2017 recruiting class - What could have been

[CameronCrazy 1,054]

Every year I like to look back at our recruiting classes to see how much better they could or even should have been. I also want to give our fans an idea of how close we are to having a truly elite class. This hypothetical class only includes one 5-star, yet it still would have given Auburn the highest ranked class in its history. 

QB - Jarrett Stidham - Signed

QB - Lowell Narcisse - Auburn decommit; out-recruited by LSU

RB - Devan Barrett - Signed

RB - Alaric Williams - Signed

WR - Noah Igbinoghene - Signed

WR - Tamorrian Terry - Out-recruited by FSU

WR - Brandon Martin - Stopped pursuing

TE - Salvatore Cannella - Signed

OL - Calvin Ashley - Signed

OL - Austin Troxall - Signed

OL - Nick Brahms - Signed

OL - Netori Johnson; at one time we were considered the leader; out-recruited by UGA

DT - Alec Jackson - Signed

DT - MJ Webb - Stopped pursuing 

DE - Markaviest Bryant - Signed

DE - Ryan Johnson - out-recruited by Stanford

LB - Tadarian Moultry - Signed 

LB - KJ Britt - Signed

LB - Chandler Wooten - Signed

LB - Markail Benton - out-recruited by UAT

CB - Malcolm Askew - Signed

CB - AJ Terrell - at one time we were considered the leader; out-recruited by Clemson

CB - Jaymest Williams - Stopped pursuing

S - Devon Hunter - AU lean until McGriff left

S - CJ Avery - AU lean until McGriff left 

ATH - Tray Bischop - AU decommit; out-recruited by UGA

K - Anders Carlson - Signed

That's 7 guys that we barely missed, 2 guys that we lost when McGriff left, and 3 guys that we did not push for or coaches decided that they didn't want. With this class we would have ended with a 291.42 points on the composite ranking. While this would have only moved us up 2 spots in the team ranking from 9 to 7, there is a huge difference in 31 points. This list doesn't include other big targets that we also could have landed, including...

QB - Kellen Mond

WR - Tarik Black

WR - Jhamon Ausbon

WR - Hezekiah Jones

WR - Henry Ruggs

WR - Jeremiah Holliman 

OL - Cesar Ruiz

OL - Kai-Leon Herbert

DT - Aubrey Solomon

DT - Isaiah Buggs 

DE - Jarez Parks

LB - Nate McBryde

LB - Tyler Taylor

S - Deangelo Gibbs

[Mikey 16,545]

Quote: That's 7 guys that we barely missed, 2 guys that we lost when McGriff left, and 3 guys that we did not push for or coaches decided that they didn't want.

So, what you're saying is that if we'd had just 12 more slots, just 36 signees, our class would have ranked higher. No argument there!

Quote: This list doesn't include other big targets that we also could have landed, including...   No, those are not guys we could have landed, there are a bunch of kids there that we would have signed had we been able. We weren't able. What did you do, make a list of every top prospect in the Southeast and then gripe because we didn't sign all of them?

[bigbird 60,367]

Hunter

Avery

Ruiz

Johnson

Terry

Those, to me, were our biggest misses.

[GwillMac6 20,600]

I only worry about the guys we absolutely positively would of got if not for the circumstances surrounding their recruitment. The only 2 guys we should worry about that fits that criteria based on the knowledge I have is CJ Avery and Devon Hunter. They were 100% coming to AU. It took a lot of series of coaching carousel moves for us to miss out on them combined with the ncaa investigation of ole miss. In no other ordinary DC search for any other SEC school besides maybe vandy would Wesley Mcgriff ever be hired as a DC in the Sec with his resume as it stands now. A lot of bad luck had to happen for ole miss to hire him away. First their dc retired/forced to retire along with almost every other ole miss coaching staff member besides freeze. Then because of the ncaa cloud they missed on a lot of guys on their list to get all the way down to mcgriff. Our DB class would of been outstanding with hunter and Avery......  Benton was bought by the tide. not surpising and nothing new. Yes we did lead at 1 time for netori johnson but that all the way back in the summer. Tray bishop the moment he committed it felt he was walking it back. Never was a part of the close knit group of this class like all our other recruits. He spent most of the fall in athens it seemed like. Brandon Martin never wanted to be here. He was always looking for a offer from another big time school. Narcisse just succumbed to the in state pressure of LA. Ryan Johnson is the only other one where it stings. If he did not get accepted to stanford like he did a couple of weeks ago he would of def signed with us.

