ellitor 33,093 Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Quote 21 recruits to know in Florida By Keith Niebuhr 3 hours ago OLB target Xavian Sorey. (Photo: Jason Caldwell/Inside The Auburn Tigers, 247Sports) The state of Florida is important to Auburn's football program each and every recruiting cycle. This one will be no different. From 2016-20, Auburn offered 1,151 prospects across the country. Of that number, 285 (24.8 percent) were in Florida. During that same span, the Tigers signed 25 recruits from the state -- or 21.6 percent all all signees. That trailed only the states of Georgia (38 signee, 32.8 percent) and Alabama (31, 26.7 percent). In the 2021 class, 51 recruits from Florida claim Auburn offers. That's 16 more than any other state. The state is so crucial to the Tigers that nine Auburn assistant coaches have designated recruiting regions there. From the Keys to Pensacola and all points in between, the Auburn staff has the Sunshine State blanketed. To date, Auburn has four commitments for the 2021 class. Safety Phillip O'Brien Jr. of Deerfield Beach is the only Floridian. But that is likely to change in the coming months. Today, we offer up 21 recruits to know in Florida. ... -WR, Jacorey Brooks, Miami Booker T. Washington 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 23 overall, No. 2 receiver. Scouting report: A big body with a long wingspan and long stride. Some muscle already developed, but should only get bigger once in a college strength program. Measured 6-2 the spring before his junior season, but pushing 6-3. A natural pass catcher with good balance. Has the ability to not only win balls in the air, but also turn short routes into long gains. Can line up on the outside, but also work the slot. Speed a bit of a concern after running a 4.83 on the lasers, but has gone as low as 22.18 in the 200-meter dash which suggests he can get going once moving. Film backs that up. In a nutshell: Miami is the Crystal Ball favorite, but he communicates often with the Tigers and wants to visit when on-campus recruiting resumes. Alabama is another team to watch. -WR, Mario Williams, Plant City 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 40 overall, No. 4 receiver. Scouting report: Smaller receiver but not slight framed. Has the build to be able to carry some additional weight in college and be sturdy and durable. Quick, twitchy athlete. More quick than fast but still fast enough. Doesn't get caught from behind and flashes significant big play capability. Shows good lateral quickness and has the tools to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Looks for more after the catch. Capable of making plays in contested situations down the field. Hands check out but catch radius is limited and he's shown some inconsistencies finishing on catches outside his frame. Body quickness and size should steer him towards the slot where he's a likely Power Five starter with mid to early round NFL Draft upside. In a nutshell: Williams, who also wants to play baseball in college, visited the Tigers earlier this year and has a good relationship with the staff. But right now, Oklahoma is trending -- and trending big. -WR, Christian Leary, Orlando Edgewater 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 152 overall, No. 26 receiver. Scouting report: Shorter in stature with a thick, developed lower body. Has added around ten pounds of mass from his sophomore to junior years of high school One of the faster wide receivers on the track in the 2021 cycle and posted some sensational times in the 100 meters early in the spring prior to his senior season. Helped Edgewater to a state title berth as a junior. Productive as a receiver and direct-snap run threat. Transfers his high-level top-end speed to the football field. Pulls away from defenders with ease once in the open field with a long, explosive stride. Dangerous in several facets and a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. Skilled in the open field, whether it's in catch and run situations, as a rusher or return man. In a nutshell: Auburn was in on Leary early and the Tigers seemed to be a top contender before on-campus visits were suspended. But now, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Alabama and Florida have emerged as the front-runners. Many project him to Oklahoma with his June 6 decision looming. The good news: Look for Leary two keep making visits. -TE, Michael Trigg, Seffner Christian 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 155 overall, No. 6 tight end. Scouting report: Tight end projection that is more of a big wide receiver in terms of body type and usage in high school. Underdeveloped frame that has a capacity for transformation. Extremely productive pass catcher against shoddy competition. Natural hands catcher. Good body control and ball skills. Easy athlete that can be dangerous after the catch and has played quarterback in a run-heavy role. Isn’t asked to play in-line but has shown some willingness to block in H-back roles and is active on defense. High end basketball player. Evaluation changes if he’s a wide receiver because separation speed isn’t obvious. Very much a hybrid type that may not fit every offense. In a nutshell: Visited Auburn earlier this year and came away impressed. The Tigers seem to like him a lot and he's interested in them, too. Florida State is another team to watch. We think he'll visit Auburn again. -OT, Caleb Johnson, Ocala Trinity Catholic 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 332 overall, No. 29 offensive tackle. Scouting report: Offensive line prospect with good height, average arm length and a muscled, athletic, well-proportioned frame. Has good bend and flexibility. Creates movement in the run