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re: 2018 Football Recruiting Thread -- Final OP Update Edition
Posted on 8/16/17 at 12:56 pm to TigerPaw1
Posted on 8/16/17 at 12:56 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
Ranking the uncommitted prospects in projection
In my most recent notebook, I outlined my confidence rankings for the uncommitted prospects in my offensive projection. Let’s do the same thing for the defensive side of the ball.
There were 12 people in the defensive projection. Half of them have yet to publicly declare a school of choice. Daquan Newkirk, Michael Harris, Monday, Marsh, Fuqua and Sherwood are the committed prospects, and that didn’t alter in the projection.
But for the six new guys, there was a range of confidence to include them. Here’s how that ranks.
No. 6: Caleb Johnson
No. 5: Andres Fox
No. 4: Zakoby McClain
No. 3: Derek Turner
No. 2: Coynis Miller
No. 1: Richard Jibunor
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Posted on 8/16/17 at 12:56 pm to TigerPaw1
Neebur just posted that Dylan Wonnum (top OT target) says that Auburn stands out right now! IMO we need a top HS OT in this class....not a JUCO. I think Tega and Ashley will be fine next season at OT.
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:00 pm to TigerPaw1
Auburn wide receiver target Matthew Hill expects to announce ‘sometime this week’ (SECCountry)
We getting a stud WR this week fellas
quote:
ATLANTA — Matthew Hill’s recruiting process has dragged on longer than expected. He’s about to put an end to that.
Hill’s high school season begins Saturday, and he wants to have his college publicly announced before then. The next time the 4-star wide receiver steps onto a football field, there’s a chance he’ll have the title of Auburn football commit.
“Probably sometime this week. I’m just going to post a statement on Twitter,” Hill said at the Corky Kell Luncheon in Atlanta. “Definitely before the Corky Kell game (on Saturday). I’ve told my coaches where I’m going. It’s a lot of stress off me.”
Hill has been viewed as an Auburn lean for a while, but Alabama and South Carolina have both done their parts to make him do his due diligence. In fact, his last recruiting visit was more than a month ago to Columbia, S.C., with his Brookwood High School (Ga.) head coach who is a South Carolina graduate.
Despite saying he was close at Big Cat Weekend in June, Hill has played it patient. But his patience is running out.
“I’ve just been waiting on it. The decision was basically made off of my heart because I can’t go wrong with any of the three schools,” Hill said. “My heart finally just said, ‘OK, I want to go to this school.’ I’m going to give the school a call sometime this week and post it out there.”
It has been two months since Hill stepped foot on the Plains. That might worry the diehard Auburn fans prone to recruiting meltdowns. The interest from Alabama and South Carolina has forced Auburn to stay diligent in its pursuit of Hill.
One thing Hill said Wednesday that should keep the Auburn side relaxed, however: This decision isn’t a new one.
Hill said he’s had this feeling for a while now.
“It was probably about a month and a half or two months ago. Somewhere around that time,” Hill said. “Wherever I go, I want it to feel like home. And of course, playing time played a factor.”
We getting a stud WR this week fellas
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:04 pm to TigerPaw1
Top Auburn offensive line target Dylan Wonnum said he’s leaning toward one school (SECCountry)
quote:
ATLANTA — Dylan Wonnum still has an entire football season before he decides.
With that said, one school has started to stand out for him, and his answer might surprise. Wonnum has long been considered a South Carolina lean, but as he planned to delay his decision, everyone else has started to move even with the big offensive tackle.
On Wednesday, however, Wonnum said one program has started to gain an advantage.
“I’m actually leaning toward Auburn,” Wonnum said. “Other than that, everything is going good. When I went there, something just stood out more than every other college in the SEC.”
Wonnum’s most recent visit to Auburn came in July. He admitted that, at the time, he needed to see more from the Tigers than he’d seen in the past. Apparently he received that when he took a more extensive tour of the campus.
Since that visit, his sentiment has changed.
“It changed the last time I went out there,” Wonnum said. “I really looked at their facilities. I actually saw their workouts, and I liked the workouts.”
This isn’t to say Auburn is a guarantee, hence Wonnum’s decision to wait.
But the Tigers are definitely in better position than anyone else and in better position than they were more than a month ago. Wonnum still plans to wait through his senior season in order to take the necessary visits to secure his decision.
“It’s going to be after the season, so it’s probably going to be December,” Wonnum said. “I just felt like I need more time to make my decision. That was about it.”
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive tackle is one of Auburn’s top interior line options remaining.
Auburn has one other advantage with Wonnum: offensive line commit Jalil Irvin.
