2022 4* RB Damari Alston Commits to Auburn!!!

[AuCivilEng1 10,998]

Yesss!! Nice work staff!! 

[Paladin 3,305]

Analysis: New Auburn RB commit Damari Alston hopes to take the torch from Tank Bigsby

BySTEVE WILTFONG 24 seconds ago

Auburn has perhaps the SEC’s top running back in sophomore Tank Bigsby. That means they also have arguably the country’s top player at the position.

Who will be next to carry the load on The Plains when Bigsby is gone?

Perhaps another Peach State product in new commit Damari Alston. The Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy standout announced his pledge to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon while attending the program’s Big Cat Weekend.

The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Alston chose Auburn over his other two finalists in Northwestern and LSU, but boasted an offer list that had over 50 programs.

Alston has good speed, 11.37 in the 100m dash and plays with a physical running style. On film he’s showing good feet and balance, elusiveness around the line of scrimmage and he’s bouncing off of or running through a lot of tacklers en route to 1,943 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns. Alston has good vision and play speed finding his top-end gear quickly once he hits the crease.

There are quite a few home runs on Alston’s junior tape and he is also a contributor in the kick return game as well.

At different points in this recruitment schools like LSU and Penn State had some momentum but in the end Alston gravitated towards Auburn.

“I feel like it was the best opportunity to me and I feel the way Coach (Bryan) Harsin and Coach (Mike) Bobo run the offense, it definitely fits me because it’s the type of offense I run at my high school right now so the transition will be easier. I feel like it’s sort of a run-based offense. Tank Bigsby got plenty of carries and plenty of chances to show why he’s one of the best running backs in college football. Coach Bobo has put multiple backs in the league. I feel like I’d be put in different situations to showcase my talents on the field.”

In addition to Bigsby, Alston pointed to the likes of Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield as running backs Bobo has been around.

“That really stood out to me,” he said.

The guy he’s hoping gets all the talent out of him is running backs coach Cadillac Williams.

“I feel like he’s the best running back coach in the country,” Alston said.

An in Alston, Auburn lands one of the more sought-after running backs in the land.

[dilligas 581]

DA ♛ (@DamariAlston) Tweeted:
Happy Birthday Pops. Love You. COMMITTED. 🤞🏾 @DirectedByDale https://t.co/zr3hyZ8FoI

 

[toddc 13,194]

4-star RB Damari Alston commits to Auburn

ByKEITH NIEBUHR 13 minutes ago

Share9 Comments

Can Bryan Harsin's Boise State Blueprint Work In SEC? (Late Kick Cut)

Damari Alston will be an Auburn Tiger.

The 4-star running back from College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy committed to coach Bryan Harsin's program during Sunday's Big Cat recruiting event. Alston made the trip to Auburn with several family members.

"I just feel like it's a great opportunity," Alston said. "It's close to home and the coaches give me that family vibe. I feel like Coach Harsin is going to come in this season and shock everyone."

LSU and Northwestern were Alston's other finalists, he said. 

Alston, who is 5-feet-10, 205 pounds, is the No. 28 running back recruit in the country for the industry generated 247Sports Composite. He holds an 89.80 rating.

In 2020, he rushed for 1,507 yards and 25 touchdowns on 224 carries while adding 229 receiving yards and two scores on 22 catches. As a sophomore, he rushed for another 889 yards on 157 carries. 

Alston's recruitment was led by running backs coach Cadillac Williams, a former Auburn and NFL star.

"He's been in my shoes, first as a recruit and then he played in college football and the NFL," Alston said. "That's something I really liked. I feel like he knows what to do to be the best and he can develop me to be the best running back in the nation. I feel like he's the best RB coach in the country. And I also get that family vibe from him when I'm around him all the time."

Alston is 2022 commitment No. 7 for the Tigers, who are expected to jump from 78th to No. 63 in the 247Sports recruiting team rankings. Auburn has been on somewhat of a recruiting roll of late and Alston hopes to help that continue.

9COMMENTS

"I'm going all out," Alston said. "I'm recruiting the best of the best."

You can find Auburn's complete commitment list HERE. 

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[toddc 13,194]

24 minutes ago, AUwent said:

We need to start getting 4* commits eventually, especially when competing against our former coach at a G5 school.

How about a 4* running back? Is that better? 😝 

[toddc 13,194]

14 minutes ago, fredst said:

Waiting and hoping for the “kablooey”….

