re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition

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In-state ATH thinks Auburn will offer

Cam Taylor remains optimistic.

The 3-star athlete from Park Crossing (Ala.) stayed that way through ACL tears in back-to-back seasons. Taylor’s positivity is starting to pay off. He received SEC offers this spring, including Missouri and Mississippi State who have revved up their recruiting efforts substantially.

If Taylor’s offer sheet ended today, his decision would likely come down to one of those two schools. He hopes to add (at least) one more offer to the list before it’s said and done.

That school is Auburn.

“I talk to Auburn every day when I can,” Taylor said. “I think (they’ll offer). I know so. I have to say that, but I know so.”

Taylor’s most recent visit to Auburn came in June when he attended a camp and arrived a day early with close friend and teammate Tank Jenkins. It was a standard visit for Taylor who has visited Auburn a handful of times this spring despite not yet receiving an offer. The camp prior gave him the opportunity to give coaches first-hand proof he’s recovered from his ACL injury.

And it showed Taylor the Auburn staff is taking notice.

“I had visited up there the day before for a camp just to see how everything was going to go. After camp, I talked with Coach [Gus] Malzahn. I talked with Coach [Greg] Brown. They like the way I play because I’m so physical,” Taylor said. “They said they’re going to talk in the office together and let me know something.”

Now comes the interesting part: When does Taylor want to commit?

“During the season or before the season,” he said.

He’s seen most of what he wants to see. Taylor has one visit planned to Missouri coming up within the month, and he’d like to be able to visit Mississippi State again. So he feels like he could be on the verge of a decision in the near future.

But he doesn’t have a concrete answer from Auburn.

Taylor, likely to play safety at the next level, might remind some Tigers faithful of 2016 class member Daniel Thomas who had to wait until National Signing Day to receive an offer after a few other misses. Taylor doesn’t want to wait that long, but he’s willing to give Auburn more time to evaluate him and decide on an offer.

“I’d wait on them, but I’m not going to take it all the way to signing day,” Taylor said. “They, Coach [Kevin] Steele mostly, wants to see me during the season really.”

As for his relationship with Jenkins, that could come in handy for one school, potentially Auburn. There is a lot of talk about package deals in recruiting. Some of that is realistic. Some of it isn’t.

When it comes to Jenkins and Taylor, the two in-state prospects have played together since grade school. Taylor even left Prattville (Ala.) so he could play alongside Jenkins at Park Crossing for their senior years. Missouri is heavily recruiting both of them and should be considered the most likely candidate to land both.

If Auburn were to offer, however, well …

“There’s a big chance we’ll play together. That’s my boy. You may see it. I’ll give you that,” Taylor said.

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