Deaton to Wear Crimson

Every since Scott Deaton was a little boy, he dreamed of playing football for Alabama. He was told, if you want it bad enough, then lay it all out on the line and go for your dreams. Following in the footsteps of his father, Deaton made those dreams come true when the 6’5”, 270-pound gentle giant committed to the Crimson Tide. "They talked to me this summer about an offer," Deaton says. "Then at the Utah State game they offered. Coach [Bob] Connelly asked me at the Western Carolina game what I was going to do, and I told him I was coming to Alabama. I talked to all the coaches about it, including Coach Shula. They were all very excited."

Deaton chooses the Tide over offers from Southern Miss and UAB. "I had just gotten a letter from Coach Cutcliffe at Ole Miss," Deaton says. "They were going to offer, but I told them was committed to Alabama." Deaton is the sixth offensive lineman planning to sign in the Tide's class of 2005. Connelly likens Deaton to OT Drew Davis, who is greyshirting this fall. Davis will re-sign with Alabama this year to begin his eligibility with Deaton. Prep offensive linemen committed to Bama include OG Marlon Davis (6-3, 315) of Columbus-Carver, GA, OG-C Evan Cardwell (6-1½, 280) of Killen-Brooks, OG-C Cole Harvey (6-3, 255) of Tallahassee-Lincoln, FL and OT Mike Johnson (6-5, 280) of Pensacola-Pine Forest, FL.

"Coach Connelly is a great coach," Deaton says when asked his reasons for choosing Alabama. "I worked with him before my junior season at their camp, and I worked with him at two camps this past summer. He's a great coach and I really enjoyed being around him. I also like Coach Harbison, who recruited my area. "The facilities at Alabama are awesome. It's just where I've always wanted to go. It's been my dream to play for Alabama."

At Oak Mountain, Deaton has been a three-year starter at left tackle. But he'll probably start his college career at guard or center. "They're talking about me as an interior lineman," Deaton says. "But Coach Connelly said he also felt that I could be tackle. He said the one thing he really liked was that I could play any position on the offensive line." As a junior, Deaton was selected as second team All-Metro in Birmingham. He was named to the Shelby County 'Dream Team.' This preseason he was named to the Birmingham Metro's Super Senior team. Deaton's father, Ken Deaton, was a center at Alabama from 1967-71.