re: 2019 Football Recruiting Thread - Auburn Goes 4/7 & Land Brothers

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Top visitors for Auburn’s second junior day

Auburn hosted a successful initial junior day on Feb. 3 that included close to 70 prospects on campus.

The Tigers are going for more of an exclusive event this time around. Auburn’s plan is to host a more tight-knit group of high-priority targets. The list below fits that description well. At the start of the day, there were 16 recruits listed — a dozen from the 2019 class — who Auburn will emphasize on Saturday. As always, expect to see more names pop up throughout the day. I’ll add any important unexpected arrivals in bold throughout the day.

4-star CB Devin Bush, New Orleans, La.
4-star LB Ge’Mon Eaford, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
4-star RB John Emery, Destrehan, La.
4-star DE Jaren Handy, New Augusta, Miss.
4-star DE Braylen Ingraham, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
4-star OG Keiondre Jones, Hogansville, Ga.
4-star DE Derrick McClendon, Tucker, Ga.
4-star DE Nathan Pickering, Seminary, Miss.
3-star CB Raykwon Anderson, Folkston, Ga.
3-star TE Luke Deal, Greenwood, S.C.
3-star CB Martin Emerson, Pensacola, Fla.
3-star TE Tyler Fromm, Warner Robins, Ga.
2020 ILB Jackson Bratton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
2020 DT Jamil Burroughs, Powder Springs, Ga.
2020 RB Jordon Simmons, Powder Springs, Ga.
2021 QB Aaron McClaughlin, Buford, Ga.
Junior day regularly consists of more advanced tours than the typical visit. Recruits will get the full football facility breakdown, but it’s also a time for student-athletes to check out the colleges for their majors and understand the academic process of Auburn’s college experience. Oftentimes, junior day is a chance to impress the parents as much as it is about the player.

With Auburn’s final regular season home basketball game, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a big portion of the group attend that game, as the Tigers have a chance to clinch the SEC regular-season title in front of a home crowd. The football program has been an avid supporter of this basketball team and has used it as a recruiting tool, as well.

Here are a few more breakout details from this event.

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Linebacker coming up from Florida, in top 7 for another

Earlier this week, the 2019 linebacker class preview painted a busy picture for position coach Travis Williams.

It described a national net Williams will cast in the 2019 class. He won’t stick to Alabama and Georgia, which is where all of the linebackers signed — KJ Britt, Chandler Wooten, TD Moultry, Michael Harris and Zakoby McClain — are from since Williams took over as linebackers coach.

Two of the most important names to remember: Ge’Mon Eaford and De’Gabriel Floyd.

Eaford is probably physical enough to grow into a Buck, but a source close to the situation confirmed he’s one of Williams’ top linebacker targets in the entire class. He ranks as the No. 11 outside linebacker in the nation and the No. 175 overall prospect. Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida State and Miami are all serious factors right now, as well.

But, and this has become commonplace, the relationship with Williams will carry Auburn far on this one.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker visited Auburn with his entire Deerfield Beach team last summer for a couple days. I spoke with several of those players during that multi-day camp visit, and they all directed me to Eaford as the most likely candidate to end up at Auburn. A lot has changed for Eaford since then, so the competitiveness of his recruitment is at a completely different level than last summer.

Williams hasn’t let off the gas, however, going to south Florida with Larry Porter at any chance to go see Eaford. This will be a huge junior day visit for the linebacker.

Also, Williams has gone out west to offer a few linebackers. Floyd from Los Angeles, Calif., is at the forefront. The No. 3 outside linebacker in the country has been offered by Southern Cal and UCLA, as expected, but he’s also earned offers from Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas and others.

Williams will attempt to fight off all of those for Floyd. He’s off to a good start, at least.

Floyd released a top 7 that includes Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona State and Texas.

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One name on the list above didn’t make the trip. Nathan Pickering, a top defensive end target, was set to come back for his second visit in a month, but he had a change of plans. It would’ve been a telling visit, but even without it, Auburn is still in a good place for what will become a competitive recruitment.

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Auburn offered 2021 quarterback Aaron McLaughlin from Buford High School in Buford, Ga. He attended several football games in the fall and has been at both junior days so far this spring. McLaughlin already has 20 offers heading into his sophomore season.

