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

Seeing Emory Jones suck also makes me feel a bit better about losing him...until Mullen works his magic and turns him into a star. I still hate the fact that we only have one QB committed.

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If Joiners ceiling was that high someone would have already taken him. Teams are passing on him for a reason

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I think his belief that he's a bellcow RB is the main reason. Most teams don't think he's a true RB but more than likely a WR/TE hybrid at next level. If KJ does go pro then maybe staff takes Joiner as extra insurance at RB but also counting him as a TE/H-Back. Interested to see what happens

Will help the class score at least

But if JS does the unthinkable and declares early, we will be left with two scholarship QBs. Then if MW goes down we are fricked because it will probably take at least two years for JG to develop.

Some of ya'll aren't gonna like this but KN has update on William Barnes. The #1 reason Barnes is interested in AU is Herb Hand. Thinks he's a great OL coach & has bonded with him. KN's sources say AU is a very real threat & the staff likes that they get the last OV. UNC might currently be the leader as they have a long relationship with him and his mom is an alum. UF is still a factor but he's still getting to know their new staff. Some of KN's sources think Gators are out of it, others think they will end up the team to beat. But bottom line is AU is at worst #2 right now in this race

KN put up an update on 4* RB Harold Joiner last night. Says with KJ declaring it appears AU does want to take a 3rd RB & that Joiner is the top target. He is now being recruited purely as a RB & not an ATH. Joiner plans to take an OV January 12th & it's only one he has scheduled right now. UCLA & Ole Miss will probably get OVs as well. Apparently AU is only team he's talked too this week & apparently there's a chance he does announce his commitment Saturday. More than likely that would be to Auburn. He said he will know after today whether or not that will happen. It's now looking like Joiner is gonna end up at AU

What a crazy arse recruitment

Nation’s top-ranked uncommitted running back Harold Joiner plans Auburn official visit after LSU mishap (SECCountry)

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SAN ANTONIO — Harold Joiner‘s recruitment hit a recent road block.

The 4-star running back from Birmingham, Ala., had called LSU for most of his recruiting process. In fact, Joiner — after telling the staff in December he was going to commit — planned to announce during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl broadcast. But the LSU staff cut off communication shortly after he informed them of his decision.

That forced Joiner, who is understandably disappointed with how this unfolded, to start looking elsewhere.

“It’s hard. Recruiting is hard, honestly. I just gotta sit down and focus on what I need to do with other schools now,” Joiner told SEC Country on Tuesday. “It was bad. I was pretty mad. I called them. Texted. Didn’t answer.”

Joiner thinks of it like going back to square one of his recruitment.

He revealed his preferred list of programs going forward, which includes Auburn, Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida, Florida State and UCLA. With that said, Joiner admitted “basically everybody” still has a shot with him after the LSU mishap.

Auburn will get the first crack at it. So far, his Jan. 12 scheduled trip to the Plains is his only official visit set in stone.

“I only have one set up right now with Auburn on the 12th,” Joiner said. “It’s close to home, so it makes sense to set up my official and go there first. Plus, Auburn’s one of my top schools I’ve been looking at forever. It’s the home-town team. They’re a great offense. They run a spread, and I think that fits me really well.”

Joiner admitted a slight change in his own perception of Auburn throughout the year.

The Tigers were always in it for Joiner, but part of him saw some value in looking at out-of-state programs. He still has interest in pursuing those offers, as well, but his two most recent visits to the Plains had an effect on him. Joiner attended for the Georgia and Alabama games, which showed him the kind of offensive improvements Auburn has shown.

It improved Auburn’s status in his mind — and he hopes to see that grow on his official.

“It has changed. I got back into them when they started back texting me,” Joiner said. “Last time I talked to them seriously about [position fit], they said they wanted me as a running back but would move me out wide sometimes, but that my main position would be running back. … They have all the things I want with the program and education-wise. I’m just going to be looking at how I fit in there and see if I’m cool with the players. I already kinda am right now, but I want to get to know them a little more.”

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Auburn lands official from top running back, and more notes from Day 2 of U.S. Army All-American Bowl (SECCountry)

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SAN ANTONIO — Day 2 of U.S. Army All-American Bowl practices are in the books.

Here are the big Auburn takeaways from Tuesday:

1. Harold Joiner will make official visit to Auburn in mid-January

SEC Country LSU recruiting reporter Sam Spiegelman on Monday broke down the situation that unfolded with Harold Joiner. I also mentioned it in the Day 1 notes from the Army Bowl and hinted a bigger Auburn-related update to come.

Well, you can check that more in-depth update out right here.

Joiner has set up a Jan. 12 official visit to Auburn. After the LSU mishap (the school suddenly cut off communication with the 4-star running back), Joiner will be patient in January in the lead-up to National Signing Day. He’s much more conscious of the unfortunate things that can transpire in the recruiting process. The LSU situation burned him a little bit, and Joiner will be careful with how he approaches the next month.

With Kerryon Johnson announcing Tuesday he is going pro, Auburn adding a third running back in the 2018 looks likely. Joiner and Kavosiey Smoke are the two most realistic places to start.

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3. There are several ‘Auburn was my No. 2’ prospects here

This might not be the note Auburn fans want to see, but it’s worth mentioning.

I’ve had multiple prospects tell me this week that the Tigers were the No. 2 program in their recruitment. Again, fans only care if they were No. 1, but it says something about a school that it has so many top prospects considering it until the very end.

Just this week, Georgia signees Channing Tindall, Luke Ford and Trey Hill, along with Alabama signee Jalyn Armour-Davis, all said the Tigers came in a close second.

Of course, there are no moral victories in recruiting.

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Yay I guess....

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I've been watching Harold play his whole life. Kid is a hell of an athlete. If he can keep his head on straight, Auburn will get a good one.

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I want to love him but his running style and recruitment make it hard. There's no denying dude is eaten up with talent, just not sure it's at RB. If he learns to run behind his pads and shows more physicality he can be a stud. But I haven't really seen that yet (admittedly this is based off only his junior tape). Hoping he comes in with good attitude and puts the work in