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re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition
Posted on 9/6/17 at 7:43 am to RandySavage
Posted on 9/6/17 at 7:43 am to RandySavage
quote:Yes. 2 years ago. Started playing football as soon as he came over from Nigeria.
Is he one of those guys who just started playing football a year or two ago?
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Posted on 9/6/17 at 7:44 am to WareagleKK
quote:Ditto.
I want Oladeye much more than Fox.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 7:49 am to ellitor
Can't remember if Paw had access to this & I know I posted part of it but Newkirk had an impressive showing playing DT last week. Per JLee he had 7 tackles, including 4 solos, 2 tackles-for-loss, 3 QB pressures.
If we get him & Coynis it looks like it could be a real good DT class for us in a year there's not much DT talent overall.
If we get him & Coynis it looks like it could be a real good DT class for us in a year there's not much DT talent overall.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:36 pm to ellitor
Tigers target Richard Jibunor: ‘Auburn got a lead on me a long time ago’ (SECCountry)
quote:
Richard Jibunor close to announcement
AUBURN, Ala. — Richard Jibunor doesn’t stop smiling when he’s at Auburn. Truth be told, the 4-star defensive end target doesn’t stop smiling anywhere, but especially when he’s on the Plains.
He attended this past weekend’s game with the same contagious smile as always. Jibunor chopped it up with Rodney Garner’s family near the end zone prior to the game. He enjoyed his in-game experience with other recruits in the Class of 2018. On top of that, Jibunor stayed overnight with close friend Prince Tega Wanogho.
So how was the full experience Week 1?
“Awesome, man. Can’t wait,” Jibunor said.
Come again? Can’t wait for what?
The immediate reaction was to think he can’t wait to be an Auburn Tiger. After all, Jibunor has raved about the Tigers throughout his recruiting process. There have been times I’ve talked with him where he sounds as much like an Auburn commit as an Auburn target.
But he caught himself quickly.
“Can’t wait. Can’t wait to be back,” he corrected.
Jibunor spoke with Gus Malzahn, Kevin Steele and Garner at length during his visit. They made it known they want him in the class as soon as possible, even making a slight push for a day-of commitment.
Jibunor isn’t quite ready to do that yet. He still needs to see Tennessee-Georgia Tech on Monday night. He also wants to visit Florida for the Tennessee game in two weeks. Jibunor expects to have a decision after that.
And the reality is: Auburn is the team to beat.
“I think Auburn got a lead on me a long time ago,” he said.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:40 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Relationship with Prince Tega Wanogho
I’ve written about this plenty before, but I’ll add to it. Jibunor’s connection to Auburn runs much deeper than the coaching staff. He has known starting left tackle Prince Tega Wanogho since their days in Nigeria.
In fact, when I asked Jibunor why he decided to come to the Auburn game for the opener, his answer had nothing to do with his own personal recruiting interests.
“I actually came to come watch Prince play. He was begging me to come watch him. I was waiting to see who the starters were, and I was going to come to Auburn,” Jibunor said. “I liked the environment, as usual. I always love being here.”
When Jibunor left the game Saturday, he was attached at the hip with Wanogho, who had just finished up his first game as Auburn’s starting left tackle. As Jibunor was surrounded by reporters, Wanogho joked that he was going to leave Jibunor to fend for himself to get back to the dorms. Likewise, at halftime, Jibunor joked with me that he was looking for any reason possible to make fun of Wanogho in his first career start (he didn’t have much luck with that).
That’s the kind of relationship those guys have, which gives Auburn an upper-hand on everyone else.
“Right now, you see me having fun, speaking my Nigerian language. They’re like brothers to me, especially my main guy Prince,” Jibunor said.
Completely unrelated anecdote: Jibunor gave me an interesting little tidbit on the physical progression of Wanogho. This started because Jibunor was talking to me and one of his high school teammates about playing soccer with Wanogho this summer. I said that, even though Wanogho mentioned soccer to reporters last week, I can’t envision how someone that’s 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds can play soccer. Jibunor pointed out that, when he first got to know Wanogho, he was just a tall, skinny kid who weighed about 190 pounds. It’s amazing to see how far that guy’s physical attributes have developed.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:41 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Zakoby McClain decision upcoming
The decision for a key Auburn target will finally be announced this upcoming Saturday.