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2020 Auburn defensive end commit Andy Boykin took a recent visit to Georgia, but he left “still 100 percent Auburn.” Boykin said it likely won’t be the last Georgia visit he takes, and it probably won’t be the last time he visits another top program either — likely Florida, Florida State, Tennessee or Alabama. Regardless, defensive line coach Rodney Garner has made Boykin feel at home enough to know it’ll be tough to ever flip from the Tigers.

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Miami offensive guard commit Kingsley Eguakun was at Auburn for junior day. He said he wasn’t sure whether or not a school could flip him from the Hurricans, but the Tigers are going to have a shot. He plans to return later in the spring with his high school coach. Eguakun made this visit with his mother. Auburn offered Eguakun recently.

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AUBURN, Ala. — John Emery admits he wasn’t an Auburn guru before he took a visit.

The 4-star running back from Destrehan, La., made his first trip to the Plains this weekend, arriving on Friday with his family and leaving Sunday. Emery wasn’t laden with Auburn-related knowledge prior to the trip. He didn’t know much about the school history, or even the Iron Bowl rivalry.

But he came to learn — and that’s exactly what he did.

Emery immersed himself in the campus and program culture. He’s in the evaluation stage of his recruiting process.

What did he find? Auburn is a “top contender,” he said.

“Really, before I came here, I didn’t have that much interest. I wasn’t high on them. But Auburn, right there around the corner, a five-hour drive, I came to check it out. I loved the environment. The atmosphere, everyone is just happy. I could see myself playing here, most definitely,” Emery said. “I loved it, man. I didn’t expect this. They’re a top contender, I would say that, most definitely. After this visit, it felt like home.”

Emery, the No. 7 running back nationally, hasn’t taken many visits this spring so far, even to home-state LSU, who many believe is the favorite to land him. He has taken a junior day visit to Michigan already. Michigan and Auburn fit similar molds as traditional programs with strong running back history, though the Tigers fit the close-to-home description much better. Emery said on two separate occasions that Auburn is “right around the corner,” so the 5-hour drive didn’t deter him.

The fact Emery opted to come up for an Auburn junior day weekend speaks to the initial intrigue in the Tigers despite not knowing much about them.

He left with much more knowledge and much more interest.

“I feel special. I feel special here, man. No doubt I could see myself playing here,” Emery said. “Absolutely [I’ll be back soon]. It’s right around the corner. Spring, fall, all that. I’ll be checking them out.”

One source close to the situation named Emery and Noah Cain as Auburn’s top-2 running back targets in 2019, and Auburn will work to sign at least one. Of course, Emery and Cain are also the top-two targets for places such as LSU and Georgia, and potentially others, so it’ll be a competitive battle for both.

Auburn is using a combination of Kodi Burns, Larry Porter, Tim Horton and Chip Lindsey to recruit Emery.

Horton, the running backs coach and new recruiting coordinator, spent a lot of time with Emery on Friday and Saturday. The message from Horton to Emery is clear.

“Tim, he’s a forward guy. He told me about the offense they run, that they get their backs to the league. That’s one thing that I love. They’ve got a lot of the top rushers in the SEC. That’s major right there. The spread, I’m used to running that. He asked if I’ve been running that all my life,” Emery said. “I could see myself here. It’s all about fit. That’s what he told me.”

Emery doesn’t have any leaders at this time, but he holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee and Southern Cal, among others. He doesn’t have specific visits planned in the near future, though he’s considering a few. Emery wants to use those visits to narrow down on a top 5, which he expects Auburn to crack.

“I would give by the start of the summer,” he said.

From then on, it’ll be a chase by Emery’s top 5 for one of the best running backs in the nation.

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Auburn ‘very much in picture’ for top TE target

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn is determined to solve its tight end situation with the 2019 class.

For the Tigers, that makes Luke Deal a can’t-miss.

Deal ranks as the No. 20 tight end and No. 486 overall prospect nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and his stock is rising. He has picked up offers this spring from Georgia, Auburn, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Michigan, Florida, Clemson and Ohio State. At 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, Deal brings a hybrid skill set that falls right in line with what the Tigers want in a tight end.