Bluey texted me and said he feels the love and family vibe on AUFamily. He said give y’all a big Waaaaar Eagle 🦅!!

[WFE12 9,191]

 

[Beaker 2,457]

1 hour ago, Paladin said:

 

Nicely done and loved how family oriented he is. 

Time to go to work and help recruit!  

 

War Eagle and welcome to your new family Mari. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Beaker

[dilligas 581]

This commit moves us up to #63 in the 247 (still last in the SEC).

[abw0004 10,110]

Excited to have you Damari!  Welcome to the Family!

[AUinGA44 265]

Good pick up. Establishing a pipeline to both Woodward Academy and to South Fulton county would be big for the new staff. Lots of talent in that 10-12 mile stretch off I-85 south from Atlanta, to College Park, to Fairburn. WDE

[Rednilla 5,383]

13 minutes ago, AUinGA44 said:

Good pick up. Establishing a pipeline to both Woodward Academy and to South Fulton county would be big for the new staff. Lots of talent in that 10-12 mile stretch off I-85 south from Atlanta, to College Park, to Fairburn. WDE

I don't know about specific spots around Atlanta, but I know there's a TON of talent in Atlanta metro. I would imagine that a pipeline to any of the area powerhouses would be a great thing. Would be great to have another school supplying us players like Dillard in Florida did back in the day.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

Not following the recruiting minutiae much anymore but reading through some of these synopses, the two players that came to my mind are Tre Mason and Michael Dyer. The latter physically and the former with what was asked of him. Either one close? 

[Rednilla 5,383]

4 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Not following the recruiting minutiae much anymore but reading through some of these synopses, the two players that came to my mind are Tre Mason and Michael Dyer. The latter physically and the former with what was asked of him. Either one close? 

Now that you mention it, his running style does kinda remind me of Dyer's. Not sure what you mean about what was asked of him, though.

[AUwent 3,747]

1 hour ago, toddc said:

How about a 4* running back? Is that better? 😝 

Oh definitely. 

And I much prefer the comparisons to Mason lol.

Edited July 25, 2021 by AUwent

[Rednilla 5,383]

1 hour ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

Gus and Chiz didn’t have results. Chizik was a 5-19 head coach who came in and killed it recruiting in his first year. It isn’t very fair, but CBH needs to at least put together a class that’s in the upper half of the conference. The more recruits see us at the bottom, the more we become the trash team that doesn’t bring in the best athletes. 

To be fair, Chizik's staff was heavy on guys whose calling card was far more about recruiting than development. Harsin's staff has some solid recruiters, but the feeling is that they are better on-field coaches than their counterparts in Chizik's staff, at least for the most part. 

[Rednilla 5,383]

7 minutes ago, AUwent said:

And I much prefer the comparisons to Mason lol.

Meh, this is just comparing running styles, not off-field personalities. Dyer was an exceptional football player, he just didn't have the best attitude towards off-field discipline. I don't think that's an issue with Alston.

[Beaker 2,457]

6 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

To be fair, Chizik's staff was heavy on guys whose calling card was far more about recruiting than development. Harsin's staff has some solid recruiters, but the feeling is that they are better on-field coaches than their counterparts in Chizik's staff, at least for the most part. 

Red is 100% right and  I recall the philosophy,  "you can have it now, or you can have right."

 

I am anxious too, but this is "just like Novocaine - give it time, it'll work."

 

-Coaches Bryan Harsin and Herman Boone

Edited July 25, 2021 by Beaker

[Rednilla 5,383]

1 minute ago, Beaker said:

"you can have it now, or you can have right."

 

I am anxious too, but this is "just like Novocaine - give it time, it'll work."

 

-Coaches Bryan Harsin and Herman Boone

...I thought Boone said, "Just like Novocain: give it time, always works."

Not that that matters at all, but that's the way I always heard it in my head. 

[toddc 13,194]

 

[fredst 9,064]

6 minutes ago, toddc said:

 

Those dudes just *have* to have been talking burgers seems to me…

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, Rednilla said:

I don't know about specific spots around Atlanta, but I know there's a TON of talent in Atlanta metro. I would imagine that a pipeline to any of the area powerhouses would be a great thing. Would be great to have another school supplying us players like Dillard in Florida did back in the day.

Didn't Newton come out of inner Atlanta? If so, definitely there are quality players in the metro area.

Interesting that Alston's HS team nick name are the War Eagles. Even stranger their colors are red and black I think.

[Barnacle 9,064]

Nice pick up 👍