game, particularly as a down-blocker. Has desired body quickness. Plays with a good base. Could project to tackle or guard long term. Lunges in pass protection. Doesn’t keep a flat back and trust his base. Plays off balance too much and struggles with redirection when engaged. Athletic for a big body but still ironing out functional coordination. Body type and traits point to an eventual Power Five starter that has back-end NFL Draft upside. In a nutshell: This has turned into an Auburn-Notre Dame battle and the Indiana native will officially visit both schools. Penn State is another program to watch. Should Johnson's official with the Irish go well, that could give that program the edge. The Tigers, though, are right there and are very much in this. -OT, Garner Langlo, Ocala Trinity Catholic 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 662 overall, No. 58 offensive tackle. In a nutshell: Auburn offered the 6-foot-7, 290-pound Langlo on April 16 and the Tigers now seem to have emerged as the favorite -- a spot we believe Georgia Tech once held. The day Auburn offered, he was extremely excited. You could tell it wasn't just another offer to him. He'd visited the Tigers earlier in the year and loved the vibe in Auburn. He wanted that offer. When Tigers coach Gus Malzahn reached him to give him the news, Langlo was wearing an Auburn shirt. He's a small-town kid who likes the country life. Langlo is an outdoorsmen, and those types of people usually fit in well at Auburn. Langlo apparently has hit it off with offensive line coach Jack Bicknell and the Auburn staff. -C, Jake Slaughter, Ocala Trinity Catholic 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 589 overall, No. 8 center. In a nutshell: Slaughter committed to the 'Noles on April 13 and Auburn offered five days later. Bicknell's, Auburn's offensive line coach, has communicated regularly with Slaughter and the Tigers are hopeful they can land an official visit. Slaughter is very close with his two offensive line teammates that also are Auburn targets -- Johnson and Langlo. He probably won't be easy to flip, but the Tigers are giving it a go. Initially, he chose FSU over Arkansas over West Virginia. "Just the right fit for me in general," Slaughter told Noles247 of his decision to commit. -DE, Keanu Koht, Vero Beach 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 245 overall, No. 16 weak-side defensive end. Scouting report: Has a streamlined, lean build. Has room to add mass at over the next few years. Long-limbed and rangy. Twitchy and fluid in his movements with a bounce in his step. Wins with quickness and speed off the edge. Has a quick first step and has good instincts in timing the snap count. Shows bend and flexiblity in rounding the arc. Closes quickly to make plays behind the line of scrimmage both as a pass rusher and in pursuit. Has the physical framework to develop into a productive edge rusher in time. Many of his sacks and tackles for loss to this point have come as a result of being unblocked. Will need to continue adding play strength and nuance to his pass rush via technique. Projects as a Power Five starter on the edge with the upside to develop into an NFL Draft pick. In a nutshell: When Koht released his list of top schools earlier this year, Auburn wasn't on it. But in mid-March, he said the Tigers were one of the programs in the hunt. From the Auburn side of things, we're told the Tigers view themselves as a contender and their communication with Koht is both consistent and positive. We expect him to visit again. Auburn probably is in this more than people think. -DE, Shambre Jackson, Orlando Boone 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 221 overall, No. 17 strong-side defensive end. Scouting report: Versatile lineman with the ability to line up at multiple spots on the defensive line. Has the frame to even bulk up and play some three-tech but likely projects best as a 3-4 or even 4-3 defensive end. High motor player who pursues to the football and makes plays outside his area. Is physically strong and holds up well at the point of attack. Does a nice job holding the edge and can get a push up the field. Very good run defender and shows upside as a pass rusher. Can improve his get off and ability to bend and get back to the quarterback. Projects as an impact upper tier Power 5 starter and future high round NFL draft pick In a nutshell: Jackson already has visited Auburn multiple times and there's a good chance he'll return. Auburn seems to have dipped some and it may be the result of the Tigers pursuing others harder. How hard Auburn recruits Jackson will play a big role in what kind of shot it has. If the Tigers push, they can be a factor. -DT, Marquis Robinson, Milton 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 273 overall, No. 17 defensive tackle. In a nutshell: Auburn was the first to offer Robinson and that has always carried some weight with him. Among all the staffs recruiting him, we're told Robinson probably is the closest with the Tigers -- namely defensive line coach Rodney Garner and head coach Gus Malzahn. Garner, per multiple accounts, is locked in here. Meanwhile, Malzahn has Face Timed with Robinson multiple times this spring. There seems to be a comfort level for the 6-feet-3, 300-pound Robinson in Auburn. We believe he has visited the Tigers more than any other school -- and he has been making that trip for a few years. Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Tennessee also are in the mix ... but Auburn seems to be the favorite. -LB, Xavian Sorey, Graceville 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 60 overall, No. 5 outside linebacker. Scouting report: Above average height as a linebacker with strong upper body that still is filling out and is far from maxed out. Length drives his range on defense, particularly in pass coverage. Has natural soft hands with the ability to track and make plays on the football in coverage. Makes one-handed catches and plays downfield regularly. Showcases explosiveness on the basketball court and plays well above the rim. Has versatility on the football field and is used as a running back, fullback, tight end and rover. Shows natural body control. More smooth than sudden. Plays fast but under control. Is not a violent tackler. Makes most of his plays defensively on the perimeter and doesn't show a lot of downhill tackling. Has versatility to be an inside or outside linebacker. Size lends to inside. Not as rare physically as an edge defender. Needs to showcase that he has the demeanor necessary to be dominant at linebacker and inside the tackle box but has the traits necessary to be an elite modern linebacker. Likely impact Power 5 prospect with early round NFL Draft potential. In a nutshell: Alabama and Georgia are getting the most buzz here but Auburn quietly is in the mix and has already hosted Sorey three times. -LB, Timar Rogers, DeLand 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 1051 overall, No. 76 outside linebacker. In a nutshell: Since Auburn offered a month ago, his profile is rising. Yet, it's too soon to know where Rogers sits on the Auburn board, but his interest in the Tigers is strong. A 3-star backer at DeLand (Fla.), Rogers is listed at 6-feet-2, 200 pounds. He's thought to be among the most athletic recruits in central Florida for the 2021 class. "Coach T-Will (Travis Williams), he called me and said he likes everything about my film and he thinks I can play in the SEC," Rogers said. Auburn may only take two linebackers in the 2021 class and it appears as though the Tigers are being selective. A true outside backer with speed, he can bring pressure off the edge or be a sideline-to-sideline type of prospect. His strength might be his closing speed. -CB, Markevious Brown, Bradenton IMG Academy 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 276 overall, No. 19 cornerback. In a nutshell: Brown hears from Auburn a lot and that’s having an impact on his recruitment. “I talk to (secondary coach Wesley McGriff) almost every day” Brown said. “I think very highly of him being that he just put Noah Igbinoghene in the NFL in the first round. And, he’s a cool dude -- a nice, genuine dude. Me and him have a great personal relationship.” The Tigers, needing at least two corners in the 2021 class, offered him Feb. 5. He is listed at 6-feet, 175 pounds. “Auburn is going to be a very big factor,” Brown said. “It’s just the presence of Auburn. Me being able to go in and play early. Having a familiarity with Auburn. I’ve been there. Being on campus and seeing how things work. The next time I visit, I just want to see how much do they really want me. And how well would I fit in and what do I have to do to play early.” -CB, Daniel Edwards, Winter Park 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 953 overall, No. 80 cornerback. In a nutshell: Edwards is extremely high on Auburn and some think he wants to be a Tiger. The question is, will Auburn push? Edwards is listed at 5-feet-11 and only 155 pounds, so the Tigers may want to see how he fills out. One thing not up for debate is his speed. Edwards was running in the 10.8-second range in the 100-meters before the Florida High School Athletic Association suspended all sports due to the coronavirus outbreak. The cornerback out of Winter Park didn’t record an interception during his junior campaign, but did get his hands on a number of passes. -S, James Williams, Plantation American Heritage 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 11 overall, No. 1 safety. Scouting report: One of the most rare body types in the 2020 class. Long, streamlined athlete with a massive safety frame that would more traditionally translate to a box defender. Not bulky. Lean and muscled with continued developmental upside. Despite long levers, shows a smooth backpedal and natural defensive back movement skills. Very effective as a single-high safety playing centerfield and tracking down the football. Good ball skills. Shows some good feel in hole coverage navigating intermediate and middle-breaking routes. Has shown good timing and feel as a blitzer. Has the athleticism to make plays on the football and in run support and still stay on his feet and under control. Effective at wide receiver on the high school level. Active ripping at the football and forcing the issue as a disruptor. Despite overwhelming physical tools, more of a finesse defender. Needs to develop a killer instinct as a tackler. Unique size and athleticism combination gives him versatility to be a chess piece as a traditional safety, linebacker, rover or even a situational edge rusher. Will be an impact Power Five starter that projects as a first round NFL Draft pick that offers versatility that we don't see every year. In a nutshell: Auburn is not in this 5-star recruit's top three but he potentially could visit again. Williams already has been to Auburn three times. Georgia leads in the Crystal Ball, but watch out for Clemson. -S, Terrion Arnold, Tallahassee John Paul II Catholic 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 211 overall, No. 10 safety. Scouting report: A twitchy athlete with a compact build and a bounce to his step. Has played primarily safety at the high school level, but is versatile enough to probably get it done at cornerback in college. High IQ football player that closes extremely fast on the ball and can anticipate quarterback’s moves. Very physical and likes contact. Will outmuscle receivers to win a jump ball, if