Zakoby McClain, a 4-star linebacker from Valdosta, Ga., will make a decision between Auburn, LSU, West Virginia and Tennessee. At one point, I thought McClain was a sure thing to land at Auburn. My Crystal Ball pick, until Sunday afternoon, even reflected that belief.
But I spoke with McClain and a source close to him on Sunday afternoon. McClain himself spoke highly of Auburn, specifically his closest coaching relationship — Travis Williams.
“Coach T-Will, man. I just love everything about him and being around him,” McClain told SEC Country.
West Virginia seems like it could be a surprise threat considering he visited there earlier this summer on a weekend he originally told Auburn coaches he’d be on the Plains. Tennessee has also received a couple visits.
But surprisingly, after talking with a source close to McClain, it might be the school he hasn’t visited that leads. McClain hasn’t visited LSU, he told me last night, but he plans to. A source close to him said that could be this weekend, which would conveniently match up with his decision timeline. Still, it does seem a little odd to plan a commitment to a place you’ve never visited.
With that said, there is a connection there. He has a family member he’s close to who plays at Tulane, so that would put McClain closer to him. Based on all of this, I’ve changed my Crystal Ball to LSU.
SEC Country LSU recruiting reporter Sam Spiegelman broke down the whole dynamic from my interview with McClain. Check it out here.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:42 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
How Week 1 could affect Justin Fields
This seems to be the main topic of conversation on every Auburn, Georgia and Florida State recruiting site right now. Justin Fields is in the throws of a decision between those three schools, and things got way more interesting on Saturday.
Let’s break down what happened for each school Week 1.
Auburn: Jarrett Stidham has a solid performance. Nothing flashy. He showed signs of rust, but he showed an ability to shine in this Chip Lindsey offense. Auburn’s main recruiting pitch to Fields here is to come in, compete, likely sit behind Stidham for a year, then try to beat out Malik Willis for the starting job. Nothing from the Tigers’ recruiting strategy has changed after the opener.
Georgia: Jacob Eason was injured and will be out for at least another week, but likely longer. Jake Fromm came in and performed well. Fields likely will be paying seriously close attention to Georgia-Notre Dame on Saturday to see if Fromm performs well. There’s no doubt Fields has concerns about Fromm getting a leg up in the 2017 season. He expressed those doubts — in a bit of eerie foreshadowing — to our very own Jeff Sentell. My Crystal Ball pick sits with Georgia, but Fromm’s performance on Saturday against Notre Dame likely matters to Fields.
Florida State: Deondre Francois was injured, as well. He will be out for the season. Brutal loss for the Seminoles, but it also means he’s guaranteed to come back in 2018. It could’ve happened anyways, but now it seems almost given Fields would have to wait at Florida State. Not that it’s a major issue for Fields, but something to think about. On top of that, Florida State is now expected play a freshman in James Blackman. Much like the Fromm situation, it gives Fields another layer to think about.
Again, this is mostly speculation. Fields has shut off recruiting interviews for the time being, so I wouldn’t expect a ton of answers from his camp. But just based on the facts laid out above, Auburn might’ve picked up some major ground in the Fields sweepstakes on Saturday.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:47 pm to TigerPaw1
Auburn recruiting: September to-do list (SECCountry)
quote:
Auburn completed two of its three goals set during August, and the third appears to be on the cusp of happening.
The Tigers were able to beat out Alabama for a key in-state prospect (Asa Martin), which, in turn, created some much-needed momentum to end the summer. They weren’t able to reel in a pass rush target, but there are a few options who look poised to make that happen in September.
Here are the Tigers’ three new recruiting goals for September:
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:47 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
1. Secure a commitment from a pass rusher
This is a follow-up on the only unsuccessful task from the August to-do list.