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, CameronCrazy said:

Every year I like to look back at our recruiting classes to see how much better they could or even should have been. I also want to give our fans an idea of how close we are to having a truly elite class. This hypothetical class only includes one 5-star, yet it still would have given Auburn the highest ranked class in its history. 

QB - Jarrett Stidham - Signed

QB - Lowell Narcisse - Auburn decommit; out-recruited by LSU

RB - Devan Barrett - Signed

RB - Alaric Williams - Signed

WR - Noah Igbinoghene - Signed

WR - Tamorrian Terry - Out-recruited by FSU

WR - Brandon Martin - Stopped pursuing

TE - Salvatore Cannella - Signed

OL - Calvin Ashley - Signed

OL - Austin Troxall - Signed

OL - Nick Brahms - Signed

OL - Netori Johnson; at one time we were considered the leader; out-recruited by UGA

DT - Alec Jackson - Signed

DT - MJ Webb - Stopped pursuing 

DE - Markaviest Bryant - Signed

DE - Ryan Johnson - out-recruited by Stanford

LB - Tadarian Moultry - Signed 

LB - KJ Britt - Signed

LB - Chandler Wooten - Signed

LB - Markail Benton - out-recruited by UAT

CB - Malcolm Askew - Signed

CB - AJ Terrell - at one time we were considered the leader; out-recruited by Clemson

CB - Jaymest Williams - Stopped pursuing

S - Devon Hunter - AU lean until McGriff left

S - CJ Avery - AU lean until McGriff left 

ATH - Tray Bischop - AU decommit; out-recruited by UGA

K - Anders Carlson - Signed

That's 7 guys that we barely missed, 2 guys that we lost when McGriff left, and 3 guys that we did not push for or coaches decided that they didn't want. With this class we would have ended with a 291.42 points on the composite ranking. While this would have only moved us up 2 spots in the team ranking from 9 to 7, there is a huge difference in 31 points.

Nice job! @CameronCrazy!  There's just 1 small problem though. You have 27 names there. The max we could sign was 25. The most realistic class of those players while fitting the 25 limit would have us dropping Webb & Martin. We were never going to signed a 2nd DT in the class not a 3rd WR in all likelihood.

[CameronCrazy 1,054]

38 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Quote: That's 7 guys that we barely missed, 2 guys that we lost when McGriff left, and 3 guys that we did not push for or coaches decided that they didn't want.

So, what you're saying is that if we'd had just 12 more slots, just 36 signees, our class would have ranked higher. No argument there!

Quote: This list doesn't include other big targets that we also could have landed, including...   No, those are not guys we could have landed, there are a bunch of kids there that we would have signed had we been able. We weren't able. What did you do, make a list of every top prospect in the Southeast and then gripe because we didn't sign all of them?

Mikey - you missed the point. The first list of 27 signees is this class that I believed was a class that we were capable of signing. We don't have to have Urban Meyer or Nick Saban to sign that class. We could have signed an incredible class of 291.42 composite points if we had won some of those close recruiting battles. If we had another elite recruiter or two on this staff, if some of coaches had more experience on the recruiting trail (I.e. Williams & Burns), or if we were winning consistently on the field then I think that's the type of class that Auburn is capable of signing. 

Obviously if we sign those 27 guys then we pass on Truesdale, Whitlow, Leonard, and the other 3*'s. I posted the 2nd list of guys to prove that I'm not just throwing everybody's name on the list that even considered Auburn. The list of 27 are names of guys that Auburn finished in a close second for.

[CameronCrazy 1,054]

21 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Nice job! @CameronCrazy!  There's just 1 small problem though. You have 27 names there. The max we could sign was 25. The most realistic class of those players while fitting the 25 limit would have us dropping Webb & Martin. We were never going to signed a 2nd DT in the class not a 3rd WR in all likelihood.

Good point, E. I didn't include the two cancer survivors, Manning & Hamm, that had to count towards this year's class. That still leaves us at 290.21 composite points. A number very well within reach; but unfortunately a number that Auburn has never seen before.

