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re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:45 pm to TigerPaw1
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:45 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Offensive line (4): 3-star OL Jalil Irvin (Stone Mountain, Ga.), 3-star OL Kameron Stutts (Killen, Ala.), 4-star OL Trey Hill (Warner Robins, Ga.), 4-star OL Tank Jenkins (Montgomery, Ala.)
How the offensive line class shakes out is likely dependent on Auburn’s performance down the stretch.
If Auburn can recapture success, the Tigers potentially could round up the class that has been in the last few projections. With that said, it appears Auburn is starting to lose some traction with Dylan Wonnum at the same time Wonnum’s brother and South Carolina — the top competition for the Tigers — are hitting a hot streak.
For now, I’ve removed Wonnum.
In his place, I’ve added Tank Jenkins from Montgomery, Ala. He’s fallen off Auburn’s radar some since the summer when he visited, but this is one to watch down the stretch as the Tigers hope to land guys like Wonnum and Trey Hill. With a miss on either, I’d expect Jenkins to be the next in line.
Hill stays in the class for now, primarily because the depth-chart availability at Auburn seems most appealing.
Not in the class: Badara Traore, Jerome Carvin, Dylan Wonnum
Interesting to have Tank in there
1
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:47 pm to TigerPaw1
Which prospects left out of offensive projection are most likely to be in Auburn’s class? (SECCountry)
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Most likely additions to Auburn offensive projection
In the Monday class projection, I included five uncommitted names to the list: Seth Williams, A.J. Curry, Trey Hill, Tank Jenkins and Michael Parker.
All five of these prospects have a high chance of landing at Auburn. Yet, there are also outside chances those prospects could end up elsewhere or Auburn could look in a different direction. Williams could go to Alabama, as could Parker. Hill could choose Georgia over Auburn. Jenkins could decide on Louisville. Auburn could find someone it thinks fits better than Curry.
Some of that is up in the air right now, but those additions were made based on the best information presented to me at this time.
With that said, there are few names not included that could end up in the class, but were left off for one reason or another. Below are the five recruits most likely to fit that description. I explain why they’re not in my projection right now and why I could end up being wrong about that.
4-star WR Justyn Ross: I’ve got my Crystal Ball pick in for Clemson right now. It will stay there until I get a solid reason to think otherwise. Auburn might very well end up providing that for me. Ross has visited for each of the last two home games, and there’s no question his mother and grandmother feel right at home when they’re on the Plains. Those are the types of things that matter to Ross and will help guide his decision. For now, however, I think Ross himself wants to go to Clemson, and at the end of the process, personal preference usually takes over. Auburn has what it takes to keep Ross close to home, though.
4-star WR Anthony Schwartz: A month ago, I wouldn’t have thought there was a shot in the world Schwartz ended up anywhere other than Florida. But the wide receiver spots have filled up (though that could change with flips), and Schwartz remains uncommitted. He visited Auburn for the Ole Miss game, and it sounds like the Tigers knocked that visit out of the park. Schwartz loved his experiences with the football and track programs. I still think he ends up at Florida, but, most likely, some wide receiver class attrition will have to take place before he can do that.
4-star TE Tyneil Hopper: Really, the choice between Hopper and Parker could’ve gone either way. Realistically, Auburn could go with both if it so chooses. If the Tigers are to go with one, just based on body size and frame, Parker seems like the more likely of the two from a coach’s standpoint. Then again, Hopper seems much more eager to jump on board, while Parker seems hesitant to decide because of a potential looming offer from Alabama. As long as the Crimson Tide don’t budge, Parker makes more sense. But if that happens, Hopper seems like the go-to guy.
4-star OL Dylan Wonnum: Wonnum had been in the projection for the last couple months but was recently removed. He’s backed off his stance that Auburn is his top team. LSU and South Carolina remain up there with Auburn. The thing not working in Auburn’s favor: Wonnum’s older brother, D.J., has been exceptional for the Gamecocks this season, winning back-to-back SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Still, Auburn is in this one and has a need at the position. This will come down to the wire.
