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

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Derrick Brown & Smoke Monday immediately off the top of my head without think about if there is more.

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This weekend’s The Opening Regional in Atlanta is full of Top247 recruits in the 2019 and 2020 classes as prospects look to earn their ticket to the finals this summer in Dallas.

Headlining the list, a pair of Georgia commits in receiver Jadon Haselwood and defensive end Nolan Smith who both rank as top five recruits according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite Player Rankings with Haselwood checking in at No. 2 regardless of position and Smith in at No. 5. Smith was one of just a handful of underclassmen invited to last year’s finals.

One would have to imagine many Golden Tickets to Dallas will come from this regional when all said and done as in addition to Haselwood and Smith, the roster includes the nation’s No. 1 offensive guard in LSU commit Kardell Thomas, top-ranked center Clay Webb (247Sports Crystal Ball is heavy Alabama),] the country’s No. 2 inside linebacker Nakobe Dean, the No. 2 receiver in Georgia commit Dominick Blaylock, the No. 3 defensive tackle in the land (No. 2 in the Top247) Travon Walker, the No. 4 safety (No. 2 in the Top247) Jaylen McCollough, the No. 4 outside linebacker in Alabama pledge King Mwikuta, the No. 6 inside linebacker in Vonta Bentley the No. 9 cornerback Christian Williams and No. 11 offensive tackle Harry Miller.

Headlining the Elite11 participants will be the No. 1 dual-threat passer in the 247Sports Composite Bo Nix along with Sam Howell who checks in as the No. 1 pro-style signal-caller in the land according to the Top247 player rankings. The No. 6 pro-style recruit Taulia Tagovailoa along with four-star Wisconsin commit Graham Mertz are two more ballyhooed recruits.

More Top247 2019 names include Duke receiver commit Donavon Greene, athlete Cam'Ron Kelly, receiver Jashawn Sheffield, receiver Ramel Keyton, defensive end Justin Eboigbe, linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, defensive tackle Jaelin Humphries, offensive guard Keiondre Jones, defensive end Dante Walker, LSU running back commit Tyrion Davis, running back Derrian Brown, receiver Zion Puckett, Auburn receiver commit George Pickens, Missouri receiver commit Shamar Nash and receiver TJ Sheffield. A couple more Top247 recruits include defensive tackle DJ Dale and linebacker Kalen DeLoach.

Beyond those names, four-star recruits expected include Michigan offensive tackle commit Trente Jones, Georgia offensive tackle commit Luke Griffin, defensive end Curtis Fann, safety Treron Collins, defensive end Derrick McLendon, safety Jalyn Phillips, athlete Jammie Robinson, receiver Kendrell Scurry, running back Ronald Thompkins, cornerback DJ Turner II and Notre Dame cornerback commit KJ Wallace.

Several others already committed include Clemson bound tight end Jaelyn Lay, Clemson receiver pledge Brannon Spector, South Carolina commits in defensive end Rodricus Fitten and tight end Keshawn Toney, Kentucky linebacker commit KD McDaniel, Ole Miss defensive end commit Jamond Gordon, Duke cornerback commit Jalen Alexander, Wake Forest defensive end commit Isaiah Chaney, Indiana receiver commit Emery Simmons, Georgia Tech safety commit Jeremiah Smith and Florida safety verbal Trent Whittemore.

The loaded 2020 group includes the nation’s No. 1 ranked athlete Arik Gilbert, No. 2 pro-style passer Harrison Bailey, No. 2 inside linebacker Sergio Allen, No. 2 strong-side defensive end Myles Murphy, No. 3 pro-style passer Max Johnson, No. 3 athlete Tank Bigsby, No. 3 defensive tackle Jamil Burroughs, No. 4 inside linebacker Jackson Bratton, No. 5 weak-side defensive end BJ Ojulari, No. 6 outside linebacker Kelin Burrle and No. 6 athlete Kristian Story. Additional Top247 prospects include Alabama cornerback commit Javier Morton, cornerback Malachi Moore, receiver Kobe Hudson, running back Jo'Quavious Marks, defensive end Andy Boykin, running back Daijun Edwards, Miami receiver commit Jermaine Burton, receiver Javon Baker, defensive tackle Xavier McIver, offensive tackle Chris Morris, linebacker Kevin Swint, receiver Rico Powers Jr. and Georgia defensive tackle commit Nazir Stackhouse.

There are a few touted 2021s on the roster including linebacker Chaz Chambliss, quarterback Aaron McLaughlin, running back BJ Harris and defensive end Jonathan Jefferson.

The 2019 class is full of many more that have steep offer lists including safety Aaron Beasley, safety Trikweze Bridges, tight end Sean Brown, cornerback Warren Burrell, offensive tackle Carter Colquitt, defensive end Ahmad Craig, defensive end Terrell Dawkins, cornerback Cordale Flott, running back Tahj Gary, all-purpose back Tyler Goodson, defensive lineman DeAngelo Griffin, running back Jamious Griffin, safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Jaydon Hill, defensive tackle Jalar Holley, linebacker Tyron Hopper, linebacker Nick Jackson, quarterback Kenneth Jefferson, athlete Raydarious Jones, receiver TJ Jones, cornerback Chester Kimbrough, defensive tackle Zovon Lindsay, athlete JD Martin, linebacker Kendall McCallum, quarterback Peter Parrish, tight end Garmon Randolph, defensive end Darius Robinson, defensive end Christian Rorie, offensive guard Riley Simonds, linebacker Allen Smith, defensive end Mataio Soli, safety Ray Thornton and defensive end Colby Wooden.