[ellitor 33,062]

6 minutes ago, CameronCrazy said:

Good point, E. I didn't include the two cancer survivors, Manning & Hamm, that had to count towards this year's class. That still leaves us at 290.21 composite points. A number very well within reach; but unfortunately a number that Auburn has never seen before.

I'm saying you had 2 too many. With Tashawn Manning that's 3 too many. Hamm enrolled last year & counts to last year's class.

[Mikey 16,545]

Quote: " Obviously if we sign those 27 guys then we pass on Truesdale, Whitlow, Leonard, and the other 3*'s "

I can't speak to the other two, but we needed Whitlow here much more than some you have listed. Just wait and see. The only true "loss" I see in this entire class is Ryan Johnson.

[bigbird 60,367]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

 

The only true "loss" I see in this entire class is Ryan Johnson.

Then you need to step back about 5-10 yards from your LB position. 

[NorthGATiger 1,801]

Bird is right.  We have some guys who have played their guts out on the back end of our defense.  Some guys that are great Auburn men and guys that have been smart football savy players.  What we have not had are legitimate studs.  I could be missing someone but the last stud we signed was M. Houston way back when Takeo ate football players for snacks.  Unfortunately Houston did not exemplify the traits of an Auburn man and he never reached his potential.  Forgive me if I am leaving someone out that is the type of talent Avery or Hunter is. 

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

Then you need to step back about 5-10 yards from your LB position. 

Yup. Hunter & Avery were huge losses, especially Hunter with his talent level & us graduating 3 significant Senior safeties next year.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

I'd say the 27 man list still includes guys we didn't want. We prioritized the guys we have over some of those dudes. For example, Benton was somewhere between our fifth and sixth priority at LB... we would've taken Taylor or Rice over him.

[Randman5000 4,223]

Yeah, we are going to need to pull some big time safety prospects next year. 

ryan Johnson stings.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I wonder if Gus will try to bring in some grad transfers like we did in 2016.

[AUpreacherman22 3,873]

10 hours ago, ellitor said:

Yup. Hunter & Avery were huge losses, especially Hunter with his talent level & us graduating 3 significant Senior safeties next year.

This X 1000!!!

The 3 biggest misses by far IMHO were

1. Hunter

2. Avery

 

 

3. Johnson

[GwillMac6 20,600]

2 hours ago, auburn4ever said:

I wonder if Gus will try to bring in some grad transfers like we did in 2016.

lets hope if he does it does not end up resulting in what happened with Marshall Taylor.

[auburntiger1987 759]

Gt seem like crap shoots. You get some that come in and take over a spot then you get a few like him where it didn't click for some reason.  I think you could almost add tj Neal into that equation.  It may be system, fit,  or not really ready to face sec and nfl level talent.  Some may say us fans have unrealistic expectations based on 2010 and 2013, but my take is since ive been alive (1987), Auburn has been relevant in the sec and ncaa picture more often than not while having the majority of the same bot and Athletic dep. Weve had very few changes. And only one questionable hire in chiz. I might have some argue with me on that but oh well. Id take tubby type consistency over 2012 and under performing in 2015 and 16. 14 was nice until the collapse. No reason gus and our tallent shouldnt be consistent 10 win teams period. If you think about the last 3 years,  we shouldn't have lost to a&m period. 14-16 should have been dominant against uga, and we should have stepped the hell up and beat chokelahoma this year.  We have the dang peices where you and i could coach to 9 wins pulling plays out of our ass. And im damn well tired of being close but no cigar against bama.  09 pisses me off still we luck or in 10 when we could and souks have beat the by 21 using 09 playbook. There was no year accept maybe last year that they were better than us and i dont give a flip what anyone says.  It's not realistic expecting undefeated seasons but with a leader and decent coaching,  Auburn is set up to be a constant force.  We should rival what the media thinks of bama and it's my the bourbon talking

[Mikey 16,545]

2 hours ago, auburn4ever said:

I wonder if Gus will try to bring in some grad transfers like we did in 2016.

We only have one slot available. If we do bring in a grad transfer it will be "transfer", singular.