There are a few prospects on Auburn’s recruiting board who would classify: Richard Jibunor, Andres Fox, Quay Walker, JJ Peterson, Zakoby McClain and others. So, there’s not necessarily a Buck linebacker specifically, but someone who could bring a pass-rushing threat to the class.
Jibunor is the clear favorite to fill this role. He visited for the Georgia Southern game, and it’s going to be pretty tough for Tennessee or Florida to stave off Auburn.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:48 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
2. Get into the mix for a highly rated, off-the-radar target
Auburn is already in the game for several 5-star and 4-star prospects.
With that said, the Tigers might have more to gain than any other program with a strong start to the 2017 season. If Auburn can beat Clemson, Samford and Mississippi to cruise to a 4-0 start in September, the Tigers will likely pique the interest of the nation’s top recruits who were maybe hesitant to consider Auburn based on results from the last few seasons.
I’m not even going to offer specific names who this could affect, but when a team wins, it’s inevitable in recruiting. In other words, the Tigers’ football team has a major control over its recruiting right now.
So we actually don't play Samford and Mississippi this September
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:48 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
3. Host 5-star quarterback Justin Fields on two visits
You might say: Isn’t one good enough?
But it seems almost a guarantee that Fields will visit Auburn for either the Samford or Mississippi State game. So, the goal for Auburn should be to convince him to return for a trip to see practice and hang out at a different time from an unofficial visit for a game.
Based on quarterback circumstances at Georgia and Florida State over the weekend, Auburn might have an opening to make up ground if that gap, in fact, exists.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:51 pm to TigerPaw1
Gap between Florida, Auburn ‘not that big’ for top DT target Coynis Miller (SECCountry)
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Coynis Miller prepares for Florida-Auburn battle
AUBURN, Ala. — What was once believed to be an Auburn-Alabama recruiting battle has quickly turned into an Auburn-Florida competition.
Coynis Miller, once planning to decide in the summer, has a midseason or postseason decision on his hands. He hasn’t officially set any kind of timetable, but he has a leader.
That’s Florida. Miller claims it was “just something about them” when he visited for the first time.
He went down for his first visit to Gainesville, Fla., before the August dead period. Miller has been publicly referring to the Gators as his leader ever since. The order didn’t change when he visited Auburn for the Georgia Southern game, but Miller admitted the Tigers have the ability to overthrow Florida in fairly short order.
“It’s not that big [of a gap],” Miller said. “They’re probably head to head. Auburn can come up and steal it at any time.”
At Auburn, Miller has relationships with players, like former high school teammate T.D. Moultry. His strongest coaching relationship is with defensive line coach Rodney Garner who, according to someone close to Miller, will be a nearly impossible person for Miller to turn down. He also grew up with Auburn running commit Asa Martin in north Alabama.
Miller spent most of his Saturday on the Plains attached to the hip with Martin, which plays heavily into Auburn’s favor.
“We grew up together. You know, he just committed. He keeps smiling and everything, telling me to make that move. He’s recruiting me pretty hard,” Miller said. “It is [going to help Auburn]. Just knowing we come from the same place, what we had to go through to get into this position.”
A May graduate, Miller isn’t in a hurry to make a final decision.
It probably will come after the season, Miller said, but admitted he could decide before then if he’s ready. He just wants to see more of the 2017 season play out and will keep a close watch on Florida and Auburn — and even Alabama — along the defensive line.
In Week 1 for Auburn, the Tigers defensive line couldn’t have put on a much better show for Miller.
“They were just playing good, getting after it. Jeff Holland caught my attention a lot. You know, just seeing him get after it. He’s passionate about the game,” Miller said. “They’re better than I thought they were going to be. They were just flying to the ball making plays. Every time I talk to Coach G, he says, if I do come, I’ll be playing behind those guys. I try to get a look at how they do things. … It’s going to be good, if I do come.”
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:53 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Safety target Joe Foucha could play CB, nickel
Joe Foucha once seemed like a likely addition to the Auburn class.
