AJ McCarron graces cover of SI

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Junior Alabama Quarterback and Mobile native AJ McCarron has made one of the five regional Sports Illustrated covers.

The magazine’s annual college football preview will drop in stores Thursday and features McCarron with the words: “How They Roll.”

“It's great,” said one Alabama Fan. “I mean, it brings recognition to Alabama, to A.J., to the area that we live in.”

Sports Illustrated has also ranked Alabama as preseason No. 1 and predicts that the Crimson Tide will defeat the USC Trojans in the national Championship game on January 7.

McCarron’s mother DeeDee said she broke the big news to her son.

“I sent him a text. He's in class,” said DeeDee Bonner. “I was like ‘People are going to get sick of seeing your face.’ And he was like, ‘What?’ she recalled. “I said, ‘You’re on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”

The team preview also includes a breakdown of the team’s top players.

McCarron’s mother said this truly is an honor for the Mobile native who recently led the Crimson Tide to victory at the BCS National Championship.

“It's just an honor. I mean, I'm so proud for him and for the whole team. And for him to represent Alabama is just kind of surreal,” said Bonner.

The Auburn Tigers have made the rankings as well at No.24. Sports Illustrated names Avery Young as their key recruit and Philip Lutzenkirchen as their breakout player for the 2012 season.