his visit to Tuscaloosa.

"It feels great," Malone-Hatcher said. "I've followed them for a long time and Alabama was my first visit in eighth grade. It's been a long-time coming and we've been building this relationship for a long time.

"The way [Nick Saban] did it, he made sure I knew even though he was offering that wasn't the biggest part, the biggest part was me being a leader and doing the right things for the people around me.He told me he wanted me and that I'm an overall good person and that's the kind of people they want at Alabama and he told me to focus on my grades."

Alabama is at the top of Malone-Hatcher's list with Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State, but said the Tide's focus is what sets them apart from other programs.

"Them being how dominant they are on the football field, you think that's all you'd see when you visit campus, but when you get there you see they develop you into a young man. You understand you represent them for the rest of your life and you have that foundation set by them. They have an appreciation for academics and developing you as a young man."

The  6-foot-3, 235-pounder is ranked as the No. 4 weak-side defensive end in the class.

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