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

Will CBd Jamari Brown to UK. Shouldn't be a surprise since AU is being patient at LB. Also FSU insiders CB'd Rosendo Louis to FSU. He's a guy I thought might become bigger priority with McClain being all over the place

Courvoisier

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Will CBd Jamari Brown to UK. Shouldn't be a surprise since AU is being patient at LB. Also FSU insiders CB'd Rosendo Louis to FSU. He's a guy I thought might become bigger priority with McClain being all over the place

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Nothing like a little attention from Auburn to make a guy commit somewhere else.

Auburn Crystal Ball Picks: Love it, Like It, Leave It (247)

KN did one of these again. Unfortunately can't copy/pasts so will summarize again. Love it basically means KN feels really good about that pick, Like it is a step down from Love It but still some confidence and Leave it basically means since he's made that pick he isn't as sure. Doesn't mean it still won't happen but it's more of a toss up at this point

Love It
4* WR Matthew Hill -> AU
- Bumped him up from "Like It" last time. BAMA/SCAR are pushing but sounds like AU is very confident and decision could happen soon (ya right )

4* WR Kearis Jackson -> UGA
- Unless Jackson is trolling, he will end up a Dawg. AU probably #2 but it's a very distant #2

4* OT Richard Gouraige -> UF
- AU still recruiting him but this guy appears to be all Gators. 17 CB picks made for UF

4* Buck Richard Jibunor -> AU
- TEN & UF appear to be biggest threats & Jibunor wants to take a few more visit before committing so that's gonna push his timeline back some. However, KN believes AU is firmly in the driver's seat

Like It
4* WR Anthony Schwartz -> UF
- Odds still high he is a Gator but some questions of whether there will be room. AU made a big push on recent visit

3* TE Tommy Tremble -> ND
- AU has not been mentioned with him in awhile

4* DT Coynis Miller -> AU
- AU/BAMA/UF battle & KN continues to hear that the Tigers have a slight lead. Rodney Garner appears to be the crucial reason why. UF is making a push tho & you can never count out the Tide but for right now KN still likes AU's chances

4* LB Channing Tindall -> SCAR
- Gamecocks still the team to beat with AU, FSU, UF & UGA all chasing. Tigers need to get him back on campus if they hope to have a shot, him not visiting for camp at end of July was not positive sign

3* CB Jamari Brown -> UK
- Originally when Brown was offered KN put in a CB pick immediately for AU seeing as he was Rosegreen's nephew & AU offer was one he really wanted. But AU is being patient at CB & not sure Brown is a take right now. With him committing this month UK seems the most likely destination

3* S Juanyeh Thomas -> GT
- Thomas lost his spot after Monday & Sherwood committed. Now looking like he will land with the Yellow Jackets

Leave It
5* QB Justin Fields -> AU
- KN says when he originally made the pick after Fields decommitment it looked like it was going to be an AU/UGA/UF battle. Since then FSU has become a real threat with some thinking it's down to the Dawgs & Noles. The AU staff still firmly believes that they are in the race & him pushing back his commitment decision is a positive for the Tigers. Says AU is in the race but confidence not high at all in the pick but for now will stick with AU

4* RB Asa Martin -> AU
- A clear AU/BAMA battle where Tide are real confident but AU likes their chances too. KN says in July his gut feeling was Martin was all Tide but now not so sure. Until he hears anything more definitive he is going to stick with his CB pick

4* Harold Joiner -> Foggy
- Joiner has been all over the place, now the Tide are trending but is he a take? KN suspects plenty more twists & turns are on the way

4* WR Justyn Ross -> AU
- Has had AU as the pick for awhile and doesn't have enough intel to really know where Ross is going so sticking with pick. Says all 3 schools of AU/BAMA/CLEM like where they stand

4* WR Seth Williams -> Foggy
- Recently switched CB pick to foggy as although Bama seems like the logical pick AU is recruiting him much harder. In fact, AU thinks they lead but KN wants to wait a bit before switching CB pick over just because Williams's recruitment has been a mystery at times so far

4* OG Trey Hill -> Foggy
- KN was first to pick UGA for Hill but now has switched to foggy. Says would not be surprise if Hill ended up at UGA but FSU, CLEM & AU are all pushing. Hill's recent visit where he brought whole family to AU has Tigers feeling hopeful

4* OG Tank Jenkins -> LOU
- It appears Jenkins missed his window to commit to AU. That could change down the road but for now appears to be LOU/MIZZ battle with not really a clear favorite

3* DE Andres Fox -> AU
- AU, BAMA & LSU have all lead at one point. Now STAN is in the game. Fox has also pushed back commit timeline. Bottom line is it appears to be a tossup right now

4* LB Zakoby McClain -> Foggy
- Two weeks ago it looked like McClain was all AU. Now things are a mystery. LSU is trending but he might not be a take for them as they are close to filling up class. Sounds like AU might be backing off now too. So for now, KN gonna switch to foggy until things become clearer

