2020 Commit/Target Rankings (Update 8/14/19 Rivals 250 Added)

[toddc 13,194]

This will be the rankings thread for the 2020 class. Each AU centric update will be linked in the OP.

247 Sports only update 2/27/19

[toddc 13,194]

Quote

 

How AU commits and targets fared in the updated 247 rankings

By Keith Niebuhr

Receiver commit Kobe Hudson. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Inside The Auburn Tigers, Scout.com)

 

247Sports updated its Top247 for the class of 2020 Wednesday -- and as usual some Auburn commits and targets rose, while some fell.

We can all agree or disagree with the rankings, but the 247Sports rankings team put in lots of homework to come to these conclusions. The evaluations for this class didn't just begin during the 2020 recruiting cycle. They actually started a couple years ago as video highlights of 2020 recruits started getting posted back when some were freshmen.

Since then, more video has been watched and dozens of in-person evaluations took place at everything from 7-on-7 events, Adidas, Nike and Under Armour camps, along with high school games in the fall.

Every member of the rankings team evaluates a little bit differently than the others. In the end, a lot of what goes into a ranking is the measure of one's long-term physical potential. In other words, who will be the best way down the road. 

In the end, though, rankings are purely subjective.

More evaluations will come. Multiple rankings updates will follow.

For now, though, here's a look at how the Auburn commits and targets fared in this update.

 

Kobe Hudson, WR, commit

CURRENT RANKING: 95

PREVIOUS RANKING: 52

411: This drop probably won't sit well with Auburn fans. Hudson, playing out of position last season because his team needed him at quarterback, accounted for over 4,900 yards in 2018 during a memorable season. He threw for 3,386 yards and rushed for 1,410. All told, Hudson accounted for 50 touchdowns. What hurt is that nobody saw him at receiver last year, making it hard to project. If he does well in offseason camps at receiver, it's possible he could move back up. Regardless, he's a top-end talent and still is in the top 100.

Demouy Kennedy, LB, commit

CURRENT RANKING: 144

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the top 247.

411: After a big junior season, Kennedy got a very nice bump in this update. He's a big commit for the Tigers, who hope to sign up to four linebackers in the 2020 class. He's No. 6 in the state of Alabama. With this bump, Kennedy now is up to No. 108 overall in the industry generated 247Sports Composite.

J.J. Evans, WR, commit

CURRENT RANKING: 138

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the top 247.

411: Thanks to a monster performance in 2018, the new Auburn commit got a massive bump. This makes him No. 4 in the state of Alabama. Also, he moves to No. 158 overall  in the 247Sports Composite. Evans had more than 1,700 receiving yards last season and averaged an incredible 26.6 yards per catch.

Avery Jernigan, OL, commit

CURRENT RANKING: 238

PREVIOUS RANKING: 231

411: Jernigan's drop was so small it basically means he held steady in this update. After committing to Auburn earlier this year, he was solid at an MVP Camp in south Georgia, which allowed him to stay a 4-star following a good 2018 season. 247Sports has him higher than Rivals and ESPN at this time. He keeps getting bigger, which potentially could help his rating down the road.

Arik Gilbert, TE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 12

PREVIOUS RANKING: 14

411: Gilbert, a 5-star recruit, is rated as an athlete but he plans to play tight end in college. Georgia is the favorite, but he visited the Tigers last week and previously was on campus last summer. It's an uphill climb for Auburn, but the Tigers are battling.

 

Myles Murphy, DE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 18

PREVIOUS RANKING: 34

411: Auburn is a strong contender for the 5-star defensive line recruit from Georgia. Clemson and Georgia are the other major players right now in this recruitment. Murphy has visited Auburn multiple times, most recently last weekend. That trip went very well, he said. With Auburn losing several key linemen after 2019, Murphy is a priority recruit.

Broderick Jones, OT, target

CURRENT RANKING: 25

PREVIOUS RANKING: 35

411: The 5-star Georgia commit got a nice bump after a good 2018 season followed by a strong showing at the Under Armour Future 50 camp in January. Auburn got him on campus last month and is working to get him back. Flipping him from the Bulldogs won't be easy, though. Auburn is selling the chance for early playing time hard. 

Haynes King, QB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 43

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the top 247.

411: King might be Auburn's top quarterback target for 2020. In fact, this week he told us he communicates often with offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham. He has visited Auburn once and hopes to return in the near future. King isn’t just a standout on the football field. He also plays basketball and runs track. Last year, he ran the 400 meters and the mile relay. This spring, he might add sprints to his repertoire

Chantz Williams, DE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 44

PREVIOUS RANKING: 64

411: Williams will visit Auburn this weekend and his stock continues to rise. He recently released a top five that included Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Miami. The Tigers are working hard to get into the mix and historically Auburn has done fairly well in the Jacksonville, Fla., area. This will be Williams' second known visit to Auburn.

