Why DB prospect Elliott Washington became Alabama football's first 2023 commit

VENICE, Fla. — When Elliot Washington visited the University of Alabama’s Tuscaloosa campus a second time this past weekend, the Venice High football player received a better understanding of how things operated within the Crimson Tide program.

“How everything was run, structure, how the coaches interact,” Washington said. “The small things, things I couldn’t pick up the first visit.”

The small things made a big difference in Washington’s impending decision.

The Class of 2023 cornerback has “100% committed” to attend the University of Alabama.

It was the middle of his junior season when Alabama coaches began contacting Washington more frequently — “I love the connection between me and the coaches,” he said.

Washington took his first visit to Tuscaloosa last June. A four-star recruit, Washington became the Crimson Tide’s first 2023 recruit to commit.

“I wouldn’t say it was a distraction,” Washington said of his impending decision. “I still had to focus on school and work and stuff like that and maintain the football side of it. It didn’t put a lot of stress on or off me. I was starting to like it more and work so I could get to the next level.”

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According to ranking services, Washington is among the top 200 prospects and 25 safeties in the country and among the top 50 players in the state among 2023 recruits.

This past season for the Class 8A state champions, Washington had 58 tackles, two for a loss, four interceptions and four passes defended. He got better as the season progressed, even though opposing offenses often avoided his side of the field.

He played particularly well against West Orange wide receiver Jayden Gibson, a Florida Gators commit at the time, however, Washington never let success go to his head.

“I’m a humble person,” he said. “I never said I’m this 4-star guy or I’m that man.”

Washington said he improved his “man coverage and ball skills. “How I was reading the quarterback. How I was reading the receivers and hips and the way they are breaking off routes.”

In the state final, a 35-7 victory over Apopka in Fort Lauderdale, Washington was in on four tackles — “I’ve improved a lot,” he said.

He remembers back to his freshman season when he started against Jacksonville Trinity Christian, Venice’s third game of the season, a 50-49 victory in two overtimes.

“That was the beginning of it,” Washington said. “Ever since then, I was locked in to play corner.”

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And the fact Venice won a state title during his junior season makes Washington even hungrier to win another. He plans to take more of a leadership role to ensure the younger players know what it takes to accomplish that feat.

“I will most definitely be doing that,” Washington said. “Telling them how things were run last year might be different from this year, but everything Coach (John) Peacock is telling us is going to push us toward getting another state championship this year.”

There is a family connection to Alabama, as his father Elliot Sr., played basketball for the Crimson Tide under former coach Wimp Sanderson. Elliot Sr. is currently a basketball coach at IMG Academy.

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“He just told me it was a well-structured program. It’s to the point,” the younger Washington said. “I felt like it was best for me to get into that environment.”

Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Why DB Elliott Washington became Alabama football's first 2023 commit