4-star OL Badara Traore: Working against Auburn here, Traore hasn’t visited Auburn since the summer. Working in Auburn’s favor, that trip was Traore’s only official visit so far. I think the former plays a bigger factor than the latter, which is why I left Traore out of the class. But, the longer he goes without official visits, the more it seems like Auburn is actually the team to beat here. Keep an eye out for LSU. But there’s no question Auburn wants this one.
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:47 pm to TigerPaw1
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Tommy Bush still eyeing official visit options
I caught up with 4-star wide receiver Tommy Bush on Monday just to see where things are with his official visit schedule, which will likely play a deciding role in Bush’s college choice.
So far, he’s only taken one official visit. That was to Nebraska.
Nothing else is set in stone, though Bush expects to take an official visit to Michigan State in early November. Soon after that, he’ll take another unofficial visit to Texas for the Oklahoma State game, which, to me, is a sign the Longhorns are the team everyone else is chasing right now.
But that leaves three open official visits. Those will be crucial.
What is Bush basing the eventual visits on?
“We’re watching week to week to see which coaching staff is still interested, plus who has an open slot for me,” Bush said.
Auburn still is a team seriously in consideration. The Tigers will compete with Georgia, Alabama, Florida State, Southern Cal, Ole Miss and Texas for one of the final three official visit dates.
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:52 pm to TigerPaw1
Auburn defensive projection: Tigers surprise by flipping Alabama linebacker commit (SECCountry)
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Auburn’s 2018 recruiting class is getting closer to completion.
The Tigers’ defensive class added another major piece over the weekend. Four-star defensive tackle Coynis Miller — perhaps the top defensive prospect remaining — chose Auburn over Alabama and Florida. It was a big addition, but the Tigers aren’t finished just yet.
Half of Auburn’s 14 commitments are on the defensive side of the ball. In the projection below, I’ve provided my most recent expectation of what should be expected from the class going forward.
Check out the SEC Country Auburn defensive class projection for 2018:
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:53 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Safety (4): 4-star prospect Quindarious Monday (Atlanta, Ga.), Jamien Sherwood (Jensen Beach, Fla.), Kolbi Fuqua (Cordova, Ala.), Josh Marsh (Decatur, Ala.)
There isn’t much to report at safety.
Auburn sought out this position group from the beginning of the process, knowing that it was a major need heading into the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The Tigers landed Kolbi Fuqua at A-Day. Quindarious Monday was next in mid-July. Jamien Sherwood visited throughout the summer and finished it up with an August decision. Josh Marsh camped and committed all in the same day.
And there really isn’t much more to it than that. Clemson will try to flip Monday, but the Tigers just had another safety commit last week, which is likely an indication of how they believe things stand with Monday. Florida won’t end up having luck with its attempt to flip Sherwood.
Not in the class: Joseph Foucha, Juanyeh Thomas, Brendon Harris and Myles Mason.
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:54 pm to TigerPaw1
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Cornerback (1): Derek Turner (West Feliciana, La.)
I’ll be the first to admit that the cornerback position is nearly impossible to project at this time.
I could see it going a variety of ways. Auburn could take a high school cornerback. The Tigers could welcome one junior college cornerback. Or they could accept one from each level.
Secondary coach Greg Brown has a historical track record of finding gems from the JUCO ranks. Saivion Smith and Keith Washington are the primary options from there so far, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see several more names emerge in the coming weeks as further junior college evaluations are made.
From the high school ranks, a very similar process will take place. With that said, I’m sticking with Derek Turner as the lone cornerback in the class because, when it’s all said and done, coaching staffs often like to go with what they know. Turner camped with the Tigers this summer. He stayed for a cookout the next day.
That familiarity will help when the Tigers try to sort it all out.
Not in the class: Smith, Washington, Christian Tutt, CD Daniels, Kyler McMichael, JaKorey Hawkins and Jamari Brown.
I will be bitter about missing on Armour-Davis for awhile...
Coynis Miller has helped tho
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:55 pm to TigerPaw1
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Defensive line (5): 4-star prospect Coynis Miller (Birmingham, Ala.), Daquan Newkirk (Orlando, Fla.),Andres Fox (Mobile, Ala.), 4-star recruit Richard Jibunor (Athens, Ga.), Caleb Johnson (Columbus, Ga.)
