Auburn is trending upwards with the 2023 prospects

[Zeek 16,615]

• 4* QB Christopher Vizzina
• 4* RB Jeremiah Cobb
• 4* WR Karmello English
• 4* TE Jelani Thurman
• 4* OT Stanton Ramil
• 4* OT Bo Hughley - UGA Commit
• 4* IOL Clay Wedin
• 3* IOL RyQueze McElderry - UGA Commit
• 3* DL Joshua Horton
• 4* S Terrance Love

Visits are starting to improve based on recruit feedback. Not sure what the specifics are on changes that have been made.

[Gowebb11 9,308]

7 minutes ago, Zeek said:

• 4* QB Christopher Vizzina
• 4* RB Jeremiah Cobb
• 4* WR Karmello English
• 4* TE Jelani Thurman
• 4* OT Stanton Ramil
• 4* OT Bo Hughley - UGA Commit
• 4* IOL Clay Wedin
• 3* IOL RyQueze McElderry - UGA Commit
• 3* DL Joshua Horton
• 4* S Terrance Love

Visits are starting to improve based on recruit feedback. Not sure what the specifics are on changes that have been made.

I was super impressed with the star power of the visitors from last weekend and they seemed to come from all over. A 5 star visitor from Michigan ain’t that common.  It was also good to see some highly rated recruits from some of the top Alabama high schools, especially schools that Harsin was criticized for not visiting. It does seem major changes are happening in his approach. Thanks for the updates!

[Zeek 16,615]

1 minute ago, Gowebb11 said:

I was super impressed with the star power of the visitors from last weekend and they seemed to come from all over. A 5 star visitor from Michigan ain’t that common.  It was also good to see some highly rated recruits from some of the top Alabama high schools, especially schools that Harsin was criticized for not visiting. It does seem major changes are happening in his approach. Thanks for the updates!

No problem! I have always been a little on the fence in terms of "recruiting outside of the pipeline". It would be really cool to pull kids from all over the country but I feel like our last recruiting class was a great example of how that can quickly fall through and burn some local bridges. Additionally, you get the home-sick kids who end up transferring to be closer to their family or girlfriend.

It seems like this class the emphasis has been on Alabama and Georgia (specifically Atlanta area kids) which is where we'll make our bread and butter most years. I do like having at leas two kids from Louisiana/Arky/Tennessee type areas. A Texas pull here and there isn't bad.

[autan 737]

Difficult to flip an UGA commit unless Bulldogs are not showing the love. But AU showing interest and getting a visit is an important first step.

[Zeek 16,615]

26 minutes ago, autan said:

Difficult to flip an UGA commit unless Bulldogs are not showing the love. But AU showing interest and getting a visit is an important first step.

Agreed. Always skeptical about those guys but it's nice to see the effort being put in the process. Both have scheduled return visits.

 

[au302 2,669]

All great players to be trending up with. Horton visited back to back and seems like he's considering pulling the trigger. Dude has a great frame to develop at this level

[Win4AU 4,052]

JLee caught some heat for being a recruiting sunshine pumper and his response was there was nothing but sunshine with a lot of these recruits lately.  Recruiting under Harsin seems to ebb and flow and right now it sounds like it’s flowing.  Too many opportunities right now not to be flowing.

[shabby 1,956]

I'm just going to state the obvious. Until some of these recruits start committing is there really a trend upwards? 

[W.E.D 11,070]

13 hours ago, Win4AU said:

JLee caught some heat for being a recruiting sunshine pumper and his response was there was nothing but sunshine with a lot of these recruits lately.  Recruiting under Harsin seems to ebb and flow and right now it sounds like it’s flowing.  Too many opportunities right now not to be flowing.

On3 is putting out a ton of sunshine.  Almost feels like it is somewhat coordinated, which IMO if fine.  I'd love to see our program do that.  Just comes with a double edged sword if all this "talk" from players never turns into a commitment. 

[Win4AU 4,052]

33 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

On3 is putting out a ton of sunshine.  Almost feels like it is somewhat coordinated, which IMO if fine.  I'd love to see our program do that.  Just comes with a double edged sword if all this "talk" from players never turns into a commitment. 

I think they've said a couple guys are supposed to commit between now and end of spring practice so we'll find out.  

 

[W.E.D 11,070]

38 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

I think they've said a couple guys are supposed to commit between now and end of spring practice so we'll find out.  

Correct.  They were hitting at having 4-5 commits by end of March, but that's not looking correct.  Hopefully we get a few popped on A Day

[Sizzle 3,909]

Us getting visits are usually never the problem for us. It’s the getting them to commit that’s been the challenge. 

[Win4AU 4,052]

Also don’t want to do the thing where you go gangbusters during the summer, lay a turd during the season, and have to Rerecruit and lose your top guys in December.  I feel like Tennessee has done that multiple times between Butch and Jeremy.

[W.E.D 11,070]

35 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

Also don’t want to do the thing where you go gangbusters during the summer, lay a turd during the season, and have to Rerecruit and lose your top guys in December.  I feel like Tennessee has done that multiple times between Butch and Jeremy.

I mean, if we go 3-9 we're either going to lose a lot of recruits we had committed or get none of the recruits waiting to see us win.

The end result is probably the same.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

Hopefully when recruiting they are showing our depth or lack thereof so recruits don't have unrealistic expectations for the season. Basically selling philosophy and a good chance to earn PT early and ball out. We should also be selling the new football only facility and the concept of you can be the player that will help us turn it around.  If we do that and have a good year on the field recruiting will get even better but if we don't have a great record but are competitive you can sell if we had you on this team this year with your talent we probably would have won this close game.  

