re: 2017 Football Recruiting Thread ["N$D Bryant" Edition]

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Merry Christmas Brother Crazy!

Looking forward to the annual Auburn Board Family Jubilee next weekend to bring in the new year.

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You baws need to embrace our wet blanket fam members. We have a very delicate ecosystem going on here and Janga is filling an important role.

Without him we would hate each other more. I'd have to start shitting on Lanier for being uninformed.

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Johnston started 65 straight games in his high school career. He helped Spanish Fort to state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

“He’s constantly on the move,” Spanish Fort co-defensive coordinator Tony Stonicher said in an AL.com story this fall. “He might be late sometimes, but he is going to make the play eventually because of that extra burst of speed he has at the end. I’ve had to slow him down some in the inside because he has a tendency to overrun the play. When he was on the outside, he could kind of sit and wait on the play. On the inside, he wants to run hard all the time, and occasionally gets there too fast.

“But I love coaching that guy. I may have had better athletes at some point along the way, but I don’t think I have ever coached a guy who knows the game as well as Thomas Johnston does.”

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Johnston’s recruiting has been hard to pinpoint. He already has visited Arkansas and Iowa and hopes to visit three of the following four schools – Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Arizona State – in January.

He said he will likely visit Auburn on Jan. 20 and then make his decision the next week.

“I just want to go where I feel comfortable,” he said. “I want to be able to relate with the players and the schemes and make sure I’m a good fit with the coaches. I know God will lead me down the right path.”

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The 6-foot, 195-pounder completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 1,270 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior while rushing 66 times for another 286 yards three touchdowns. He missed nearly four full games with a broken arm, but the Aggies (8-3) managed to make the AHSAA state playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 1991-1993.

As a junior, Appleton threw for 1,304 yards and eight touchdowns with 354 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

"I've been in this 38 years, and I've never had a kid work any harder at his craft than Wil Appleton has," Albertville head coach Dale Pruitt said. "Wil has had several injuries in his career, and he's never flinched. He's always come back.

"He's the gym rat of football. He's always wanting someone to go throw with him or go and do this or that, and it's always about trying to make him better and make his team better."

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Offensive player of the year: Caylin Newton, Grady

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OL – Jamaree Salyer, Pace Academy, 6-3, 327, Jr.

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» Defensive player of the year: Chandler Wooten, North Cobb

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DB – Derrik Allen, Lassiter, 6-2, 205, Jr.

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OL – Jalil Irvin, Stephenson, 6-4, 280, Jr.

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DB – Carlito Gonzalez, Stephenson, 6-0, 190, Sr.

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» Defensive player of the year: Justin Mascoll, South Gwinnett

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LB – Tyler Taylor, Lanier, 6-3, 230, Sr.

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DB – DeAngelo Gibbs, Grayson, 6-2, 204, Sr.

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OL – Jordan Tucker, Roswell, 6-7, 335, Sr.

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4-star QB Jarrett Stidham

Previous stops: McLennan C.C. (Texas), Baylor, Stephenville High (Texas)

Sugar Bowl practice: Yes

Biggest recruiting threats: Florida and Texas A&M

The skinny: Of all the early enrollees, Stidham is likely the most important. He’s already taken part in a few bowl practices, and his early arrival will allow him plenty of time to assert himself in the competition with Sean White, John Franklin III and Woody Barrett. Stidham shined as a co-starter for Baylor in 2015. The off year after transferring has allowed Stidham to prepare his body for SEC football. Stidham made it clear to Gus Malzahn that he’s thrilled to be back on the field participating with a team. This quarterback competition will be fascinating to watch.

4-star OL Nick Brahms

Previous stops: Navarre High (Fla.)

Sugar Bowl practice: No

Biggest recruiting threats: Florida and Stanford

The skinny: After his U.S. Army Bowl appearance — which Brahms likely will have to sit out because of injury — the big offensive lineman will travel straight from San Antonio to Auburn to begin his college career. Brahms is coming off a leg injury, which could stunt some of his early growth for the Tigers. But if he can be ready by spring practice, Brahms has a legitimate chance to start early in his career. There is a lot of depth on Herb Hand’s offensive line, but there are a few free guard spots that could be available in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

4-star LB KJ Britt

Previous stops: Oxford High (Ala.)

Sugar Bowl practice: Yes

Biggest recruiting threats: Georgia and Stanford

The skinny: Britt is one of three early enrollees who have taken part in Sugar Bowl practices. He is a downhill, run-stopping inside linebacker who will add intensity and optimism to Travis Williams’ loaded linebackers room. Britt spurned SEC foe Georgia for Auburn, which will add some intrigue to the annual rivalry game at the end of the season. Because of his maturity, Britt’s early arrival could help him find a way to see the field early on in his college career.

4-star CB Malcolm Askew

Previous stops: McAdory High (McCalla, Ala.)

Sugar Bowl practice: Yes

Biggest recruiting threats: Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss

The skinny: Askew is Sugar Bowl practices participant No. 3. After a season as a high school quarterback, Askew will return to his more natural position as a defensive back at Auburn. There are spots to grab in the Tigers’ secondary. The problem for the moment: There isn’t a defensive backs coach to impress during these practices. Askew will have to launch well up the depth chart to see significant playing time in 2017. However, based on the injury tendency of many in the DB group, Askew’s ability to enroll early will give him a six-month head start on his classmates to break into the rotation.

3-star TE Salvatore Cannella

Previous stops: Scottsdale C.C. (Ariz), St. Viator High (Arlington Heights, Ill.)

Sugar Bowl practice: No

Biggest recruiting threats: Texas and Maryland

The skinny: Cannella joined Auburn to play immediately. He’s well aware of the use (or lack thereof) of the tight end position in recent years. That’s part of the reason he chose Auburn. Cannella wants to change that. He brings a level of pass-catching and athleticism that has been missing from the position since C.J. Uzomah and beyond. Cannella is a natural wide receiver who has made some impressive one-handed grabs in his high school and junior college career. He’s a basketball player at heart who is new to the gridiron, but he has NFL dreams. Expect Cannella to be used differently than most tight ends at Auburn. If he can fine-tune his blocking technique, watch out.

3-star LB Chandler Wooten

Previous stops: North Cobb High (Kennesaw, Ga.)

Sugar Bowl practice: No

Biggest recruiting threats: Michigan State, Georgia and Ohio State

The skinny: The only difference between Wooten and Britt? The Sugar Bowl practices. Both linebackers bring a versatility that will give them a chance to play sooner rather than later. Both have a rare amount of maturity for an incoming freshman. That, too, will give the linebackers an early shot to score playing time. Wooten played inside linebacker and outside linebacker for his high school. He can do both for Auburn — and he’s happy doing either.

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Auburn Tigers (8-4)
Need: Quarterback

Let's give credit to Sean White. He managed things under center for Auburn and gave the team a chance this year but if Auburn wants to win another national championship, it probably has to do it with someone else at quarterback.

Filler: Jarrett Stidham

This one is signed and heading to campus. Stidham is the quarterback Gus Malzahn has been looking for. He brings with him three years of eligibility, a fantastic arm and that ever-important athletic element to his game. Auburn has a chance to thrive rather than survive with Stidham under center.

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