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

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awestruck

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I said some weren't elite. CAP and Bubba aren't elite

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Watching him return kicks is almost comical.

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AUBURN | There weren’t any commitments during or in the days after Auburn’s Big Cat recruiting event but Gus Malzahn saw plenty of reasons to be excited over the 33 top targets that visited June 3.

“Big Cat was awesome,” Malzahn said. “After we got done there are three or four other coaches that have been through all of them since I’ve been back as the head coach and they’re like this may have been the best one overall and very successful.”

As far as commitments go, Auburn is up to six in the 2018 class and Malzahn is expecting more this summer with some upcoming camps and a cookout coming over the next several weeks.

“You know (Big Cat) is not really set up for (commitments),” Malzahn said. “It’s more of a relationship building, getting to know each other. The way we left it we feel great with where we’re at with the staff and it’ll really pay dividends moving forward.”

A handful of prospects left Big Cat with Auburn either leading or tied for the lead including four-star athlete Matthew Hill from Brookwood in Snellville, Ga., and safety Charles McClelland from Clinch County in Homerville.

Hill, who is a lifelong Auburn fan, has the Tigers on top of his list and plans to have a decision this summer. McClelland, who was offered in the days leading up to Big Cat, also has Auburn on top. He wants to hold off on a decision until after his senior season.

While neither three-star wide receiver Shedrick Jackson from Hoover, Ala., or three-star cornerback Juanyeh Thomas from Niceville, Fla., officially named Auburn their leader, both considered committing during Big Cat. Jackson, the nephew of Bo Jackson, could have a decision within the next week or two. Thomas, a former teammate of Eli Stove, wants to announce a decision in August.

Three-star defensive end Andres Fox from Mobile (Ala.) Christian and four-star safety Jamien Sherwood from Jensen Beach, Fla., both have Auburn tied at the top of their respective lists after Big Cat. Fox said the Tigers are tied with either LSU or Alabama. He’s planning to announce a decision later this summer. Sherwood has several schools at the top of his list along with the Tigers including Florida, Ole Miss, Oregon, North Carolina.

The highest-rated prospect at Big Cat was five-star wide receiver Justyn Ross, who called it a special day because it was the first time his mom, who has been serving overseas in the military, was able to visit Auburn with him. Ross went from Big Cat to an Alabama camp and then returned to Auburn Thursday to spend more one-on-one time with the coaching staff.

In addition to Hill, Jackson and Ross, there were a couple of other top wide receiver targets at Big Cat including four-star Tommy Bush from San Antonio, Texas and four-star Kearis Jackson from Peach County in Fort Valley, Ga.

Bush, who comes from a military family, doesn’t mind Auburn’s distance from home and may return for a game this fall. Jackson, who has Auburn in his top three along with Georgia and Ohio State, wants to go to same school as four-star offensive lineman Trey Hill, who also attended Big Cat..

Hill, from Houston County in Warner Robbins, Ga., didn’t name any leaders or a top group but said Big Cat bumped Auburn up. He and Jackson both plan to graduate in December.

Four-star athlete Kyler McMichael from GAC in Norcross, Ga., was originally being recruited by Auburn as a defensive back but likes that the coaching staff talked to him about playing on both sides of the ball during Big Cat.

A number of highly-regarded linebackers attended Big Cat including four-star JJ Peterson from Colquitt County in Moultrie, Ga., four-star Michael Harris from Tucker (Ga.) High, four-star Channing Tindall from Spring Valley in Columbia, S.C. and four-star Caleb Tannor from Miler Grove in Lithonia, Ga.

Peterson, who lists Auburn No. 2 behind Alabama, liked the family atmosphere during Big Cat. Harris has Auburn No. 2 behind Ohio State, but said his mom prefers the Tigers. Tindall, who is from the same high school as Travis Williams, lists Auburn a close second to South Carolina. Tannor has Auburn in his top five along with Georgia, Florida, LSU and Tennessee, and plans to have a decision in July.

Four-star defensive lineman Coynis Miller from Jackson-Olin in Birmingham, Ala., likes Auburn’s plan for him to come in and play as a true freshman. Miller is considering a commitment before the start of his senior season.

Four-star defensive tackle Jalen Cunningham from St. Clair County Odenville, Ala., has Alabama No. 1 on his list and Auburn tied for second with Mississippi State and Ole Miss following Big Cat.

Three-star defensive end Daquan Newkirk, a long-time Auburn commit, was back on the Plains for the first time in 15 months. He has no interest in visiting other schools and plans to enroll at AU in January.

Three-star running back Tae Provens didn’t speak to reporters after Big Cat but listed Auburn in his top five along with Tennessee, LSU, South Carolina and Louisville before the visit. Provens plans to announce a decision on Aug. 11.

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AUBURN | Richard Jibunor is getting closer to making his college choice.

The four-star athlete from Athens (Ga.) Christian plans to announce his commitment in August, and could do so without first naming a top group.

“I might just come out and commit,” Jibunor said.

Jibunor has several options from which to choose. Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and South Carolina are among the many schools to offer. Hometown Georgia is showing interest, but has been unclear with its status on an offer.

Jibunor, who is ranked the No. 24 athlete in the 2018 class, will make an informed decision. He has taken several visits since the spring and has more planned for the summer. Jibunor visited Georgia two weeks ago and plans to visit Alabama on Saturday. He also will visit both Tennessee and Florida before making a commitment.

Auburn has received two visits from Jibunor, including last Thursday when he spent time with linebackers coach Travis Williams and close friend and fellow Nigerian, Prince Tega Wanogho, now a sophomore offensive tackle at Auburn.

“I wanted to hang out with Prince because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen him,” Jibunor said. “He lost his mom a few months ago back home in Nigeria, so I wanted to see him and support him.”

Jibunor and Wanogho hung out for the majority of the day, touring the campus together, playing video games and watching Jibunor’s teammates participate in camp.

“I had a good time with him,” Jibunor said. “He’s doing good now. I always want to be there for him and support him because he has been there for me. Prince is like a big brother to me.”

“Big” may be an understatement. Wanogho is listed on the Tigers’ updated roster at 6-foot-7 and 301 pounds.

“He is a monster now,” Jibunor said. “I bet he could crush my bones in less than a second.”

The two friends could reunite in college at Auburn should Jibunor choose the Tigers, but Wanogho isn’t getting heavily involved in his younger friend’s decision.

“He doesn’t really force me to go to Auburn,” Jibunor said. “He just tells me how good it is and that they take good care of him. He’s really impressed with how his role is growing and how he feels very comfortable (at Auburn).”

Jibunor, too, is comfortable at Auburn, as well as with Williams, the Tigers’ second-year assistant.

“I also got to hang out with Coach T-Will and that was good,” Jibunor said. “We talk almost every day, and seeing him every once in a while is a good thing.”

Jibunor said he’d likely return to Auburn at least once more before making a late-summer decision.

“I love it (at Auburn),” Jibunor said. “It’s fun for me and I feel comfortable.”

Auburn is recruiting Jibunor, who is 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds, to play the buck linebacker position.

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Would love to see Kam Martin/JaTarvious Whitlow/Eli Stove combo back there

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My KR right now would be Martin and McClain. Stove could be a good PR I think. I just like McClain size/speed combo for KR. Whitlow could be interesting as well.

KJ back there just doesn't need to be a thing.

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Make this Justin Fields/Bo Nix dream happen Chip

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My bold prediction - McClain sees very little playing time while at Auburn and ultimately transfers to a JUCO.

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