In fact, Deal finished out his Saturday visit with some 1-on-1 time with Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. The conversation centered around that tight end need.

“My highlight was probably talking to Coach Malzahn. We were just talking about the tight end need that they have, how I’d be able to play early since I’m going to be a midyear enrollee. It’s awesome,” Deal said. “They’ve been going some H-back and some tight end. They want somebody that can stay on the field and play up-tempo like they like to play. I feel like I can be that guy. They feel like I can be that guy. I really like the offense.”

Deal experienced the Auburn tight end room first-hand.

He attended the Tigers’ second spring practice on Saturday and watched closely to how Auburn uses its tight ends and H-backs. Deal also sat in on a team meeting with tight ends coach Larry Porter. The Greenwood, S.C., prospect used the word “fit” to describe the feeling he got in Auburn practices and meetings.

“I liked watching practice and where I’d fit. I think I’d be a pretty good fit,” Deal said. “I love how the campus is close together, all the buildings are close together. Practice was up-tempo with great energy. I love the coaching staff. It was just a great time.”

Auburn wasn’t Deal’s only visit over the weekend.

He went to home-state Clemson on Friday. Those Tigers are perceived as the No. 1 threat, but Clemson added a tight end/receiver hybrid prospect on Saturday, so Auburn’s need is likely greater.

Throughout the spring, Deal is likely to take at least three of his official visits — to Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame. He wants to see the Midwest schools prior to making a June or July decision. Deal expects to leave an official visit slot open for one or two schools in the fall, and right now, Clemson and Auburn are the front-runners.

Auburn aced its first visit for Deal, who stayed overnight.

“They are very much in the picture,” Deal said. “I’ll definitely be back. It was great. First taste, and I’m ready ready to get some more.”

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AUBURN | Offensive guard Kingsley Equakun committed to Miami in January, but will visit other schools before signing a National Letter of Intent.

Equakun, from Atlantic Coast in Jacksonville, Fla., was in Auburn on Saturday.

“It was my first time (at Auburn) and I liked it a lot,” Equakun said. “It was great.”

Equakun was one of several juniors in Auburn for Junior Day. He made the trip one week after receiving an offer from the Tigers. His mother and brother were with him on the visit.

Equakun toured the campus, watched practice, met the coaches and attended Auburn’s basketball win over South Carolina.

“It was a great experience,” Equakun said. “It was great talking to all of the coaches, getting to meet everybody.”

Equakun remains committed to Miami, but plans to make at least one more visit to Auburn.

“I’m very interested in Auburn,” Equakun said. “It’s a great opportunity and a great school. I’ll definitely be back later in the spring.”

Equakun also is considering LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Alabama, among others.

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AUBURN | Four-star guard Keiondre Jones is getting familiar with Auburn.

For the Tigers, that’s a good thing.

Jones, from Callaway in Hogansville, Ga., visited Auburn several times last fall and returned to campus each of the past two weekends.

“I feel at home,” Jones said. “I like that it’s right down the road. It’s easy for me to get to and I love the coaches here.”

Jones’s visit on Saturday offered him the chance to see something new. Jones watched Auburn practice in the morning, which gave him his first glimpse of first-year offensive line coach J.B. Grimes.

“I had a good time, and it was good to see Coach Grimes coach because I hadn’t seen that before,” Jones said. “That was a good learning experience.”

Jones met with Grimes and area recruiter Rodney Garner. He’s developing close bonds with both coaches.

“Me and Coach Garner have had a good relationship for a long time,” Jones said. “And I like Coach Grimes.”

Auburn is steadily moving up Jones’s list of favorites. The Tigers join Florida, Clemson, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Alabama, among others.

“No leader right now, but Auburn is working their way to the top,” Jones said. “I like that it’s close to home and it’s big-time football. I just have a good feeling here. It has a good vibe.”

Jones plans to return to Auburn for its A-Day game in April. He also will visit other schools, including Florida March 16-17.

Jones plans to narrow his focus, possibly announce his commitment, before the start of his senior season.

Rivals ranks Jones, who is 6-foot-3 and weighs 310 pounds, the No. 8 guard in the 2019 class and No. 147 in the Rivals250.

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