Keyvone Lee, RB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 51

PREVIOUS RANKING: 70

411: Not much is known about Lee's interest in Auburn, other than that he said this week the Tigers are one of the schools he is strongly considering. He's a former Florida commit who recently put himself back on the market. His school in Florida is in the recruiting region of running backs coach Cadillac Williams.

Will Anderson, DE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 79

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the top 247

411: Anderson is a major Auburn target from Georgia and the Tigers appear to be among his top contenders. At 6-feet-3, 225 pounds, his future would seem to be at the buck position. Alabama, Florida State and LSU are just some of the other schools involved in his recruitment.

Lawrance Toafili, RB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 83

PREVIOUS RANKING: 67

411: Florida State leads in the 247Sports Crystal Ball but this recruitment seems to be fairly open at this time. Williams, Auburn's running backs coach, stopped by Toafili's school in January and Toafili has said he hopes to visit the Tigers sometime this spring.

 

Quandarrius Robinson, DE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 86

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the Top 247.

411: When Robinson committed to Auburn last summer, he wasn't a big-name recruit. Today, he is. After a strong junior season, he has seen his stock rise. Robinson de-committed from the Tigers in January, but is still strongly considering them. It likely will come down to Auburn and Alabama.

Phillip Webb, LB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 98

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the Top 247.

411: Webb is a major Auburn target and the Tigers very well might be the team to beat at this time. Clemson is another program to watch. Alabama, too. Webb grew up an Auburn fan and his father went to school there. He's a priority recruit for the Tigers and already has visited them several times, most recently in January.

McKinnley Jackson, DT, target

CURRENT RANKING: 105

PREVIOUS RANKING: 28

411: Jackson fell quite a bit, but he remains a top target of schools such as Auburn, Alabama, LSU and the in-state schools in Mississippi. He has visited Auburn multiple times during the past year and the Tigers seem to be a real factor in this recruitment. We expect him to visit sometime again in the very near future.

Tate Ratledge, OT, target

CURRENT RANKING: 113

PREVIOUS RANKING: 68

411: Ratledge is a big Auburn target, but right now the Tigers don't seem to be in a very good spot. Most see this as being a battle between in-state Georgia and Tennessee. Despite this drop in the rankings he's still a very good prospect.

Tank Bigsby, RB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 136

PREVIOUS RANKING: 91

411: Despite a solid 2018 season, Bigsby fell in the rankings. Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina are among the top contenders. It doesn't seem like Bigsby is in any hurry to commit. He visited Auburn last week and we suspect he'll be back on campus several more times in the coming months.

E.J. Williams, WR, target

CURRENT RANKING: 142

PREVIOUS RANKING: Not in the Top 247.

411: Williams had a good season for the state champs in Alabama's largest classification and has gained his fourth star from 247Sports. Even though Auburn has two very talented receivers already on the commit list, Williams remains a target. He has visited Auburn more than anyone but Clemson is trending some at this time.

 

Jeremiah Pegues, TE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 166

PREVIOUS RANKING: 120

411: Pegues has emerged as a huge Auburn target. He will visit the Tigers again Saturday. Even though his high school is right down the road from Ole Miss, a source with knowledge of his recruitment thinks the No. 3 recruit in Mississippi per the industry generated 247Sports Composite is fairly open to the idea of leaving the area. Getting him on campus twice already this year is big for the Tigers. I think he has emerged as one of Auburn's top two tight end targets, joining 5-star Arik Gilbert of Georgia.

Zykeivous Walker, DE, target

CURRENT RANKING: 175

PREVIOUS RANKING: 221

411: Walker is a major target of several SEC programs, including Auburn. At 6-feet-4, 255 pounds, he has one of the better frames in the class and likely projects as a strong-side end at the next level. Auburn is battling hard. He was expected to visit last weekend, but we haven't been able to confirm if he made it. We do know Walker attended at least one Auburn home game last season.

Cameron Riley, LB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 198

PREVIOUS RANKING: 124

411: Riley dropped a good bit but remains someone the Tigers apparently want in the class. Auburn and Mississippi State are the teams to watch but Riley will visit Alabama this weekend so that's certainly something to track. Despite his drop with 247, we still have him ranked higher than the other sites in the industry.

Robby Ashford, QB, target

CURRENT RANKING: 211

PREVIOUS RANKING: 187

411: Ashford began the 2018 season with a bang but was a little up-and-down after that, which often is typical for young quarterbacks. At the Under Armour Future 50 in January, he did not have his best showing. Worth noting, he did heat up a little toward the end of that event. Ashford is an elite athlete at the quarterback position -- and a top-flight baseball recruit. We're not sure at this time where he sits on the Auburn quarterback board.