The Tigers didn’t have the greatest forecast at safety at the time, and he always called Auburn his leader. The New Orleans-based safety grew up a Cam Newton fan, which was pushing him toward the Tigers. Then, Auburn landed commitments from Quindarious Monday and Jamien Sherwood to go along with Kolbi Fuqua, who switched from receiver to safety.
There’s also Josh Marsh, who could fit into a secondary role.
Despite the spots filling up at safety, Foucha’s communication with Auburn has stayed on the same track.
“We talk every day. I keep in touch with all the coaches,” Foucha told SEC Country. “I haven’t planned any trips to go there yet, but I will be going there soon.”
While safety spots look full, the opposite can be said for cornerback.
That’s the one position Auburn hasn’t quite figured out, and the Tigers will stay patient to see how it plays out. Foucha still sees himself as a safety, but in his conversations with Auburn defensive backs coach Greg Brown, there have been conversations about a few other positions in the secondary.
“I’d say safety. I talk to the DB coach. I talk to him. He likes me at the corner spot, how I improved over the summer. Things are looking good for me at safety, corner or nickel,” Foucha said. “I’m very versatile.”
Foucha hasn’t cut down from his top 7 officially, but he said — in terms of interest and commnication — Florida State, LSU, Alabama and Auburn have emerged from the pack. At all of those schools, the safety position is starting to work itself out.
My take here: Foucha’s decision will run up until National Signing Day. One of those four programs will have at least one available spot for a versatile defensive back, and that’s where Foucha will land. At this point, it could be any of the four. It’s too early to say which program that will be. It’ll depend on how the rest of the 2018 class plays out.
Would love for us to find a way to get this kid in the class. I think he could play really any of the DB spots. I like idea of him at the nickel with his combination of speed and physicality
Posted on 9/6/17 at 4:59 pm to TigerPaw1
Auburn OL target Trey Hill says Tigers are ‘pretty up there’ among his favorites (SECCountry)
quote:
Trey Hill treasures Auburn game visit
AUBURN, Ala. — Surprise might not be the right word, but when 4-star offensive guard Trey Hill decided to visit Auburn in Week 1, it raised eyebrows.
Hill was one of the first prospects on the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, about an hour prior to the game. He stayed throughout the 41-7 contest to talk with coach Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Herb Hand after the game, which resulted in Hill being one of the last prospects to leave the recruiting facility.
Hill left feeling like a priority.
“It’s the same thing, ‘We really want you. You could fit into this program with the same offense,'” Hill said. “I mean, I’m his top priority. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel wanted.”
Hill has options across the southeast.
He’s been called a Georgia lean by almost everyone but himself. Yet he elected to go to Auburn vs. Georgia Southern rather than Georgia vs. Appalachian State. Alabama and Florida State, especially the Seminoles, are on Hill’s radar, which made that game in Atlanta seem like a logical destination for Hill.
But Hill wanted to see Auburn prove itself. He wanted to go to a place for a game day that he’s been to during the offseason, but not as much on Saturdays.
“It’s just because I’ve been to Georgia a lot. I didn’t go to that many (Auburn) games last year,” Hill said. “Just to see how they bounced back from last year and how they got a quarterback.”
As Hill watched Auburn, just as he has through the spring and summer, he further recognized the opportunity to play early.
Mike Horton started his first game for the Tigers, but Austin Golson and Braden Smith will be gone after the season. Hill has talked with Malzahn and Hand about both guard and center, though he’s ranked the No. 2 offensive guard in the country.
Hill won’t judge his entire decision on playing time, but he sees a channel to the field with the Tigers.
“The depth chart situation, you’re going to have backups at either school that can play. It’s just a matter of coming in and working hard and fitting in. I’m paying attention to it, but I’m really not [looking at it too much],” Hill said. “Most of their [interior] guys are seniors. If I come here, I feel that I’d fit in.”
