Jarran Reed and D.J. Pettway sign with Alabama

While top high school prospects are not allowed to sign until February, the window for JUCO talent is officially open.

In respect to Alabama, that window has enabled the Crimson Tide to claim two of the top defensive players at the junior college level.

Defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who gave his verbal commitment to UA a few weeks ago, has officially signed with Alabama and will enroll in January. Spending the better part of his college career at East Mississippi Community College, Reed selected the Tide over the likes of Florida, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

In respect to the most prominent JUCO signing of the day, defensive lineman D.J. Pettway is certainly the main attraction.

Pettway, who attended East Mississippi Community College with the aforementioned Jarran Reed, will make his return to the University of Alabama in January. Pettway's return to the Crimson Tide is met with hope and promise...as well as a detailed past.

D.J. Pettway returning to Alabama after being dismissed from program following February arrest http://t.co/DRMmtl6jxj
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) December 18, 2013

In February of this year, Pettway, along with three other Tide players, were charged with second-degree robbery of two University of Alabama students. All four players were dismissed from the university.

Granted youthful offender status, Pettway enrolled at East Mississippi Community College. As noted by today's news, after playing the fall semester at EMCC, Pettway has now returned to the university where his college journey began.

Per NCAA rules, Pettway will not count against Alabama in respect to UA's scholarship limit for 2014. Having originally signed in 2011, Pettway, by rule, is still considered a member of the 2011 signing class.