Things became a little bit clearer the last couple weeks.
Daquan Newkirk is solid as ever, and nothing has changed there.
But Miller officially committed to the Tigers on Saturday. He’d been in every single SEC Country Auburn class projection in spring, summer and fall, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him finally join the class last weekend. That makes the need for defensive tackles going forward much less important.
Andres Fox recently informed the recruiting world of his “silent commitment” to a school. I have pretty high confidence that it’s Auburn. If so, the defensive end who will likely develop into a tackle would wrap up any interior need by the Tigers.
Richard Jibunor makes the class, as he has for every edition. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was the next to publicly commit when he makes his decision in November.
The last name on the list returns after a one-month layoff: Caleb Johnson.
He visited for the Auburn-Ole Miss game, and it’s really down to three schools for him — Auburn, Tennessee and Georgia. He visited Georgia last weekend, and I think he’d commit if the Bulldogs let him. Tennessee recruits him the hardest, but with the more than likely staff change there, Auburn seems like the most logical landing spot right now.
He likely projects as a strongside defensive end at the next level.
Not in the class: Kayode Oladele, Brenton Cox, John Mincey, Caleb Tannor and Tobe Umerah,
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:55 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Linebacker (2): 4-star recruit Michael Harris (Tucker, Ga.), 4-star prospect Quay Walker (Cordele, Ga.)
Michael Harris has been the lone linebacker in the class for the last few months. He’s solid and playing at a high level for Tucker High School.
The second prospect to join the class at linebacker is a little less clear.
I’m going with the wow factor a little bit on this one, but it also might double as the most likely addition. Quay Walker is committed to Alabama. Nothing has changed there. But he’s shopping around. He visited Auburn three weeks ago and Florida State two weeks ago. Don’t be surprised to see him back on the Plains for Georgia and Alabama to end the season.
Ultimately, it’s not going to be easy to pry him away from the Crimson Tide. But, if anyone can do it, I think it’s linebackers coach Travis Williams.
Not in the class: Channing Tindall, JJ Peterson, La’Dedric Jackson and Zakoby McClain
Posted on 10/24/17 at 3:58 pm to TigerPaw1
Which prospects left out of defensive projection are most likely to be in Auburn’s class? (SECCountry)
FWIW on Oladele, KN says hasn't been playing due to a visa issue. Supposedly he's gotten it all straightened out
quote:
Most likely to land in Auburn’s class despite projection
The Tuesday defensive projection added a few new names to the list. It’s shaping up to be another solid class on the defensive side of the football, but it’s unlikely for Auburn to land everyone it wants in the class. It’s also possible the Tigers land on some people who I think they’re playing from behind for.
With that said, here’s the status on the five guys I left out who are most likely to land in the class down the line.
4-star CB Christian Tutt: As Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports first reported, Tutt plans to officially visit in November or December. That’s fairly big news from a prospect who has fallen off the radar some over the last few months. He was once down to a final group of Alabama, Florida State and Georgia, but opted to take things slow as those programs examined other cornerback options. Tutt has visited Auburn a few times in the past, but his interest has seemed hesitant at best in the past. The same can’t be said now that he has an official visit likely on deck. With the cornerback position something of an uncertainty, this is one to watch.
3-star DE Kayode Oladele: Here’s a prospect who was in my previous two defensive projections, but I’ve removed him from this month’s version. Oladele is high on Auburn, though a few other programs — Miami, Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee and Ole Miss — are in this, too. But the catch here: Oladele hasn’t played so far this season, which has been a hiccup for a few college evaluators. If Oladele can get back on the field, it’ll help his chances of landing back in the Auburn projections.
4-star LB JJ Peterson: Peterson has always seemed like a lock to Alabama, and nothing has changed on that front. With that said, it’s a little odd his decision-making process has carried on this long. He’s always claimed Auburn is his No. 2 school, but Georgia will likely work its way into this one if it can. Peterson’s relationship with Travis Williams would be the deciding factor. Will it be enough to overcome Alabama? For now, I say no, which is why he falls here and not in the Tuesday projection.
