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

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Kayode Oladele changes decision timeline

For a while, Kayode Oladele has been trending to Auburn.

After he visited for the Iron Bowl, Oladele sounded like he could be the next to commit. He’d set up a commitment date — Dec. 12, which is his birthday. It was set up two days after his Auburn official visit, which he still plans to take this upcoming weekend.

But there’s been a slight change in plans.

Oladele won’t make that decision a week from Tuesday, as originally planned. With Florida State — another key school involved — undergoing a coaching change, he wants to be patient so he can hear what the new Seminoles coach has to say.

Even with the delayed decision, the Tigers are still in a great spot.

“They told me I have opportunity if I come here. They want to work with me and develop me to get to where I want to get to in life,” Oladele said. “I would say [Auburn’s] top 2.”

Oladele’s most recent visit came for the Auburn-Alabama game.

Originally, he wanted that to be his official visit. Instead, because of Rodney Garner’s game-day availability, Oladele opted to wait until after the season to take that Auburn official visit. He still expects to take that this weekend. In fact, he’s finalizing the details of that trip later Tuesday.

One factor that will help Auburn: Richard Jibunor.

Both are Nigeria natives, and they spent a lot of time together over Iron Bowl weekend. Oladele admitted he heard from Jibunor on multiple occassions that he should just go ahead and commit to the Tigers to end the process. That’s still what most people expect to happen, but the wait might drag on a week or two longer than previously scheduled.

“He’s committed. He was telling me to come here. We should team up. He was telling me all the coaches are really good to him, which is actually what made him make the decision of coming [to Auburn],” Oladele said. “He’s recruiting me so hard and telling me to come here and become a family.”

Oladele hopes to sign and enroll early after making his upcoming decision.

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Could Auburn take Swartz and Ross? If both want to come and Auburn doesnt want to take more WR, would we make room by trying to grey shirt a different WR?

Let’s get to the second part of the question first.

Auburn already has three wide receivers committed. Shedrick Jackson, Matthew Hill and Seth Williams are all in the Class of 2018, and the Tigers feel great about all of them. Each has a unique skill set that will bring different receiver styles to the group. Under no circumstances will any of the three be grayshirted.

They’re all far too talented for that. But it brings up an interesting challenge as it relates to the first question.

Would Auburn be willing to take Anthony Schwartz and Justyn Ross? The short answer is yes, but as I’m sure you know because you asked, it’s much more complex than that.

There are already 18 prospects committed in the 2018 class. That leaves seven spots to fill, and one very well could end up being a punter. So, at a position group that doesn’t lose anything to the draft this offseason, would Auburn use two of the six remaining spots on receivers when there are already three guys committed?

Auburn wants both Schwartz and Ross. Both guys offer such different components athletically that it’s tough to choose one over the other. Schwartz is a smaller, speedier receiver. Ross is the big-bodied, go-up-and-get-it type. Tigers receiver coach Kodi Burns would love both in his arsenal.

Auburn feels like it’s in good shape with both, though there’s a higher level of confidence with Schwartz. He even said after the Iron Bowl that Auburn was his new leader, in large part because of the Florida coaching change. But he’s also indicated he wants to move his decision process up, potentially moving up his official visit plans a whole month.

This would make a lot of sense for what Auburn would like him to do.

Ross won’t make a decision until National Signing Day, and that isn’t changing. Auburn may be playing from behind Clemson right now, but it’s not over. There will be a spot for Ross come signing day if he wants it. He’s the in-state guy, and the in-state guy will almost always earn the preference.

In Schwartz’s case, the Tigers would love to have him. He’d add an element to the offense that’s tough to turn down. But with spots limited, Auburn’s preference would be for Schwartz to make his decision sooner rather than later to make sure he’s committed and signed early enough to allow for the rest of the remaining scholarship spots to play themselves out in January/February.

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Alabama Super 7 championships schedule, times, TV channels

7A: McGill-Toolen Catholic (13-0) vs. Hoover (10-3)

Game time: Wednesday, 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa (Ala.)

TV/Online streaming: WTVM Auburn/Opelika/Phenix City, WBRC Birmingham, WAFF Huntsville, WSFA Montgomery/Dothan, WDFX Dothan

Live stats: Beginning Wednesday here.

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4A: UMS-Wright (12-2) vs. Fayette County (12-2)

Game time: Friday, 11 a.m. CT / Noon ET

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa (Ala.)

TV/Online streaming: WTVM Auburn/Opelika/Phenix City, WBRC Birmingham, WAFF Huntsville, WSFA Montgomery/Dothan, WDFX Dothan

Live stats: Beginning Friday here.

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2A: Leroy (12-2) vs. Lanett (14-0)

Game time: Friday, 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa (Ala.)

TV/Online streaming: WTVM Auburn/Opelika/Phenix City, WBRC Birmingham, WAFF Huntsville, WSFA Montgomery/Dothan, WDFX Dothan

Live stats: Beginning Friday here.

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5 players to watch

4-star 2019 QB Bo Nix, Pinson Valley (Ala.)

The performance Bo Nix put on in the third round to beat the Asa Martin-led Auburn squad was one of the best of the Alabama high school season. He tossed 7 touchdown passes in a come-from-behind victory. Pinson Valley is undefeated, and the top quarterback prospect in the state for the 2019 class is a big reason why. Nix has been a hot commodity in recruiting for the Class of 2019. Auburn is the heavy favorite because of his legacy connection, but programs such as Clemson, Georgia, LSU and Florida State are interested.

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3-star RB Kavosiey Smoke, Wetumpka (Ala.)

Here is one of the biggest risers in Alabama during the Class of 2018. Kavosiey Smoke is ranked just inside the top 700 prospects nationally for the 2018 class. He has been a visitor at the two big in-state programs — Auburn and Alabama — this season, but neither program has offered. That’s allowed several out-of-state Power 5 schools to enter Alabama to check out the 6-foot, 210-pound running back. Smoke holds offers from Missouri, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Connecticut and Virginia Tech.

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4-star 2019 WR George Pickens & 3-star 2018 WR Shedrick Jackson, Hoover (Ala.)

Here’s a 2-for-1 special for Auburn fans to check out in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday night. Jackson and Pickens are both committed to the Tigers and are in line to lead Hoover to yet another state championship. Hoover topped McGill-Toolen in last year’s state title in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Jackson and Pickens will play a big role in the repeat this time around. Jackson plans to enroll at Auburn in January. Pickens is the lone piece in Auburn’s 2019 class so far.

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