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

quote:

---

Is 4-star LB Zakoby McClain on commit watch?

HOOVER, Ala. — When Zakoby McClain last visited Auburn, he didn’t hide his feelings for the school and its football program.

“Auburn done took No. 1,” McClain said at the time. “[The Tigers’ lead] is kind of big.”

That was all the way back on April 1.

Since then, McClain has added three new Power 5 offers from Ole Miss, Michigan State and Oregon and included them on a top-10 list with Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, West Virginia, South Carolina, Nebraska and Tulane.

As for McClain’s sentiments, however, little has changed.

“Auburn’s still at the top,” McClain told SEC Country.

The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker from Valdosta (Ga.) hears from Auburn on a weekly basis, and despite other solid linebackers in the class, McClain is certainly an immediate take for the Tigers. West Virginia communicates with McClain on close to the same level as Auburn. Tennessee and LSU aren’t too far behind that, which is why those three schools make up the pack behind Auburn.

But the Tigers’ separation has little to do with the quantity of his conversations with the staff and more to do with the quality of it with Auburn linebackers coach Travis Williams.

“They’re not doing anything different [than other schools]. It just comes down to mine and coach T-Will’s relationship. He’s like a father figure to me. We already know each other and all that stuff,” McClain said. “His message is always just to work hard in everything you do and be a leader on the team.”

Does McClain have a relationship with any other coaches that comes close to what he has with Williams?

“No, not at all,” he said.

McClain said he will “hopefully” make it to Auburn’s cookout on Saturday, which will be his second time on campus. By the way he talks about Williams, it doesn’t seem out of the question for McClain to be on commit watch considering the Georgia linebacker wants his decision out of the way before his senior season.

A commitment, especially if Auburn pushes for it, could be imminent.

“I might. It’s a possibility,” McClain said.

---