The Uncommitted: No. 96 Kwon Alexander is down to 3 schools

Editor's note: This is the ninth in a series of 20 leading up to National Signing Day that features Top 100 football recruits who have yet to announce their college plans. We're breaking down their finalists and predicting where each will wind up.

Uncommitted: Kwon Alexander
High School: Oxford (Ala.)
Position: LB/RB
Size: 6-foot-2, 216 pounds
Tom Lemming's Top 100: No. 96 (No. 4 OLB)
Finalists (alphabetical): Alabama, Auburn, LSU
More uncommitted players: D.J. Foster, Josh Garnett, Aziz Shittu, Darius Hamilton, Trae Elston, Devin Fuller, Josh Harvey-Clemons  and Joel Caleb.

Kwon Alexander was off to a great start in his final year at Oxford (Ala.), making 55 tackles - 14 for losses - in the first four games.

However, in that fourth game he tore the ACL in his right leg and was sidelined for the rest of the season. Though fully recovered now, he missed a shot at being named Alabama's Mr. Football, among other possible honors.

"I would have won it," the senior linebacker confidently told MaxPreps.

Alexander came to Oxford as a freshman running back, but it didn't take coach John Grass long to discover that the youngster had a brilliant future at outside linebacker.

In his first game as a sophomore, he made 17 tackles and by the end of that year he already had 24 college scholarship offers. He made 133 tackles that year and another 147 as a junior.

Anniston Star sports writer Nick Birdsong, who saw the Oxford star make 18 tackles in a game as a sophomore, says, "I've never seen a high school player pursue the football like him. Sideline to sideline he is ferocious. He's a hard hitter, extremely fast and quick. Even if someone didn't know who Kwon is, after the game he would know who No. 17 is."

CBS/MaxPreps recruiting analyst Tom Lemming calls Alexander "a defender who can run with the backs. He impresses you with his overall game. The No. 1 defensive player in Alabama."

Chuck Dunn, who is Oxford's defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, points out that Alexander "has got great hands, exceptional speed and great pass-rushing ability. But the reason people like him most is his speed. He can run people down and is a difference maker. When on the defensive side of the ball, he has ability to make plays anywhere. It's hard for an offense to run away from him, because he is so hard to block."

Dunn recalled two back-to-back plays last fall in which Alexander made game-saving tackles.

Alexander, who runs 40 yards in a swift 4.4 seconds, has a special ability to elude blockers, even though often double-teamed.

"I just use my hands to get away from them," he explained.

After sifting through numerous college scholarship offers, Alexander has narrowed his list to Alabama, Auburn and LSU. He will reveal his choice on Feb. 1, National Signing Day.

He says he will make his decision on "the coaches, atmosphere and I want to graduate." He carries a 2.9 GPA and plans to major in business.

His choice is a well-kept secret and coach Dunn simply says, "We try not to push or pressure him. We just give him advice when he asks. He has the feel for all three schools. It's a hard decision, because all three are national championship-caliber and all have great coaches. He's going to have a great college career."

So here is our barely-educated take on Alexander's college choice:

Auburn (best shot): Two of Alexander's former teammates already are there and at last report Auburn had commitments from just two linebackers in the Class of 2012.

Alabama (good shot): Alabama could be the favorite to win the national championship next year and who doesn't want to play in that kind of program?

LSU (long shot): The Tigers already have commitments from eight who have linebacker experience.