4-star LB Channing Tindall: Auburn doesn’t just have to beat out South Carolina for Tindall. In fact, Georgia might now be the squad on top. Tindall — from Columbia, S.C. — actually grew up a huge Bulldogs fan. That has helped Georgia get into the game. With Georgia’s season success, it’s been able to creep up his leaderboard. Meanwhile, Tindall hasn’t visited Auburn since the summer, so it’ll be critical for the Tigers to make that happen down the stretch.
3-star LB La’Dedric Jackson: If Auburn is unable to flip Quay Walker, who made the projection, then it’s possible Auburn will have to go the backup route at linebacker. Jackson seems like a legitimate possibility. He recently de-committed from Missouri, and he’s visited Auburn in the past. Now, Jackson will have to wait on that Auburn offer. It’s probably a waiting game to see who Auburn has a serious chance with, but the Tigers are communicating regularly with Jackson just to be safe.
FWIW on Oladele, KN says hasn't been playing due to a visa issue. Supposedly he's gotten it all straightened out
Posted on 10/25/17 at 6:47 am to TigerPaw1
Trey Hill has gotten two CBs to UGA in the last couple of days? We losing traction there too like Wonnum? We really need a couple more big time OL.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 7:09 am to RandySavage
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Trey Hill has gotten two CBs to UGA in the last couple of days? We losing traction there too like Wonnum? We really need a couple more big time OL.
IIRC, both people who put those in put in several picks. So probably just catching up on some prospects picks that are obvious (based on the current crystal ball #s)
Posted on 10/25/17 at 7:49 am to RandySavage
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Trey Hill has gotten two CBs to UGA in the last couple of days? We losing traction there too like Wonnum? We really need a couple more big time OL.
Not sure on Hill. KN & Wolk both seem to think we are still in a good spot. Hill has made it clear that playing early & winning are his two big things. We have sold him on #1, need a strong November to sell him on #2.
We are definitely losing traction on Wonnum. Mostly due to his brother being at SCAR & them having a goodish season. Getting him back on campus is big. That & finishing strong
Personally, unless Gus gets the axe I think we get Hill. He's spent a lot of time in Auburn & seems to really believe he can play early. UGA wants him to move to center to get on field early & I don't think he's a big fan of that idea. However, he is buddies with a lot of those UGA commits specifically Justin Fields so we will see
Posted on 10/25/17 at 7:51 am to TigerPaw1
Another Montgomery kid decommitted from Mizzou. First 3* LaDedric Jackson, now 3* Cam Taylor. Both are guys that would be solid backup options for AU
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:43 am to TigerPaw1
AU apparently also offered Matthew Hill's teammate yesterday 3* CB Kendall Williamson. He's currently committed to Stanford. I LOVE this kid's film & have been high on him since summer. Will be interesting to see if we make a push
AU has offered a bunch of CBs recently. Looks like Brown has gotten enough 2017 senior film to pull the trigger on some CB targets
AU has offered a bunch of CBs recently. Looks like Brown has gotten enough 2017 senior film to pull the trigger on some CB targets
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:50 am to TigerPaw1
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now 3* Cam Taylor. Both are guys that would be solid backup options for AU
Whoa.
When did he decommit?
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:51 am to HailToTheChiz
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Whoa.
When did he decommit?
This morning
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:52 am to TigerPaw1
very interesting
i had thought he was a lock for mizzou
i had thought he was a lock for mizzou
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:55 am to HailToTheChiz
quote:
very interesting
i had thought he was a lock for mizzou
Guessing struggles this season plus possible coaching change scared him off. Very interested to see where he signs. I think he's got a chance to be a really good DB or WR at the next level
Posted on 10/25/17 at 5:05 pm to TigerPaw1
Looks like Trey Hill is not happening :(
Better get Tank on the phone quick
Better get Tank on the phone quick
Posted on 10/25/17 at 6:00 pm to RandySavage
Boy, you give up easily
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