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

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moultry (#18) & ashley (#25) are both 5*s on 247 now

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No. 18 Tadarian Moultry, ILB, Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin
Recruitment: committed to Auburn

Movement: Up from No. 50

Simmons says: "Bottom line, no one in the 2017 class has film that's more fun to watch than Moultry. He's violent football player that adds a pass-rush skillset to go with his inside linebacker heat-seeking style."

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No. 25 Calvin Ashley, OT, Washington (D.C.) St. John's College
Recruitment: committed to Auburn

Movement: Down from No. 23

Simmons says: "I didn't think Ashley would survive as a five-star. He trended down some after being one of the first to earn a fifth star in this class but he battled back with a big senior season and really impressed our team at the Under Armour Game."

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After getting into the backfield and nearly recording a sack at the recent U.S. Army All-American Bowl in Texas, Auburn linebacker commit Tadarian Moultry of Birmingham (Ala.) Jackson-Olin returned to the sideline.

There, he was greeted by a middle-aged man in a gold jacket who immediately coached him up.

The person's voice was forceful. He moved his arms to explain how he wanted something done.

That man was Auburn legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Green, who served as an honorary coach in the game.

“I just listened,” Moultry said. “I just had to slow myself down. Sometimes I play too fast. He told me, ‘You’re going to be a pass rusher when you get in college.'

Moultry and his coach at Jackson-Olin, Tim Vakakes, met Greene two days earlier at an Army Bowl meet-and-greet function.

“I went up to TD and explained to him who (Greene) was,” Vakakes said. “There were talking about pass rush moves. I was kind of telling him how TD hadn’t rushed the passer much. He started talking about his moves. He told TD, ‘Limit your moves.’ He said he had two moves. The first move, he said, was 'Whip his a—. Go straight through him. My second move was off of that.’ He kept saying you have to limit how many moves you have. TD was just listening. … It was incredible.”

Moultry, who isn’t the type to be star struck, enjoyed the experience of meeting Greene and later getting coached up by him.

“It was nice seeing him,” Moultry said. “I really didn’t know who he was at first. But it was nice learning from somebody who knows these types of things. I don't turn it down."

As you might expect, Greene also mentioned his affection for Auburn, where he was a star in the mid-1980s, when talking with Moultry. He told Moultry about Auburn’s family vibe and threw in a War Eagle or two during their conversations.

“He loved it (at Auburn),” Moultry said.

Moultry, who is big on watching film of elite players such as Vonn Miller, now plans to add a new name to his Youtube playlist.

“He said he was going to watch Kevin Greene stuff now,” Vakakes said.

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A few members of the 2013 Auburn recruiting class are on their way out. There are a couple brave souls remaining to uphold the legacy of the cycle.

Last week, you saw the 2012 recruiting class re-rank. Here’s the 2013 edition.

The 2013 class offered much higher star power. Some of the best stars in recent memory joined the Auburn family in this class. The Tigers’ most recent run of running back success originated from this class, and — in a roundabout way — set the stage for the Kamryn Pettway-Kerryon Johnson era.

It also includes one of the Auburn’s most highly-rated and divisive players in the Gus Malzahn era.

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Markaviest “Big Cat” Bryant

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Three prospects from Alabama have earned five-star status in 247Sports' latest rankings.

James Clemens defensive end LaBryan Ray, Jackson-Olin linebacker T.D. Moultry and Lee-Montgomery receiver Henry Ruggs III all earned five stars from 247Sports after spectacular senior seasons and good performances in postseason all-star games.

Ray jumped up from No. 46 overall to No. 15 overall in the national 247Sports individual rankings.

Moultry rose up to No. 18 overall. He was No. 50 in the last update.

Ruggs is now ranked No. 25 overall, rising 30 spots since the last update.

Moultry is solid in his commitment to Auburn. He joins Washington, D.C., offensive tackle Calvin Ashley as five-star commits in Auburn's class. He participated in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

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