Stay tuned to 247Sports for updates from Sunday's camp as more names will certainly emerge.

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Auburn has a few top needs in the 2019 class.

Last week, we took a look at the No. 1 priority in the class. But as most recruiting followers know, there is rarely only one thing a program needs to shore up through recruiting. In Auburn’s 2019 recruiting cycle, there are three position groups that will be the immediate emphasis for the Tigers.

Auburn will hone in on tackles, defensive linemen and cornerbacks in the 2019 class.

At tackle, the recruiting need is well known. Auburn has some long-term security at tackle if Prince Tega Wanogho and Calvin Ashley are the go-to tackles this year. But Auburn didn’t land any tackles in the 2018 class and will need to fix that this year.

Here are three top-tier tackles Auburn has hosted so far this spring:

4-star Wanya Morris, Loganville, Ga.
4-star Xavier Truss, Warwick, R.I.
4-star Amari Kight, Alabaster, Ala.

Auburn won’t be at a loss for defensive linemen in the 2018 season. But how much will be leftover after 2018? Andrew Williams and Dontavius Russell will be gone. Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe could be gone. Rodney Garner has landed a few big prospects the last couple cycles — TD Moultry, Big Kat Bryant and Coynis Miller — but he’ll need to double down on that in the 2019 class.

He’s already gotten started this spring.

Here are three DL recruits who have been at Auburn this spring:

4-star Nathan Pickering, Seminary, Miss.
4-star Justin Eboigbe, Forest Park, Ga.
4-star Jaelin Humphries, Lawrenceville, Ga.

The last position of need is one Auburn could use this spring, not just through the 2019 class.

The Tigers are thin at cornerback. So much so that receiver-turned-corner Noah Igbinoghene ran with the first-team defense during media availability Thursday. Auburn has offered 20-plus cornerbacks in the class so even if the Tigers don’t land on their first or second priority targets, they’ll have plenty of serviceable backup options to add depth.

Here are three elite corners who have been on the Plains this spring:

4-star Christian Williams, Daphne, Ala.
4-star Kaiir Elam, North Palm Beach, Fla.
4-star Devin Bush, New Orleans, La.

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The Opening camp circuit arrives in Atlanta on Sunday.

Roughly 500 of the Southeast’s best prospects will congregate at Buford High School for the annual regional showcase. Several Auburn updates are expected to come from the event.

Here are the five things Auburn fans need to watch:

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1. Bo Nix is shooting for back-to-back QB MVPs

At last year’s Atlanta Opening, then-uncommitted quarterback Bo Nix became the first underclassman to win a QB MVP award at an Opening region. That means on Sunday the now-Auburn commit will have an opportunity to become the first back-to-back or two-time winner of the award in the football showcase’s storied history.

Nix’s path last year went through eventual Florida signee Emory Jones.

This year he’ll have an entire stable of competition.

Taulia Tagovailoa (2019), Harrison Bailey (2020), Sam Howell (2019), Aaron McLaughlin (2021) and Max Johnson (2020) are the highly rated quarterbacks expected to be Nix’s biggest competition.

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3. Where does Auburn stand with its linebacker targets?

Auburn is casting a national net at linebacker, but as always, the Tigers will search their typical pipeline, too.

Many of those nearby guys will be in attendance for the Opening Atlanta regional. Here are the four linebackers to keep a close eye on in terms of performance and what they say about their recruitment following the event.

5-star Nakobe Dean
4-star Kalen Deloach
4-star Vonta Bentley
4-star Tra Wilkins

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5. Top targets from Alabama expected to compete

Atlanta will be flooded with some of the Tigers’ top targets from the Yellowhammer State. In addition to Nix and Pickens mentioned above, the following players from Alabama are expected to compete:

5-star center Clay Webb
4-star linebacker Mohamoud Diabate
4-star defensive lineman DJ Dale
4-star linebacker Vonta Bentley
4-star cornerback Christian Williams
3-star safety Ray Thornton
3-star cornerback Cordale Flott
2020 4-star cornerback Malachi Moore
2020 4-star athlete Kristian Story

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Anyone have details on the JC tackle John Dale who was offered yesterday?

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AUBURN | Four-star defensive lineman Jaren Handy visited Auburn for the first time on Saturday, and he’s already planning to return.

The former LSU commitment spent the day watching the Tigers scrimmage and meeting with the coaches.

“I loved it,” Handy said. “It was one of the better visits I’ve been on.”

Handy, from Perry Central in New Augusta, Miss., met and spoke with area recruiter Marcus Woodson, defensive line coach Rodney Garner, defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, coach Gus Malzahn and even Malzahn’s wife, Kristi.

“I liked the coaches being real with me,” Handy said. “And I loved the defensive coach…I love Coach Garner.”

Handy plans to return to Auburn on June 2. He doesn’t list any leaders, but said Auburn made a move on Saturday.

“I don’t have anybody standing out right now, but Auburn made a big impression on me,” Handy said. “They said they’ll be sending off No. 5 (Derrick Brown) and No. 3 (Marlon Davidson) after their junior years, hopefully, so I could come in and start as a true freshman.”

Rivals ranks Handy, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 273 pounds, the No. 4 player in Mississippi, the No. 14 strongside defensive end in the country and No. 128 in the Rivals250.

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