Alabama coach Nick Saban finally was ready to talk about his recruiting class Wednesday afternoon.

He likes the way Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Marcell Dareus, Mark Barron, Dont’a Hightower are working out.

“The true rating of a recruiting class comes somewhere down the road, when you look at how many people in that particular class turn out to be the kind of players that we think they might be,” Saban said.

His point, of course, in talking about the 2008 signing class is that it will take time before the 29 players who make up Alabama’s 2010 class can be fairly judged.

But there are supposed experts who like what they’ve seen so far. Alabama ranks from third to fifth among three leading national recruiting organizations. And that’s after the late defection of perhaps its top commitment — defensive back Keenan Allen (California) — and some near-misses on National Signing Day by coveted offensive linemen Shon Coleman (Auburn) and James Stone (Tennessee).

Even with Allen’s absence, Alabama clearly went after defensive backs.

“We had to recruit more by need in this recruiting class than ever before,” Saban said. “Losing six DBs and a seventh going out for the (NFL) Draft made us recruit a whole bunch of DBs. We only really recruited 20 guys and I think seven are DBs.”

He addressed the other obvious need, too. Placekicker Leigh Tiffin and punter P.J. Fitzgerald were seniors. So Saban signed kicker Cade Foster and punter Jay Williams.

“We recruited a kicker and a punter. That’s why I say we only had 20,” Saban said. “We felt good about the way things broke out for us and the guys that we got.”

He is even more excited that he doesn’t have to wait for many of them to get to campus this summer.

“We have 11 players — seven new freshmen, one juco transfer, three holdovers from a year ago and a transfer from another school — that are all here at mid-semester who are going to be a part of our team,” Saban said. “They’ll be here for spring practice. They’ll be here for the offseason program. That’s going to enhance their development.”

Saban noted the advantages to enrolling early aren’t limited to the field.

“They have a much better opportunity to learn and grow at a little slower pace than when they start in the fall,” the coach said. “It takes us almost a week to go through three practices in spring practice. We do that in two days in fall camp.

“It’s a little easier transition for them academically, socially and athletically. It is an advantage to their development because they’ll be here this summer. When they go through it in fall camp it’s not the first time they go through it.”

Two of those early enrollees said they were excited to be a part of this class.

“We put together some great talent at different positions,” said Phillip Sims, the lone quarterback in this class. “I think we got into the trenches this year and got some talent everywhere. Special teams, we’ve got Cade Foster at kicker, we’ve got D-linemen, offensive linemen, receivers, backs, linebackers, safeties, we did it all this year. It’s a good class that we can be proud of.”

“Phillip (Sims) was one of the top guys for us at his position,” Saban said. “We were very pleased and happy to get him. I think what he has accomplished as a quarterback is very impressive. Hopefully, he can develop and improve and have that same kind of career here.”

One of those new defensive backs is another early enrollee. DeMarcus Milliner from Millbrook sounded eager to get started with a nearly new secondary.

“That will be a great thing to see and be a part of, with all the great players out there,” Milliner said. “We’re just going to try and play with each other and do what we do best, which is play football.”

Much of this class had been locked up for months. But Saban knew nothing could be taken for granted.

“When a guy commits early to us, to me then we just become the target,” Saban said. “Every other school keeps recruiting them and they know the kid wants to come to Alabama, so now they’re bashing Alabama every day. ...

“You have to keep recruiting them and sort of manage them. I’m old fashioned. I think a commitment is a commitment. ... I would rather you go visit other schools until you’re sure that this is what you want to do rather than making a commitment and then not feeling comfortable and wanting to go explore other opportunities.”

Now that the exploration is over, the challenge of developing the prized pups into solid hunting dogs — another analogy Saban used to describe the recruiting process — can begin.