[GwillMac6 20,600]

5 minutes ago, auburntiger1987 said:

Gt seem like crap shoots. You get some that come in and take over a spot then you get a few like him where it didn't click for some reason.  I think you could almost add tj Neal into that equation.  It may be system, fit,  or not really ready to face sec and nfl level talent.  Some may say us fans have unrealistic expectations based on 2010 and 2013, but my take is since ive been alive (1987), Auburn has been relevant in the sec and ncaa picture more often than not while having the majority of the same bot and Athletic dep. Weve had very few changes. And only one questionable hire in chiz. I might have some argue with me on that but oh well. Id take tubby type consistency over 2012 and under performing in 2015 and 16. 14 was nice until the collapse. No reason gus and our tallent shouldnt be consistent 10 win teams period. If you think about the last 3 years,  we shouldn't have lost to a@m period. 14-16 should have been dominant against uga, and we should have stepped the hell up and beat chokelahoma this year.  We have the dang peices where you and i could coach to 9 wins pulling plays out of our ass. And im damn well tired of being close but no cigar against bama.  09 pisses me off still we luck or in 10 when we could and souks have beat the by 21 using 09 playbook. There was no year accept maybe last year that they were better than us and i dont give a flip what anyone says.  It's not realistic expecting undefeated seasons but with a leader and decent coaching,  Auburn is set up to be a constant force.  We should rival what the media thinks of bama and it's my the bourbon talking

bowden was not a questionable hire since 87? It was downright awful. Auburn should not be hiring coaches from frickin Samford.

[Mikey 16,545]

9 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

bowden was not a questionable hire since 87? It was downright awful. Auburn should not be hiring coaches from frickin Samford.

Yeah, that 20-0 start of his and overall 47-17-1 record just sucked. Of course, it's the best winning percentage of any AU football coach in close to 100 years but let's don't let facts interfere with opinion.

[auburntiger1987 759]

You've got to think,  even if it wasn't his players,  93-94 was ridiculous.  Even 95 etc.  The only bad year was 98. I still thin if he was given the chance he could have turned it around. Same with tubs and his being forced to deal with franklin. His d with borges was deadly. Another big example of meddling 

[GwillMac6 20,600]

2 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Yeah, that 20-0 start of his and overall 47-17-1 record just sucked. Of course, it's the best winning percentage of any AU football coach in close to 100 years but let's don't let facts interfere with opinion.

OH. so that argument is still around. OK then. So? chizik won a natty. both are still awful hires. Auburn can do much better when hiring a football coach than 5-19 and samfords head coach. Come on mikey! you know this. your better than this. your just arguing for sport.  your being results oriented. 

[auburntiger1987 759]

8 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

OH. so that argument is still around. OK then. So? chizik won a natty. both are still awful hires. Auburn can do much better when hiring a football coach than 5-19 and samfords head coach. Come on mikey! you know this. your better than this. your just arguing for sport.  your being results oriented. 

Both hired got rotten by the same thing at the end.  I dont care really where they came from as long as they help Auburn get closet and closer to championships and being a top 25 team ever in the ncaa. Im pretty sure that If we had an opening and hired fleck,  there would be more than a handful celebrating.  Id say the same about Herman too. Realistically, the last 4 hihires have been tainted by one thing.  Meddling to the point a of a failed season. Bowden in 98, tubs in 08 and now gus. Id argue especially given two of the 3 rebounded. That they did not forget how to coach and win

[GwillMac6 20,600]

10 minutes ago, auburntiger1987 said:

Both hired got rotten by the same thing at the end.  I dont care really where they came from as long as they help Auburn get closet and closer to championships and being a top 25 team ever in the ncaa. Im pretty sure that If we had an opening and hired fleck,  there would be more than a handful celebrating.  Id say the same about Herman too. Realistically, the last 4 hihires have been tainted by one thing.  Meddling to the point a of a failed season. Bowden in 98, tubs in 08 and now gus. Id argue especially given two of the 3 rebounded. That they did not forget how to coach and win

There is a lot more fanfare with fleck then there us with the 2 we hired. He looks to be the perfect guy to run a program in modern day which is to say he is a dynamic personality who would be a great recruiter and he built western michigan from the ground up. We will see how he does at minnesota. I wish he would of sat and waited another year for a better job. I think because we have not hired a proven name who only will come if they have control is why there has been meddling because these dudes are puppets to a certain extent.