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

The Next Chapter: Asa Martin tells story behind Auburn commitment (Rivals)

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Rivals 250 running back Asa Martin of Decatur (Ala.) Austin has been focused on Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Florida for the last few months. On Thursday August 24, the day before his senior season opener, Martin made his decision.

He shares his story on how he came to the conclusion that Auburn is the right school for him.

My football career started when I was four years old in tradition rich Courtland (Ala.). Courtland is a small town in Lawrence County and it is known for producing many talented football and basketball players, and it's football field named, "The Dusk Bowl".

For as along as I can remember I have dreamed of playing in the NFL and to be just like the big boys and play for coach McDonald being a R.A Hubbard Chief. Unfortunately those plans of being a chief didn't live out.

I moved to Decatur (Ala.) when I was 13 years old because my house burned down in the middle of the night. My move to Decatur went smooth since my best friend Fabian had moved to Decatur as well. Football was going great I was starting to make a name for myself throughout the city.

August 14, 2013 is a day that changed my life forever. I woke up to my mom crying and running down stairs — I didn't know why or what happened. I laid back down and watched SportCenter, but little did I know the woman I loved more or just a much as my mom had passed away.

My grandmother Velvet Harris who I called "Ma" was leaving me. It hit me so hard that I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. I tried my best holding everything in, but deep inside I was hurting and nobody knew it but me.

I came to a cross roads with football and I didn't really want to play anymore. My 8th grade football team had a scrimmage the same day she died and I know she wouldn't want me to give up on my life long dream, so from that day forward, I decided to play for my grandmother and our family — something much bigger than me.

Football started going as good as it ever had. I played on the varsity team as a freshman and had a pretty good year. My sophomore year is when I truly started to leave my mark. That season I rushed for 1,500 years and 13 touchdowns. I received my first offer from Ole Miss and that year as well.

Following my sophomore year I decided to transfer to IMG Academy in Bradenton (Fla.). It turned out to be the best decision within football I've made so far. I focused as closely to football as ever and improved my game tremendously. After my 11th grade season I decided to return home and play my senior season which starts tomorrow.

My life journey so far has been pretty good. I've come across many obstacles and made bad decisions but nobody lives a perfect life. It feels like just yesterday I was a kid living in Courtland, playing football in my grandma's front yard or running down the sidewalk trying to beat the street light home.

I am now 17 years old and deciding which school I want to attend. I've earned 26 offers from schools all over the country. I have met and developed great relationships with college coaches and different people throughout my recruitment process, but I can only attend one school. The school I'm deciding to attend is a school that I'm very comfortable with.

It has great academics, three Heisman Trophy winners and it's known by some as one of college football's RBU. I WILL BE ATTENDING AUBURN UNIVERSITY. WAR DAMN EAGLE!

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Aren't we done at the RB position now with 2 commits?

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Aren't we done at the RB position now with 2 commits?

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Unless there is a max exodus at RB we probably are done. Solid group. Not elite but two guys that I think can do a lot in our system. Martin will probably end up being around 210-215 lbs at AU and handle being every down guy. Shivers is one of the fastest dudes in the class and gives us a home run threat

Now we can focus on 2019 RB class which is STACKED. John Emery, Tyler Goodson, Tony Amerson, Kenneth Bothwell, Derrian Brown and Paris Brown are just some off the top of my head. I want Goodson and Emery though I think Emery lands at LSU

So let's talk next commits. I think the following are guys to keep an eye on

- 4* Buck Richard Jibunor
- 4* WR Seth Williams
- 4* OT Dylan Wonnum
- 3* DE Andres Fox

I think Jibunor is the most likely to commit next though that UF visit worries me. There's not timetable on Williams but seems like he is trending hard our way and will be on campus for first game. Wonnum has said we lead but not enough to commit just yet. Fox could commit at anytime to really any team

More than likely I think we are done for awhile unless Jibunor decides to jump on board before season kicks off

If we land all those guys plus Coynis Miller, I'll be content with the class. That will give us Miller as a "true" DT with Newquirk able to cross train as well. Then Fox on DE and Jibunor to buck. That is a solid DL class.

I’m not criticizing, but I do not understand Gus’ roster management when it comes to not taking the max or slightly over the max like some other coaches. We always have one or two that don’t qualify and we always seem to be well under the maximum by the time the first game comes around.

We gripe about a lack of depth but we never seem to have near the max on roster. I understand the concept of “quality depth” but I don’t understand why we don’t load up. What is the downside?

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If we land all those guys plus Coynis Miller, I'll be content with the class. That will give us Miller as a "true" DT with Newquirk able to cross train as well. Then Fox on DE and Jibunor to buck. That is a solid DL class.

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Agreed. Would love for us to get 5 DL like Garner wants. A class of Miller/Newkirk/Fox/Oladele/Jibunor would be really solid

Yea I've never understood that either. I think we've only taken or exceeded the limit twice under him.

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We gripe about a lack of depth but we never seem to have near the max on roster. I understand the concept of “quality depth” but I don’t understand why we don’t load up. What is the downside?

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If your roster is maxed/signed your 25, you may not have room for quality grad transfers, or JUCO guys, that could fill holes of players that unexpectedly leave the program or leave early for the NFL.

Gotcha re contingency of people leaving.

When I really think about it is every NFL draft. I see lots of guys from smaller schools getting drafted. And I always think to myself, surely these guys would’ve come to an SEC school.