re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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The state's No. 1 prospect, who took his final visit to Auburn this weekend, will spend the next 10 days figuring things out as he weighs his impending National Signing Day decision between Auburn, Alabama and Clemson.

"(My plans are) just to get everything right, just to sit down with my family," Ross said Sunday after wrapping up his visit to the Plains.

The four-star Central-Phenix City receiver will make his official announcement on ESPN at noon on Feb. 7. Before that time comes, however, he will discuss each of his three finalists with his family to get a better sense of where they collectively believe will be the best fit for him.

The 6-foot-4, 201-pound Ross has brought his family -- including his mother, Charay Franklin, who last summer returned from a tour of duty overseas -- with him on several of his visits to all three finalists, but he implied he has largely kept his thought process to himself.

"I really haven't talked with my family just to see how comfortable they feel with me and everything at each school," Ross said. "That's really the main thing, because I feel comfortable at each school right now. It's just about where they feel I could live for the next three to four years."

Ross said he is particularly familiar with Auburn -- which is about half an hour down the road from his home in Phenix City -- and Alabama, with several familiar faces at both programs. That familiarity, he said, makes his decision-making process a little more difficult.

During his visit to Auburn this weekend, Ross spent ample time with running back signee Asa Martin and receiver signee Shedrick Jackson, both of whom he has grown close to from their time competing at 7-on-7 tournaments.

While both would undoubtedly like to add a talent like Ross to Auburn's class, Ross said neither of them pressured him too much on his decision over the weekend.

"They ain't in my ear that bad," Ross said. "They're going to let me make my own decision. It's cool just knowing they're here."

Four-star Auburn signee Seth Williams, who was also on his official visit to the Plains this weekend, said the two spent plenty of time together this weekend and added that he tried to sway Ross to join Auburn's class.

"We tried to get him over here," Williams said. "I don't know, that's his decision. You can only say so much to get him over here. You do what you can do and hopefully we can get him over here."

Ross took his official visit to Alabama last weekend, where he spent time with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, with whom he also has a close relationship. Ross said seeing what Tagovailoa did in the College Football Playoff final helped Alabama's cause, but insisted that each of his three finalists "have great quarterbacks, so it won't make a difference" with his decision.

Ross is rated as the No. 7 receiver in the nation and the No. 45 player in the Class of 2018, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. As a senior at Central, Ross was an Under Armour All-American and finished the year with 37 receptions for 730 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 14 punt returns for 383 yards and a pair of scores.

Ross has already had an in-home visit with Alabama coach Nick Saban, while Auburn's Gus Malzahn is expected to make an in-home trip with him on Friday and Clemson's Dabo Swinney will also visit Ross this week. With all his official visits wrapped up and two in-home visits remaining, does Ross believe he is leaning toward a particular school?

"That's something I really need to figure out right now," Ross said.

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