3* S Joseph Foucha -> Foggy
- He appeared all AU all summer but then LSU offered & the Tigers loaded up at safety. AU is still recruiting him but now as a CB & plan to be patient at that spot so it's no sure thing he's a take now


For reference here are the major changes from the last time KN did this:
- 4* WR Matthew Hill got bumped from "Like It" to "Love It"
- 4* WR Anthony Schwartz got knocked down from "Love It" to Gators to "Like It"
- 4* WR Kearis Jackson was bumped from "Like It" to "Love It" for Dawgs
- 4* WR Seth Williams is still "Leave It" but now KN has switched CB from Bama to Foggy
- 3* TE Michael Parker wasn't even mentioned (Bama might offer soon & he will commit)
- 4* OG Trey Hill was bumped from "Like It" to "Leave It" & KN switched CB from UGA to Foggy
- 4* OG Tank Jenkins went from "Love It" to "Leave It" & KN switched pick from AU to LOU
- 4* LB Michael Harris was listed as "Love It" & committed to AU
- 4* LB Zakoby McClain went from "Like It" to "Leave It" & KN moved CB from AU to Foggy
- 3* CB Charles McClelland was listed as "Leave It" with KN CB on AU. McClelland recently committed to Cincy & it appears KN flipped CB to them right before his pick
- 3* S Jamien Sherwood was listed as "Love It" & committed to AU

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4* DT Coynis Miller -> AU
- AU/BAMA/UF battle & KN continues to hear that the Tigers have a slight lead. Rodney Garner appears to be the crucial reason why. UF is making a push tho & you can never count out the Tide but for right now KN still likes AU's chances

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I bet we end up with a JUCO DT in this class

Auburn forced to alter running back recruiting plans after Dameon Pierce commits to Florida (SECCountry)

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Top RB target’s surprise commitment alters plan

Dameon Pierce announced a slight stunner Sunday when he committed to Florida.

The No. 9 running back in the nation — formerly an Alabama commit — changed up his timeline in a major way. As he said after the Auburn cookout, Pierce originally said he’d wait until after his senior season to decide, perhaps even letting it run until National Signing Day.

That changed quickly.

Pierce, who visited Florida the day before he visited Auburn, added to the Gators’ monster month of recruiting.

But it left plenty on the Auburn side scratching their heads, and asking: What is Auburn’s plan at running back?

There are really three options.

Land Asa Martin and stick with it.
Find/evaluate other targets.
Nothing.

For starters, the Asa Martin sweepstakes isn’t complete. The state’s top-ranked running back will decide on Aug. 24 between Auburn, Alabama, Clemson and Florida, though Pierce’s commitment to Florida shows the direction the Gators are trending for Martin. Clemson is the late addition, but it’s still going to be an Auburn-Alabama battle.

Alabama has been publicly perceived as the leader since he received the offer, but Auburn’s staff has some optimism as it pertains to Martin. When he attended Alabama’s cookout, he went for a single day. For Auburn’s, he arrived a day early, stayed the day of the cookout and stayed overnight then, as well.

That’s three days on the Plains. So, before Auburn fans have given up on that one, just know Auburn’s side has much more confidence on the Martin front than most of the outside perception.

Option No. 2 gives the Tigers time to look deeper at guys like Harold Joiner, Kaviosey Smoke or other prospects who have been on the surface level of target lists so far. If Auburn goes this route, I wouldn’t expect to see a running back commitment for a while as the Tigers monitor respective seasons closely.

And then there’s the final possibility: nothing.

This one might make some in the fan base cringe. I’ve made radio appearances where several of the call-in complaints centered around the lack of running back depth — I disagree with this opinion — and the desire to have a substantial running back class in 2018.

But Auburn’s staff doesn’t feel like it’s in desperation mode as much as some in the fan base. The Tigers like what they have in both freshmen Devan Barrett and JaTarvious Whitlow. That should be one saving grace. Whitlow should now be considered a running back. Players and coaches have confirmed most, if not all, of his work is coming out of the backfield.

Whitlow has the size, speed, vision and ball skills to play the running back position at a high level, so consider that an extra running back in the 2017 class.

The Tigers also have high hopes for Shaun Shivers. They don’t necessarily see him as an every-down back, but they believe he’ll contribute plenty out of the backfield during his time at Auburn.

Since, in the staff’s opinion, there aren’t any clear-cut, first-round draft picks in the Class of 2018, the Tigers appear willing to be fairly patient at the position. In other words, don’t panic if the Tigers decide to play it cool at running back with misses on Dameon Pierce and potentially Asa Martin.

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I think I would rather take someone like Smoke over nobody at the RB spot this season. Will be interesting to see how that spot shakes out. Maybe Horton gets that HC job he wants so bad & we go steal McGree away from UGA this offseason

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I bet we end up with a JUCO DT in this class

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And RB, and CB...

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But it left plenty on the Auburn side scratching their heads, and asking: What is Auburn’s plan at running back?

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Been asking that question for a while