2017 4* LB Markail Benton (Bama 6/10/16)

[Mikey 16,575]

14 minutes ago, NoALtiger said:

As indicated, we passed on TJ which is my issue. Since we didn't lose him, where he chose to go and for what reasons are irrelevant imo. 

Johnston went to another school because we told hm we didn't have room for him, the all-time tackle leader in Alabama high school history, at LB. Now we're scrambling to try to flip a guy that bad mouthed our coaches, has a history of lazy work ethic and now has a bum knee. I think he's here because bammer told him to take a hike. As much as I think we need to add at least one more LB to this class, I'd rather stick with the three we have and tell Benton there is no place for him at AU.

[The Plainsman 948]

9 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Johnston went to another school because we told hm we didn't have room for him, the all-time tackle leader in Alabama high school history, at LB. Now we're scrambling to try to flip a guy that bad mouthed our coaches, has a history of lazy work ethic and now has a bum knee. I think he's here because bammer told him to take a hike. As much as I think we need to add at least one more LB to this class, I'd rather stick with the three we have and tell Benton there is no place for him at AU.

True on Johnston,. But we obviously we're actively recruiting higher targets.   I would have been happy if Johnston had made into our class,. But he also had a shot at other P5 schools and chose UAB.  Good for him.  

Btw, Same with Lasater.  It didn't work out,. But it's not like we lost out on him to FSU, GA LSU etc...   

[GwillMac6 20,666]

aight so what really are the chances of us flipping him? I just do not see it honestly.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

4 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

aight so what really are the chances of us flipping him? I just do not see it honestly.

90/10, or 10/90

[Mikey 16,575]

5 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

aight so what really are the chances of us flipping him? I just do not see it honestly.

I think he's visiting here because bammer dumped him. If that is indeed the case, we can probably sign him although I, personally, would not.

[ellitor 33,082]

5 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I think he's visiting here because bammer dumped him. If that is indeed the case, we can probably sign him although I, personally, would not.

Possibly but I doubt it since we reached out to him a few weeks ago.

[AUApostle 7,651]

1 hour ago, NoALtiger said:

As indicated, we passed on TJ which is my issue. Since we didn't lose him, where he chose to go and for what reasons are irrelevant imo. 

So a guy we didn't want now plays for UAB.  We'll forget his name by summertime.

[NoALtiger 3,850]

3 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

So a guy we didn't want now plays for UAB.  We'll forget his name by summertime.

Perhaps, obviously he could possibly never pan out and be a foot note in history for all I know. We also didn't want Phillip Rivers as a QB even though he was a star in high school and had a great career..he'll be a College and NFL HOF'er sooner than later now. Sometimes it works out for us and sometimes we look dumb. 

[tigerfangs 269]

AU should flip him, then ask him to grey shirt. 

Can't forget about that guy telling Ashley that he was going to lose at Auburn. Publicly downing the coaches that were offering him free education. I wish AU would tell him no thanks. 

 

[AUApostle 7,651]

1 hour ago, NoALtiger said:

Perhaps, obviously he could possibly never pan out and be a foot note in history for all I know. We also didn't want Phillip Rivers as a QB even though he was a star in high school and had a great career..he'll be a College and NFL HOF'er sooner than later now. Sometimes it works out for us and sometimes we look dumb. 

Maybe UAB has other commits we should be looking at as well?

[trout54 55]

9 hours ago, The Plainsman said:

I guess I mean recent in recently public...  We shall see however if it comes to fruition.   Personally I would welcome him no worries. 

"I like cooking my family and my pets."......................................  See how important commas can be?  lol.  I'm just picking with you, Plainsman.  ;-)

 

 

[trout54 55]

As for TJ picking UAB over us, he was being recruited at a position he had never played before in HB.  He has/had the opportunity to play with/room with his older brother at UAB, who signed last year as a QB.  If not mistaken, his brother was Alabama's Mr. Football last year.  There were more motivating factors for him to play for UAB than just position.  I hate we didn't give him the chance at LB, but I hope he has all the success in the world at UAB.  WDE 

[gctiger 929]

16 minutes ago, trout54 said:

As for TJ picking UAB over us, he was being recruited at a position he had never played before in HB.  He has/had the opportunity to play with/room with his older brother at UAB, who signed last year as a QB.  If not mistaken, his brother was Alabama's Mr. Football last year.  There were more motivating factors for him to play for UAB than just position.  I hate we didn't give him the chance at LB, but I hope he has all the success in the world at UAB.  WDE 

I'm from Spanish Fort and back during the summer one of his team mates told me that TJ would likely end up with his brother at UAB.  Would liked to have had him at LB, but he's a good kid so I wish him well.  