Wonnum and Irvin grew up playing football together. They were on the same team during their middle school years dating back to sixth grade. He hears from Irvin on a fairly regular basis.
“Oh yeah, I’ve known him since sixth grade. He will always tell me to come to Auburn. Be a Tiger. War Eagle.”
Irvin isn’t the only one consistently in Wonnum’s ear.
Wonnum said Auburn and South Carolina have his most attention right now, but Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State and LSU are still involved. Auburn and South Carolina will definitely receive more visits, but the other mentioned programs could, as well.
But among all those schools, Auburn’s communication is the most regular.
“(Most contact) is probably Auburn. I really like coach (Herb) Hand, and I like the way he coaches his players.
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:06 pm to WareagleKK
quote:
Neebur just posted that Dylan Wonnum (top OT target) says that Auburn stands out right now! IMO we need a top HS OT in this class....not a JUCO. I think Tega and Ashley will be fine next season at OT.
Wonnum would be an outstanding pickup. He will need some time to develop but we should hopefully be able to give him that time. Adding Wonnum to Tega/Ashley/Sammons/Troxell/Sharp gives us some really good OT depth for the future
I wouldn't mind taking Badara Traore if he wants to come because I think's he damn good but he's not a must get. Between the 2 I would obviously take Wonnum
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:22 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
We getting a stud WR this week fellas
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:25 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:Just putting tea leaves together but if Tega is who the buzz is making him out to be as a potentially very solid LT, Calvin progresses well as a back up, & we get Wonnom I can see us slowing our roll with Badara quite a bit.
I wouldn't mind taking Badara Traore if he wants to come because I think's he damn good but he's not a must get. Between the 2 I would obviously take Wonnum
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:27 pm to WareagleKK
quote:
Neebur just posted that Dylan Wonnum (top OT target) says that Auburn stands out right now! IMO we need a top HS OT in this class....not a JUCO. I think Tega and Ashley will be fine next season at OT.
This would be huge.
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:34 pm to ellitor
quote:If this scenario plays out like you say it might, I could easily see Ashley (next year and beyond) moving over to RT until Tega finishes his time at Auburn.
Just putting tea leaves together but if Tega is who the buzz is making him out to be as a potentially very solid LT, Calvin progresses well as a back up, & we get Wonnom I can see us slowing our roll with Badara quite a bit.
Posted on 8/16/17 at 1:52 pm to GenesChin
I was always under this impression as well. Certain schools should always have an advantage when recruiting. But, I noticed this isn't the case. Recruiting more times then not is dependent on elite coaching. Bama, UF, USC, etc only get elite classes when they hire elite recruiting coaches. Dabo and Clemson are prime examples. I am assuming kids value the perception of making the NFL as a main variable when choosing a school. Or winning, IDK. Would be a great research topic.
Posted on 8/16/17 at 3:39 pm to AUCE05
quote:Elite recruiters can get you elite classes but the logo on the polo matters too. Look at Larry Porter for example. He's a damn good recruiter who was pulling in elite recruits for LSU & Texas but were not landing the same kids at Zona St. UNC, & Memphis. You need at least 2 very good to elite recruiters plus a name brand to get elite classes. You need both parts.
I was always under this impression as well. Certain schools should always have an advantage when recruiting. But, I noticed this isn't the case. Recruiting more times then not is dependent on elite coaching. Bama, UF, USC, etc only get elite classes when they hire elite recruiting coaches. Dabo and Clemson are prime examples. I am assuming kids value the perception of making the NFL as a main variable when choosing a school. Or winning, IDK. Would be a great research topic.
Posted on 8/17/17 at 10:57 am to ellitor
3* ATH Nathaniel Watson just committed to Miss St. AU legacy that Tigers passed on. Solid player
Posted on 8/17/17 at 11:22 am to TigerPaw1
Hope he's not the next De'Runnya
Posted on 8/17/17 at 11:26 am to TigerPaw1
Wanted him.
Posted on 8/17/17 at 11:51 am to JamalSanders
Herb Hand unpacks Auburn’s expected 2018 recruiting numbers on offensive line (SECCountry)
quote:
Herb Hand’s plan for O-line recruiting
When it comes to recruiting success, Herb Hand doesn’t mince words.
“Here’s the thing about recruiting. The greatest recruiting tool is winning. Period,” Hand said.
Auburn already has two offensive linemen — Jalil Irvin and Kameron Stutts — committed in the Class of 2018, but there are a few prospects who still need some convincing. Hand said he expects the 2017 football season to dictate many of those decisions.
But who is in contention? Well, to start, how many does Hand want?
“Four, maybe five,” Hand said. “We’ll probably get one or two tackles and would like to get another inside guy for sure. We want to see how that unfolds. I like where we’re at right now, and we’ll see how it all unfolds.”
