2022 3* Safety Ja'Kobi Albert Commits to Auburn!!

[toddc 13,194]

Starting to get a fleet started! Speed kills and we’re heading towards overkill!

Edited August 4, 2021 by toddc

[e808 3,025]

Well done young man. It’s always great to see guys from the area excel. 

[Paladin 3,305]

4-star commit Albert's potential 'unbelievable'

Brian Stultz • AuburnSports

Staff

BIRMINGHAM | Kobi Albert was angry. In fact, he was steaming mad.

His coach, Keon Handley, had just told him that he was going to play on the defensive side of the ball along with his role as a wide receiver for the Fairfield Tigers. The four-star safety gave his coach the silent treatment.

“He wouldn't speak to me for the whole week,” Handley said while laughing. “I told him that playing defense will end up being his blessing. The following game after he kind of got out of my dog house, he picks one and takes it to the house and then asked me when he came to the side line, ‘Am I out the dog house?’”

New Auburn commit Kobi Albert and his high school coach Keon Handley.

New Auburn commit Kobi Albert and his high school coach Keon Handley.

You bet he was.

In front of family, friends and teammates on Wednesday morning in a room just off the main entrance of his high school, Albert announced that he will be traveling two hours down the road to play for Auburn, choosing the Tigers and Bryan Harsin’s program over Michigan and Maryland. The deciding factor, according to Handley, was the people who filled the room in preparation for his announcement.

“Family,” his coach said. “It was important to him to be close to home, making sure that every weekend that they could come to the games and just talk to family.”

Albert formed a good relationship with Harsin and other members of his staff including defensive coordinator Derek Mason and cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge during his official visit on June 18 and the recent trip for Big Cat Weekend. Despite his ranking as a four-star, Handley knows that his player, who also celebrated his 17th birthday on Wednesday, will continue to get better.

“To be honest, he hasn't even tapped into his full potential,” Handley said. “They [Auburn] are getting a kid that when he is fully polished, he is going to be unbelievable.”

Following the announcement, friends and family gathered around Albert to take pictures commemorating the important moment for the teenager. The future Tiger was all smiles, especially in a picture with Handley.

That move to defense that made him so angry seems to have paid off.

[Beaker 2,457]

Great highlights!   Could be special.   Not sure why he is a 3*.

 

War Damn Eagle!!!!

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[Randman5000 4,228]

Damn I love these 3 stars! 😉

[cbo 7,846]

3 hours ago, Beaker said:

Great highlights!   Could be special.   Not sure why he is a 3*.

 

War Damn Eagle!!!!

He is the highest rated 3* on the 247 composite. Could be a 4* soon. 

[toddc 13,194]

3.9999999999*

[Beaker 2,457]

I know I should not even mention stars, but we all notice them.  

As long as he is disciplined and ready to work - sounds like he will be just fine from what his HS coach said.  

 

Welcome !

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

11 hours ago, Zeek said:

He's also like .006 away from a 4* if I'm correct. We're up to 54th in the country.

Just need more commitments and AU will be back in 10-15 range 

[DAG 33,982]

22 hours ago, toddc said:

3.9999999999*

Freaking three stars

[AUwent 3,748]

21 hours ago, JDUBB4AU said:

Just need more commitments and AU will be back in 10-15 range 

I doubt that, but I think a top 20 is perfectly within reach.

[fredst 9,064]

35 minutes ago, AUwent said:

I doubt that, but I think a top 20 is perfectly within reach.

Which, given coaching change and pandemic is nothing to complain about

[AUwent 3,748]

46 minutes ago, fredst said:

Which, given coaching change and pandemic is nothing to complain about

Well yeah. Need to shoot for that this year and then tweens next year.

[Zeek 16,650]

On 8/4/2021 at 3:46 PM, toddc said:

3.9999999999*

Let's be real he committed to Auburn he'll get moved down lol

[Zeek 16,650]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

I doubt that, but I think a top 20 is perfectly within reach.

Under 30 is a win. Under 20 is great. Top 15 would be insane and improbable. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

[Mikey 16,583]

On 8/5/2021 at 8:29 PM, Zeek said:

Under 30 is a win. Under 20 is great. Top 15 would be insane and improbable. 

I'm not as pessimistic as some of y'all. I think we'll have a very good season, 9-3 should be the bottom. That will bring in the recruits. I'm expecting us to be no worse than top 15 after the dust clears on this '22 class.

[McLoofus 35,182]

On 8/5/2021 at 8:38 PM, fredst said:

Which, given coaching change and pandemic is nothing to complain about

Absolutely. Also, the total number will be low. Our average recruit ranking will be more useful for judging this class on paper. 

We should be closer to the full 25 high school signees in the next cycle and have a much clearer idea of what these guys are capable of. 

-McDundant

[Zeek 16,650]

14 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I'm not as pessimistic as some of y'all. I think we'll have a very good season, 9-3 should be the bottom. That will bring in the recruits. I'm expecting us to be no worse than top 15 after the dust clears on this '22 class.

If 90% + didn't sign in December then I would agree. What I'm thinking is we'll finish out the class with even more transfers (particularly a heavy dose of OL) and that'll hold our points back a little. 

[Mikey 16,583]

3 minutes ago, Zeek said:

If 90% + didn't sign in December then I would agree. What I'm thinking is we'll finish out the class with even more transfers (particularly a heavy dose of OL) and that'll hold our points back a little. 

We've already lost three slots to transfers. Agree, if we add more, no matter how good they are, that will hurt or recruiting rankings.

[toddc 13,194]

I’m looking at per recruit average and offer list this year more than recruiting rankings as a team.

[Gowebb11 9,320]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

We've already lost three slots to transfers. Agree, if we add more, no matter how good they are, that will hurt or recruiting rankings.

I like your 9-3 prediction. If that happens, few of us will be as concerned by the recruiting ratings. 

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

I'm not as pessimistic as some of y'all. I think we'll have a very good season, 9-3 should be the bottom. That will bring in the recruits. I'm expecting us to be no worse than top 15 after the dust clears on this '22 class.

I don't see 9-3 as the bottom, but as the top, and I think our recruiting for 22 will end up 15-20. And THAT is being optimistic, IMO.

 

[AuburnNTexas 7,143]

7 hours ago, Mikey said:

We've already lost three slots to transfers. Agree, if we add more, no matter how good they are, that will hurt or recruiting rankings.

If our ranking is down because of Transfer Portal but the HS players ranking is high and transfer Portal players are quality players who can help immediately and hopefully have at least 2 years eligibility I will be happy with this class. If we add Donaldson and Kelly on the 19th our player ranking will be very respectable especially considering one of our Players is a kicker who will help the team but hurts the rankings.