needed. Can quickly get across the field to clean up mistakes. A threat to score anytime the ball finds its way into his hands. Quick, but could get faster. Has the opportunity to also play basketball in college. One of the more complete defensive back prospects in a loaded 2021 class for the Sunshine State. Should sign with a Top 25 program and develop into an all-conference type player. Potential is there to play on Sundays. In a nutshell: Alabama is considered the favorite but Arnold talks to Auburn a lot and would like to visit. -S, Kamren Kinchens, Miami Northwestern 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 291 overall, No. 16 safety. In a nutshell: LSU, Auburn and Texas A&M are all giving Kinchens something to think about and don't count out the hometown Hurricanes. The 4-star safety plans to officially visit Auburn. He checked out the school in March. “At first, I didn’t think they had much interest in me but then they started talking to me more and told me to come up,” Kinchens said. "I didn't know what to expect, but when I went up there it was just like an open book. They showed me love and I had a great time.” Secondary coach Wesley McGriff is Kinchens’ primary recruiter. “I just like his personality,” Kinchens said. "He makes you want to know more about him. Coach McGriff and me stay in touch every day.” Kinchens is friends with Auburn safety commit Phillip O'Brien Jr., who is from nearby Deerfield Beach. -S, Phillip O'Brien Jr., Deerfield Beach 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 455 overall, No. 27 safety. In a nutshell: O'Brien Jr. committed to Auburn during a visit to the school in early February. Other schools have not stopped recruiting him (see Florida State and Michigan), but for now he seems to be solid to the Tigers. -LB, Chase Smith, Palm Bay Bayside 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 280 overall, No. 19 athlete. Scouting report: Easily among the most versatile players in the country and could line up at multiple positions at the next level. As a receiver, he uses his length to win jump ball battles and shows the speed to separate. Defensively, he could end up at as a safety or outside ‘backer and really flashes on that side of the ball. He can run down plays from behind, is a big hitter, shows good ball skills and is one of those kids that just always seems to be around the football. He can blitz off the edge as well as drop back in coverage and where he ends up will likely be decided by how much weight he puts on in a few years. He has a safety frame but a linebacker skill set and the closer to the line of scrimmage he plays might be the best way to maximize his enormous skill set. Projects as an impact upper tier Power 5 starter and future mid-high round NFL draft pick In a nutshell: Auburn projects him at linebacker and the Tigers are quietly getting into the mix. They apparently like this prospect a lot. -LB, Raheim Sanders, Rockledge 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 508 overall, No. 41 athlete. In a nutshell: Auburn offered Sanders as a linebacker April 2 and he's highly interested in the Tigers. If they push, they'll have a good shot at landing him we believe. His offer came directly from linebackers coach Travis Williams. “Coach said he watched my film and said I’m a go-getter,” Sanders said. "He said I go make tackles and get off the ball. They just say I’m going to the league, first-round pick. They think with my size, I’m a first-round pick if I play on the defensive side. And they say I’d help them a lot.” Last year, Sanders started every game at receiver. But, he seems open to playing defense in college. FSU and Oklahoma are two other programs to watch. -WR, Brashard Smith, Miami Palmetto 27Sports Composite rankings: No. 346 overall, No. 4 all-purpose back. In a nutshell: The speedy 4-star slot receiver target de-committed from Florida on Friday and he told Andrew Ivins of 247Sports that Auburn is a team to watch. Auburn may only sign one to two receivers in the 2021 class and the Tigers seem to definitely want one slot guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autan 737 Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I remember a Jake Slaughter at Auburn maybe 20 years ago. I think he was a fullback from TN. Any relation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellitor 33,093 Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 29 minutes ago, autan said: I remember a Jake Slaughter at Auburn maybe 20 years ago. I think he was a fullback from TN. Any relation? No mention of him so I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,589 Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 5 hours ago, autan said: I remember a Jake Slaughter at Auburn maybe 20 years ago. I think he was a fullback from TN. Any relation? Jake Slaughter was indeed a fullback from Brentwood Academy, Tennessee. Played at AU '02 through '05. Related? Probably not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG 33,982 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 I find it hard to believe Brooks runs a consistent 4.8. watching his highlights, he accelerated very quickly after a cut and starts to pick up steam. To me, this is a technique situation out of the start. Possibly not stay low to the ground and pushing out with his hips. If he gets a good speed coach I can’t see why he couldn’t be down to at least the 4.5 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburn4ever 1,266 Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Of the 3 latest commits Auburn's landed, all 3 are from Florida. We're off to a great start in the sunshine state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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