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

Richard Jibunor sets up for Thanksgiving Day decision between Auburn, Florida and Tennessee (SECCountry)

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Richard Jibunor to pick Auburn, Florida or Tennessee

It’s quite fitting for Richard Jibunor to be committing on Thanksgiving.

Of all the prospects I’ve covered, nobody is more thankful for the coverage of his recruitment. Jibunor will make sure to shake your hand and thank you for coming out to an Athens (Ga.) Christian game or practice. He will direct message a thank you for publishing a story about his recruitment and rare journey into the college football world.

Jibunor will announce a decision Thursday that will leave one fan base thanking him dearly for blessing their program with his athleticism. The 4-star linebacker/defensive end will announce his commitment around noon ET with what I anticipate will be a thanks-filled tweet.

Auburn, Florida and Tennessee are the choices. All three have been close to earning commitments from Jibunor throughout the recruiting process. Here are Jibunor’s quick takes on how all three programs worked their way into his recruitment.

Auburn: “Since Auburn offered me last summer, they started recruiting me hard. [Defensive line] coach [Rodney] Garner and [linebackers] coach T-Will [Travis Williams], they became very close to me. We talk all the time. They told me they wanted me. They’ve been on me for as long as I can remember.”

Florida: “With Florida, it was [linebackers] coach [Tim] Skipper. And I like the way they play. When I went there, it was just how welcoming they were. All the coaches. How they welcomed me was just so awesome.”

Tennessee: “Tennessee was my first SEC offer. I always wanted to play in the SEC. When Tennessee offered, I said that’s it. I was at Tennessee almost every time. I built a very good relationship with [linebackers] coach [Tommy] Thigpen. I like him, man. I love him and his family. He has a beautiful, awesome family. I’m very close to him. I always felt like Tennessee was the one from the beginning.”

If Jibunor were to choose Auburn, it would be the Tigers’ 16th commitment in the Class of 2018.

It’s still unclear whether Jibunor will play outside linebacker or bulk into a defensive lineman. As the former, Jibunor would join Michael Harris as the only two linebacker commits in Auburn’s class. Jibunor would make the third defensive lineman committed, joining Daquan Newkirk and Coynis Miller.

A Jibunor commitment would jump Auburn over Michigan to No. 13 in the 247Sports composite team rankings, just a few composite points behind UCLA. From gathering intel around Jibunor’s commitment from start to finish, I stand by my belief that Auburn pulls this one out, though I think Tennessee and Florida made this one much closer than most people believe.

Jibunor is ranked the No. 291 overall prospect in the 2018 class. He would be Auburn’s eighth 4-star commitment in the class.

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Miami insider just CB's Oladele to AU

Oladele is another of those kids who has only played one season plus six games, and those six games this year he averaged a sack a game and almost ten tackles per game.

This kid will be a beast. If we end up with the aforementioned five def lineman that will be a great haul.

BREAKING: Richard Jibunor commits to Auburn over Florida, Tennessee on Thanksgiving (SECCountry)

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ATHENS, Ga. — Asked when he knew Auburn was his choice, Richard Jibunor gave a conflicting response.

“I’ve always known,” he started.

“But really, after the Georgia game,” he closed.

Either way, Auburn landed its 16th commitment when Jibunor chose the Tigers over Florida and Tennessee. The 4-star linebacker/defensive end propels Auburn to No. 13 in the recruiting class rankings with some important work left to do in the Class of 2018 to return to a top-10 class.

Jibunor’s addition has felt like a long time coming. He has visited the Plains since receiving an offer last summer. Linebackers coach Travis Williams and defensive line coach Rodney Garner both made it clear their want for the Athens-area athlete.

But it wasn’t always as crystal-clear Auburn as it may have seemed. Jibunor had moments throughout his recruitment when he felt ready to choose Tennessee (especially at the beginning) and Florida (especially at the end). With Florida, he became some entrenched in the Gators’ culture this fall that he was doing the Gator chomp after sacks and other big plays.

That’s why Jibunor hesitates to say he’d “always known” it’d be Auburn. But eventually, the mystique of the Plains had its lasting efffect.

“That’s why I wouldn’t say I’ve always known. Because at one time, I was almost committing to Florida. It was so close. Initially, I wanted to go to Tennessee,” Jibunor said. “But every time I visit Auburn, I feel so, I feel so, I feel happy. Let me use the word happy. I feel like that’s where I want to be. The fan base is beautiful. The football team is awesome. The academic standard is good. It’s a beautiful city. It’s a place I feel I want to be.”

The Georgia game sealed the deal.

Jibunor had seen several Jordan-Hare Stadium environments, but it was never anything like the win over the No. 1 Bulldogs. If there were ever any doubts about the Tigers, everything about that game day experience put them to rest.

After flirting with Knoxville, Tenn., and Gainesville, Fla., Jibunor finally realized he didn’t need to wait any longer. Auburn was home.

“I went back to Auburn and it just felt different. I went back again for the Georgia game, and I was like, that’s the place to be,” he said. “I was just there, and sometimes, you know, you go walk around on the field. I just prayed and listened to what was going on in my heart. Deep down, I just keep hearing a voice, and it’s Auburn.”

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Four-star ATH Richard Jibunor commits to Auburn (Rivals)

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Richard Jibunor had that feeling the first time he stepped foot on the Auburn campus.

The 6-foot-4, 210 pound athlete out of Athens (Ga.) Athens Christian School camped on the Plains the summer before his junior year in 2016 and he loved it.

Early on in his recruitment, it was Tennessee in the lead. He almost committed to the Volunteers on more than one occasion. Then Auburn moved up his list and it came down to the Tigers and Florida in the end.

Auburn won out.

"It was a lot tougher decision than I thought it was going to be at first," said Jibunor. "It was a very tough process for me. I really liked Auburn, Florida and Tennessee a lot and I was almost committed a lot time ago to Tennessee.

"I waited though because I wanted to be sure of my decision, so after talking it over with my family, I knew it was Auburn.

"I love the school, I love the environment and since I first visited there, I have loved Auburn. The coaches there make me feel like family and I just always had that feeling about Auburn."

Jibunor plans to play outside linebacker for the Tigers and he has gotten close to the coach he plans to play for, Travis Williams.

At first, it was all recruiting when those two talked, but over time, the relationship turned more personal.

"We talk about every day now. We are so close. He knows me well and I know him well.

"We don't even talk about recruiting anymore. We haven't talked about that in a while. We talk about life, about our families and we just have a great relationship.

"It is more like friends now and he is part of why I chose Auburn."

The four star senior was at Auburn a two Saturdays ago when they beat Georgia. He will be back this weekend for the Iron Bowl, but this time he will be committed.

He feels great about his decision and he cannot wait to make it official.

"I will be signing with Auburn during the early signing period in December," said Jibunor. "I am ready to close the deal and get this done.

"Auburn is a beautiful place and it is the school for me. I love everything about it — the tradition, the people, the school and I am excited."

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Boom!

I wonder.

Someone just committed. Just got another Boom

Jinx