Hill doesn’t say much to the media, or anyone for that matter, about his recruitment. That’s how he likes to operate. He even joked when asked about the schools standing out that, as reporters, we should know better than to ask the close-to-the-vest Hill that question because he’s going to “name the same 10 schools” every time.
But he wanted it to be known Auburn has made a leap throughout the process.
“They’re pretty up there,” Hill said.
He plans to make a decision in December, as he will be an early enrollee. Hill expects to take his five official visits, but places like Auburn and Georgia likely won’t receive one because those are places within driving distance. So far, his only planned official visit is to Southern California later in the season.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:01 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Louis Paul Smith receiving Auburn love
Already looking ahead to the 2019 class, there is another interior offensive lineman who is receiving a lot of attention from the Tigers coaching staff.
A name to watch: Louis Paul Smith from Biloxi, Miss.
Smith is the No. 3-ranked offensive center in the nation, and No. 701 overall. He doesn’t hold an offer from the Tigers yet. So far, he has offers from Mississippi State, Troy, Southern Miss and others.
But Auburn has kept in contact with Smith — in a big way.
He has received a crazy amount of mail from Auburn in recent weeks. Check some of it out.
It appears an offer is likely in the future for Smith.
He said he was “kinda shocked” when he received a lot of the mail from the Tigers all in the same day. Smith and Hand have had a relationship that go back to his freshman year. He came to Auburn for one of the Tigers’ junior days this spring.
Keep an eye out for a potential offer in the future considering the amount of attention Auburn is giving.
Would not be shocked to see this kid commit soon after an offer if it happens. He's been to AU a bunch over the past few years
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:02 pm to TigerPaw1
Auburn recruiting mailbag: Do quarterback injuries affect Justin Fields’ recruitment? (SECCountry)
quote:
It’s back for Week 2.
The SEC Country Auburn recruiting mailbag with Benjamin Wolk had a strong opening for Week 1, and there is more where that came from. Thanks to those of you who sent questions to my Twitter — @benjaminwolk — either in my mentions or DM. Also, thanks to those of you who joined me for my weekly Facebook Live recruiting chat. Unanswered questions from those sessions can be answered in this mailbag, too.
Enough small talk. Let’s get to business.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:02 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
@andrewconverse: How do the injuries to Deondre Francois and Jacob Eason impact the Justin Fields recruitment?
@sherrod4AU: How does Deondre Francois getting hurt change the landscape in recruiting Fields? He was hoping he would turn pro this year right?
@Standrew5998: Where are we realistically in the Justin Fields sweepstakes?
I only included these three into the mailbag, but there were about 20 variations of questions on this same topic that I could’ve used.
Justin Fields has been the primary topic of recruiting conversation every week since he de-committed from Penn State in June. If it’s possible, Fields’ buzz managed to pick up this week, and not based off anything he said or did.
Before we get into the specifics, let me be clear that I’ve put in a Crystal Ball pick for Fields to Georgia. That hasn’t changed, though admittedly, some of the developments last weekend made me take a step back and realize this thing is more open than I previously made it seem.
Here’s a quote Fields gave to SEC Country’s Jeff Sentell before the 5-star quarterback stopped answering questions about his recruitment:
“I’m not really looking at the wins and losses and how the team plays. My main thing is the quarterback position. That’s the position I play. So say if Jacob Eason gets hurt. Of course, now I don’t want him to get hurt. I don’t want that. He’s a great guy. A great guy. But for example, then in that situation maybe Jake Fromm goes in there and lights it up. Just tears it up. Well, for me then Georgia has kind of solidified their starter. I would have to take a good look at that. Now, I’m not afraid to compete. But I feel like if he has that experience then he would have that edge over me. But if Jacob Eason plays most of the whole season, then Jake Fromm doesn’t have that edge [in playing time] on me at all.”
Yikes.
For Georgia fans, that’s an eerie quote to read. It remains unknown how long Eason will be out, but he’ll, at the very least, be out for a primetime game against Notre Dame this weekend. That gives Fromm another chance to show Fields whether he should be hesitant to come to Georgia.