[Gowebb11 9,314]

6 hours ago, tigerfangs said:

AU should flip him, then ask him to grey shirt. 

Can't forget about that guy telling Ashley that he was going to lose at Auburn. Publicly downing the coaches that were offering him free education. I wish AU would tell him no thanks. 

 

I can't remember his exact words he said about our coaches, but if I recall it had something to do with our track record of developing talent at his position LB. Whether we like it or not, it's true. By my count we have exactly 2 lbers in the NFL and one of those played at AU over a decade ago. 

[80Tiger 899]

53 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

I can't remember his exact words he said about our coaches, but if I recall it had something to do with our track record of developing talent at his position LB. Whether we like it or not, it's true. By my count we have exactly 2 lbers in the NFL and one of those played at AU over a decade ago. 

If this is what he said back in June and then watched our LB play this year, I could see that possibly making a difference for him.

[auburnphan 6,050]

9 hours ago, ellitor said:

Possibly but I doubt it since we reached out to him a few weeks ago.

didn't he reach out to us?

[auburnphan 6,050]

I prefer the kid that earned his stars on the field, not at combines and 7 on 7's.  

[Mikey 16,575]

9 hours ago, AUDevil said:

So a guy we didn't want now plays for UAB.  We'll forget his name by summertime.

So soon we forget the UAB transfer LB we didn't want, yet when he went to UGA he led their team in tackles as the starting middle linebacker. Johnston wasn't just "some guy we didn't want". He is the all-time leading tackler in Alabama high school football. The other players at the Under Armor AA game were talking about how good Johnston is. Maybe if we were overflowing at LB I can see only offering him as an H-back, but that's not the case. After telling Johnston we didn't have any room at LB, we're now out scrambling to fill a LB slot. We have three good ones committed. If we can't find some more, that gives us four LB's in two years. Nobody thinks that is enough.

[bigbird 60,490]

 Mikey, not trying to discount his feat, but he accomplished the all time record in a 5 year span. It would've been much more impressive if he had done it in a standard 4 year span. He might become an all world player, but most schools in the SEC decided he wasn't going to be. That is pretty big, to me. I don't see with the love fest for the kid is but wish him all the best.

[AUApostle 7,651]

It's not like Ark, OM, or even Vandy were chomping at the bit to scoop him up.  Pretty much all the SEC coaches saw what ours saw.  I trust Steele's evaluation over emotions about a fan favorite.

[NoALtiger 3,850]

8 hours ago, AUDevil said:

Maybe UAB has other commits we should be looking at as well?

Ha, only ones that are 3 time first team 6A All-State with 344 tackles the past 2 years alone and chose to go there over Ole Miss, Arky, and Vandy.

[Gowebb11 9,314]

We may well end up regretting not taking TJ, but being the all-time leading tackler in Alabama High School history is overblown as a reason. I've seen list of the all-time leading rushers, tacklers, passers, etc... About half of them played some college ball and about a fourth of them became stars. And half of them had insignificant college careers or didn't play CFB at al. I'm much more upset that we're likely going to lose Taylor after being in the drivers seat for so long. I'm also upset that we've signed one kid from the Mobile area in the past 3 years, while letting Bama, UF, LSU, and FSU load up from there. 

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Never understood the obsession with TJ...

[MadtownTiger 363]

7 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

I can't remember his exact words he said about our coaches, but if I recall it had something to do with our track record of developing talent at his position LB. Whether we like it or not, it's true. By my count we have exactly 2 lbers in the NFL and one of those played at AU over a decade ago. 

The OLB/DE classifications muddy the waters on this issue, but I can think of more than two AU guys playing LB in the NFL now, and at least one on the bubble.  Dansby, Ford and Bynes have established themselves.  Lemonier and Bates have bounced around a bit.  McKinzey had a leg or hip injury or something and was waived by the Bucs last season.  Don't know what his prospects are going forward.

WDE!

[auburntiger1987 759]

Cass signed a futures contract with the rams. He got picked up on the practice squad