24 Players in 24 Days: #18 Dezz Ricks

Position: Defensive Back
Classification: Freshman
Hometown: Norfolk, Va. (Alabama)
Listed Height: 6-1
Listed Weight: 185 lbs.

Key notes from Olin’s thoughts on Ricks

• Dezz Ricks is out of IMG Academy by way of Virginia and went to Alabama. He didn’t play much, but with him, it’s all about potential. He’s big, fast, physical, explosive and has good ball skills, which are all the things you want.
   
• He reclassified this year so he can go in early. He’s a young guy with a world of potential. The problem with potential is you haven’t done it yet, but the great thing about potential is you know he has the ability to do some amazing things. 
   
• It’s not like Alabama wanted him to leave. Nick Saban left and his position coach left for Georgia, and that was the guy that recruited him. The bottom line is he is a guy with a world of ability, and he decided to come here. There’s not a team in the country that wouldn’t have wanted him.
   
• To me, the fact that he’s the eighth defensive back tells you how good he is. What I mean by that is we already have seven of them, so we already addressed the secondary. Then it’s like, wait... Now this guy wants to play. If you walk by a penny on the ground, you might leave it. If you walk by a quarter, you’re picking it up.