Jalen Rivers, OT, target

CURRENT RANKING: 212

PREVIOUS RANKING: 65

411: Rivers didn't fare well in this rankings update. That said, he has a Power-5 tackle body all the way. He will visit the Tigers this weekend. Auburn did not make his recently released top five, but still is considered to be somewhat of a factor. This weekend's visit will tell us more about the Tigers' chances.

Andy Boykin, DT, target

CURRENT RANKING: 232

PREVIOUS RANKING: 223

411: Boykin is a former Auburn commit from Georgia who continues to communicate with the Tigers. In fact, he visited them again last weekend. Where he might land at this point is anyone's guess. Things seem to be fairly open in this recruitment. Georgia, though, certainly would be another team to watch.

Full 247 only Top247

 

[ellitor 33,062]

23 minutes ago, toddc said:

@ellitor you may have a better place for this rather than a new thread! Up to you brother.

This is good. I'll just edit the title to be rankings updates for the entire year.

[ellitor 33,062]

Conservatively & counting the commit AU has a good chance of landing 9 from that group. Maybe more.

[toddc 13,194]

15 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Conservatively & counting the commit AU has a good chance of landing 9 from that group. Maybe more.

Not too shabby if that happens!

[toddc 13,194]

I feel a little bad for Kobi’s dropping because he played where his team needed him to and excelled at it, even though it wasn’t the position he’ll play in college and listed at.

[ellitor 33,062]

5 minutes ago, toddc said:

I feel a little bad for Kobi’s dropping because he played where his team needed him to and excelled at it, even though it wasn’t the position he’ll play in college and listed at.

Long way to go. He has a chance to jump back up at camps and tournaments playing at wide receiver this spring and summer.

[ellitor 33,062]

Updated Rivals 250

Commits (7)
30 - RB Tank Bigsby
34 - LB Trenton Simpson
123 - WR Kobe Hudson
169 - LB Wesley Steiner
171 - WR Ze’Vian Capers
208 - WR JJ Evans
212 - DB Chris Thompson Jr.

Targets
33 - LB Phillip Webb
104 - DT McKinley Jackson
129 - WR E.J. Williams
137 - DE Jay Hardy
141 - DT Omari Thomas
145 - LB B.J. Ojulari
151 - DE Zykeivous Walker
201 - TE Jeremiah Pegues

[DonDraper 54]

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

Updated Rivals 250

Commits (7)
30 - RB Tank Bigsby
34 - LB Trenton Simpson
123 - WR Kobe Hudson
169 - LB Wesley Steiner
171 - WR Ze’Vian Capers
208 - WR JJ Evans
212 - DB Chris Thompson Jr.

Targets
33 - LB Phillip Webb
104 - DT McKinley Jackson
129 - WR E.J. Williams
137 - DE Jay Hardy
141 - DT Omari Thomas
145 - LB B.J. Ojulari
151 - DE Zykeivous Walker
201 - TE Jeremiah Pegues

Looks like our commits moved up or down a few spots so no big change except Simpson moving up 30+ 

[ellitor 33,062]

26 minutes ago, DonDraper said:

except Simpson moving up 30+

 He moved up 42 spots. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,128]

We are at #7 in team rankings on 247 there is no we we can pass any of the ones currently ahead of us and there are a few teams that might be able to move past us.  

Our Average player ranking is 90.9. Two of the teams ahead of us have 92+ ranking the rest with exception of Clemson have 93+ and Clemson is 94+. All the teams below us but OU are below our rating but a few are very close so could pass us but not likely. OU is 91+ and only has 15 commitments so if they close out strong probably could pass us.

Whether we stay the same or drop 1 or 2 rankings this is a very strong class ASSUMMING we can close out the D-Line, the TE and the two DB's we want. We will have quality , quantity, and more importantly we will have a balanced class that meets our needs. bama, Georgia, and LSU are the only SEC teams ahead of us with A&M and Florida as only SEC teams that might pass us but even if they do it would be a negligible difference and I doubt their classes are as balanced as ours.

Our coaches have done a great job recruiting this year, now lets follow it up with a great year on the field.

 

[ellitor 33,062]

24 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

two DB's we want

Still could be 3.

[AuburnNTexas 7,128]

1 minute ago, ellitor said:

Still could be 3.

I should have said at least 2 DB's that we want. Thank you.

[ellitor 33,062]

14 minutes ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I should have said at least 2 DB's that we want. Thank you.

NP.