Florida State suffered, too. Francois went down, which means he’s not going pro after the season as the Seminoles could’ve been pitching. Now, two freshmen will battle it out to see who becomes the starter for the rest of the season. Either way, that’s an experience advantage for a potential future competition with Fields.
There there’s Auburn, the oft-forgotten member of the schools Fields is considering. Nothing happened with the Tigers opener to change anything. Stidham looked like someone who probably won’t head to the NFL after one season, so Fields would likely come in and sit behind him for a year before competing for the starting job with Malik Willis.
I’m also not ruling out the addition of other schools. Southern Cal, LSU and even Alabama are programs I’ve heard linked to Fields. At the very least, the latest injury developments will make Fields reassess every school.
For places like Auburn that seemed to be slipping, that is welcome news.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:03 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
@TRAT_CITY_MANE: What’s the latest on the running back situation?
With Asa Martin in the fold, I’m not sure Auburn needs to do anything else at running back.
There were times, even when I thought Martin might choose Alabama, that I felt Auburn wasn’t in desperation mode at running back. Did the Tigers want Martin? Obviously. But if the they missed on him, I wasn’t convinced they were going to chase another running back.
Auburn likes what it has with its freshman running backs Devan Barrett and JaTarvious Whitlow. I think both of those players have upside going forward.
As for the Class of 2018, the Tigers think they have something special in Shaun Shivers. No, he’s not a big guy. In fact, at 5-foot-5 and 165 pounds, Shivers isn’t going to be your every-down SEC running back. But he brings a dangerous versatility to the offense and special teams.
Does Auburn need more than that? Going into next season, the Tigers would have Kam Martin, Malik Miller, Barrett, Whitlow, Asa Martin and Shivers with multiple years of eligibility remaining. On top of that, the 2019 class is strong at running back.
So while the Tigers could try to make a push for a guy such as Harold Joiner, it seems Auburn is in a happy place with running backs.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:03 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
@AlanTheTiger: How’s Auburn looking in the recruitment of Dylan Wonnum and Kayode Oladele?
I’m assuming this question was inspired by Crystal Ball trends. Oladele picked up a few Crystal Ball picks earlier in the week, including one from 247Sports Auburn recruiting reporter Keith Niebuhr, who has one of the best track records nationally with predictions. Wonnum has picked up several Auburn predictions since I placed my pick for the Tigers a few weeks ago.
Admittedly, I know more about Wonnum than Oladele.
Auburn target Kayode Oladele has some predictions going in the Tigers’ favor. (Benjamin Wolk/SEC Country)
Wonnum is one of Auburn’s top offensive line targets remaining, along with 4-star offensive guard Trey Hill. Wonnum is close friends with Auburn offensive line commit Jalil Irvin, who is convinced Wonnum will choose the Tigers eventually. Auburn is trending in the right direction here, but Wonnum’s brother plays for South Carolina, so the Gamecocks can’t be ruled out.
As for Oladele, the Tigers appear to be making a big move.
He camped at Auburn over the summer and looks the part. Oladele fits into the Nigeria pipeline, of sorts. He’s friends with defensive line target Richard Jibunor, who is likely to choose the Tigers. Jibunor thinks Auburn is sitting at No. 2 behind Florida State, but that Auburn has a chance to make a move.
It’s always smart to look at prospects who camped the summer before their senior year as major recruiting options, so Oladele is a contender to land in this class.
Posted on 9/6/17 at 5:03 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Kenny Allen (Facebook): What high school game are you going to Friday night?
I’ll actually be staying close to home on Friday night.
Auburn High hosts top wide receiver target Justyn Ross and Central High. Ross is considering Auburn and Clemson, so it’ll be nice at get his take on those two programs as they prepare to face off Saturday in Death Valley. On top of that, he’s an unbelievable prospect to go watch in person. It should be fun.
Ross won’t be the only major player in the game. Auburn High linebacker Mohamoud Diabate was virtually unstoppable in his game last week. Diabate is the No. 12 OLB and No. 180 overall player in the Class of 2019.
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