Irvin will be an interior lineman, potentially even a center. Stutts has the versatility to do both, but likely will end up inside when it’s all said and done. So Auburn’s class should likely end up with one or two offensive tackles and three offensive guards, assuming Stutts counts as a guard.
At tackle, Auburn has recruited Badara Traore, Dylan Wonnum, William Barnes and Richard Gouraige heavily. There may be others who Auburn could work its way into with a winning campaign, but those are the four the Tigers have worked to get on campus regularly thoughout the spring and summer.
Barnes and Gouraige are long shots for now. Wonnum appears to be trending in the right direction, and it’s too early to tell with Traore, who has taken an official visit to Auburn but nowhere else.
At guard, there are two names — Trey Hill and Tank Jenkins — to keep an eye on.
There’s no question Hill is the guy Auburn wants. He’s one of the best guards in the country and has the ability to play center for a very, very long time if that’s what he chooses to do. But he won’t decide until the end of the season, so Hill — maybe more than any prospect not named Justyn Ross — will be affected by how the Tigers perform in the 2017 football season.
If Hill spurns the Tigers, Auburn will likely turn to in-state talent Tank Jenkins if he hasn’t already committed to Louisville, Oklahoma or Missouri. If Jenkins is off the board, it’s possible Auburn rolls with what it has or finds another interior option.
Either way, O-line recruiting is at an important juncture.
“It’s big every year. It’s big every year, recruiting-wise,” Hand said. “Obviously we’ve got five seniors, two guys that are fifth-year grad transfer guys, but our numbers will probably be in that four-to-five range in terms of the 2018 class. In this league, you better recruit well up front every year, whether it’s O-line or D-line.”
Posted on 8/17/17 at 11:52 am to TigerPaw1
quote:
Stay tuned for newest member of Auburn class
Keep your eyes peeled, Auburn fans.
It’s commitment season, and the Tigers are on the verge of receiving one, it seems. Matthew Hill has been on commit watch for a few months now. I’ve said he’d be the next commit multiple times, and he hasn’t been. But I feel confident saying it this time around.
He didn’t put a specific date or time on it, but it’ll happen sometime Thursday or Friday. Basically, he just wants to get it out of the way before his high school football season starts at the old Turner Field on Saturday.
Hill is a big-time wide receiver who has received official scholarship offers from Auburn, Alabama and South Carolina.
Posted on 8/17/17 at 11:52 am to TigerPaw1
quote:
My take on interesting OL comments
Wonnum provided a pleasant surprise for Auburn people when he spoke with SEC Country on Wednesday. He said he’s “leaning” toward the Tigers.
This wasn’t a complete surprise. After all, Wonnum has popped up in the last couple of my projections, and I knew this was something that was within reach. But even I still thought the Tigers had some work to do to draw even with South Carolina. As it turns out, it’s the Gamecocks and others who are now in the business of chasing the Tigers.
As mentioned above, Auburn still wants another one or two offensive tackles in the class, and Wonnum fills into that role nicely.
This still isn’t over, but Auburn is in great shape.
The Tigers have a few things working in their favor. He grew up playing football with Jalil Irvin, who hasn’t been quiet about how much he wants Wonnum to join him. Wonnum plays for the same high school as Auburn commit Michael Harris.
Something that’s quite telling, to me, is that Wonnum’s thoughts on Auburn have changed over time. Originally he wasn’t too sold, but after a couple follow-up visits, Wonnum said he realized what he was missing about the Plains. He loves the family vibe, and he loves the facilities. Most of all, he loves Herb Hand.
Wonnum set the potential decision date for sometime in December, but someone close to him told me they wouldn’t be surprised to see him pull the trigger as early as September.
Posted on 8/17/17 at 12:26 pm to TigerPaw1
3* CB Jamari Brown just committed to UK. He's Junior Rosegreen's nephew
Posted on 8/17/17 at 1:18 pm to TigerPaw1
quote:
3* CB Jamari Brown just committed to UK. He's Junior Rosegreen's nephew
Didn't we just offer this kid like 2 weeks ago?
Posted on 8/17/17 at 1:28 pm to AUtigR24
quote:
Didn't we just offer this kid like 2 weeks ago?
Ya but not a take right now. KN thinks that we are in evaluation mode right now at CB for Derek Turner, Jamari Brown & Joseph Foucha. Staff is hoping big year on field helps turn some heads and apparently AU is still having good dialogue with Kyler McMichael
If he has a strong senior year wouldn't be shocked if we flipped him. Personally I really wish Juanyeh Thomas had been a CB target and not safety. Really likes his potential
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