[Rednilla 5,383]

On 8/14/2019 at 3:03 PM, ellitor said:

 

What do you make of the O-line recruiting this year? We've got a lot of bodies, but only one very low rated 4 star. Is this a deal where we can expect Grimes to coach them up, or did we just miss on several more highly rated recruits (or both)? Or, alternatively, are these guys who the staff thinks are underrated and going to fit in nicely?

[Mikey 16,550]

4 hours ago, Rednilla said:

What do you make of the O-line recruiting this year? We've got a lot of bodies, but only one very low rated 4 star. Is this a deal where we can expect Grimes to coach them up, or did we just miss on several more highly rated recruits (or both)? Or, alternatively, are these guys who the staff thinks are underrated and going to fit in nicely?

My take: Going by what I've seen of the offer lists rather than star ratings, I think we've got commitments from several guys that any number of schools would like to sign. There are also one or two project types in the mix. It wouldn't hurt to add another top of the line OL player but that will take more work & some luck and probably won't come any time real soon.

[ellitor 33,062]

On 8/25/2019 at 4:39 AM, Rednilla said:

What do you make of the O-line recruiting this year?

Will be unpopular to some but solid to above average. With that said what was needed was done, especially getting 2 juco OTs, at least 1 of which is expected to be heavily in the mix to start at LT next season.

On 8/25/2019 at 4:39 AM, Rednilla said:

only one very low rated 4 star.

@Rednilla Still a good bit of ranking shifts to be done & 3-4 of the 3*s are very high & have a good chance ending up a 4*. For example, Big Z is the #1 juco OT in the composite. If he stays there after Rivals & ESPN do their full juco rankings he would be a virtual lock to end up a 4*

On 8/25/2019 at 4:39 AM, Rednilla said:

did we just miss on several more highly rated recruits

Don't really know. We zeroed in on & took most of these cats pretty early.

On 8/25/2019 at 4:39 AM, Rednilla said:

are these guys who the staff thinks are underrated and going to fit in nicely?

Staff doesn't care about ratings. Taking them means the staff believes they will fit in nicely..

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

We zeroed in on & took most of these cats pretty early.

I am glad they did this. Doing the opposite might partially explain what got us to this state of desperation to begin with.

I do wish we could have pulled in a Martez Ivey-level player but that's as much for optics as anything. 

I don't think anybody could grade us worse than a B- with this OL class.

[Rednilla 5,383]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

Will be unpopular to some but solid to above average. With that said what was needed was done, especially getting 2 juco OTs, at least 1 of which is expected to be heavily in the mix to start at LT next season.

@Rednilla Still a good bit of ranking shifts to be done & 3-4 of the 3*s are very high & have a good chance ending up a 4*. For example, Big Z is the #1 juco OT in the composite. If he stays there after Rivals & ESPN do their full juco rankings he would be a virtual lock to end up a 4*

Don't really know. We zeroed in on & took most of these cats pretty early.

Staff doesn't care about ratings. Taking them means the staff believes they will fit in nicely..

That answers my questions pretty well. I did already know the coaches don't care about ratings, but if they're rated 3 stars and we took their commitment early, then it stands to reason that the staff thinks they're underrated, regardless of whether they look at the ratings of recruiting sites or not.

BTW, the two JUCO OTs, do you know if they have 3 years to play 2 or what?

[ellitor 33,062]

16 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

BTW, the two JUCO OTs, do you know if they have 3 years to play 2 or what?

Yes.

17 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

I did already know the coaches don't care about ratings, but if they're rated 3 stars and we took their commitment early, then it stands to reason that the staff thinks they're underrated, regardless of whether they look at the ratings of recruiting sites or not.

Point of my reply was yes the staff believes they fit regardless of ranking so I thought the fit part was an odd question. No offense intended.

[DonDraper 54]

Anyone know how our guys moved in the new espn 300 rankings? Wasn’t sure where they had them to begin but I see Steiner is highly rated by them while Simpson is not in top100! 

[ellitor 33,062]

1 hour ago, DonDraper said:

Anyone know how our guys moved in the new espn 300 rankings? Wasn’t sure where they had them to begin but I see Steiner is highly rated by them while Simpson is not in top100! 

@DonDraper It was only a 2 spot drop for him, which basically means ESPN hasn't evalled him since their last update. Surprising given he has played on ESPN this season. He was #105 overall before this update & is now #107.

As for the rest it's hard to know how they moved because ESPN doesn't provide much in the way of ranking movement intel.

[DonDraper 54]

18 hours ago, ellitor said:

@DonDraper It was only a 2 spot drop for him, which basically means ESPN hasn't evalled him since their last update. Surprising given he has played on ESPN this season. He was #105 overall before this update & is now #107.

As for the rest it's hard to know how they moved because ESPN doesn't provide much in the way of ranking movement intel.

Thanks for the response! Yeah I like how 247 has a ranking history but oh well.