Teams that have been bad can't sell the past they have to sell the promise of the future. You have to sell your dream of where the program is going if we have players like you.

[Win4AU 4,052]

1 hour ago, W.E.D said:

I mean, if we go 3-9 we're either going to lose a lot of recruits we had committed or get none of the recruits waiting to see us win.

The end result is probably the same.

If Auburn goes 3-9 we’re recruiting a whole new coaching staff.  

[JerryAU 1,650]

On 3/29/2022 at 2:58 PM, AuburnNTexas said:

Hopefully when recruiting they are showing our depth or lack thereof so recruits don't have unrealistic expectations for the season. Basically selling philosophy and a good chance to earn PT early and ball out. We should also be selling the new football only facility and the concept of you can be the player that will help us turn it around.  If we do that and have a good year on the field recruiting will get even better but if we don't have a great record but are competitive you can sell if we had you on this team this year with your talent we probably would have won this close game.  

Teams that have been bad can't sell the past they have to sell the promise of the future. You have to sell your dream of where the program is going if we have players like you.

NIL takes care of the selling to top ranked recruits.  As long as Auburn pays their players competitive $$, then our current players will be happy and they will spread the word to incoming prospects.  In other words, recruits have to know Auburn will take care of them (pay them well) once they get here, just like other programs are taking care of their players. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, JerryAU said:

NIL takes care of the selling to top ranked recruits.  As long as Auburn pays their players competitive $$, then our current players will be happy and they will spread the word to incoming prospects.  In other words, recruits have to know Auburn will take care of them (pay them well) once they get here, just like other programs are taking care of their players. 

But we're looking for an edge relative to those other programs, and I think what AnT was saying is that our edge- as a team that has been mediocre for years- is opportunity to get on the field fast. 

NFL development, cash offers, fancy facilities... our rivals can offer all of those things. So, yes, we have to also offer those things. But what those other programs can't offer to the degree that we can is a quick path to the field. 

 

[JerryAU 1,650]

21 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

But we're looking for an edge relative to those other programs, and I think what AnT was saying is that our edge- as a team that has been mediocre for years- is opportunity to get on the field fast. 

NFL development, cash offers, fancy facilities... our rivals can offer all of those things. So, yes, we have to also offer those things. But what those other programs can't offer to the degree that we can is a quick path to the field. 

 

I agree with this premise.  Heck, I'd think we'd have been using the "quick path to the field" as a recruiting tactic for years, most prominently at a few offensive positions. 

IMO NIL has to be placed at a high level of importance, and should've been ramped up for the 2022 recruiting & transfer portal cycles.  

I've seen it posted that AU's NIL company has to raise $5million just to cover existing NIL contracts for current athletes in multiple sports from now through Dec '22?  This makes me question if we've got a solid foundation built to fund an NIL program equal to our main rivals?  

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

I agree with this premise.  Heck, I'd think we'd have been using the "quick path to the field" as a recruiting tactic for years, most prominently at a few offensive positions. 

IMO NIL has to be placed at a high level of importance, and should've been ramped up for the 2022 recruiting & transfer portal cycles.  

I've seen it posted that AU's NIL company has to raise $5million just to cover existing NIL contracts for current athletes in multiple sports from now through Dec '22?  This makes me question if we've got a solid foundation built to fund an NIL program equal to our main rivals?  

Gotcha. Agreed.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

2 hours ago, JerryAU said:

I agree with this premise.  Heck, I'd think we'd have been using the "quick path to the field" as a recruiting tactic for years, most prominently at a few offensive positions. 

IMO NIL has to be placed at a high level of importance, and should've been ramped up for the 2022 recruiting & transfer portal cycles.  

I've seen it posted that AU's NIL company has to raise $5million just to cover existing NIL contracts for current athletes in multiple sports from now through Dec '22?  This makes me question if we've got a solid foundation built to fund an NIL program equal to our main rivals?  

NIL is key and not just for the big name players. It is easier to get people to back an NIL for an elite RB with a name like Tank or shot blocking machine like Kessler. It is having a solid NIL program for the supporting cast types. I have read that our NIL has not been competitive across the board.  We can't blame staff as they are not allowed to be directly involved with NIL.  I am not sure if we were late to game, just not very organized, or if some of the big money people won't back NIL till Harsin is gone. I may even be wrong and we have a great NIL program now but id we did I would have though we would have seen a few more players committed at this time.

I agree with new facility coming soon, early PT especially for certain positions, name recognition, etc. we should be able to recruit now assuming we can match other teams NIL deals. 

There is one other area I think Auburn can do to help existing Student athletes and that is teach them all about possible tax liability with NIL money and how to set some aside to pay those taxes.  If our players are protected in that way and other teams players end up getting in trouble with the IRS that is a selling point that can be made by our staff and even more by our players when they meet recruits and talk to them. That shows we take care of our players in all aspects of their athletic careers at Auburn.

[NWALA Tiger 3,534]

Do we have a chance with Tony Mitchell from Thompson High? Saw where he is coming for another visit this wkend

[W.E.D 11,070]

10 hours ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Do we have a chance with Tony Mitchell from Thompson High? Saw where he is coming for another visit this wkend

We didn't make his top 5 a few weeks ago

[NWALA Tiger 3,534]

7 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

We didn't make his top 5 a few weeks ago

That's what I was thinking. But he is visiting again this wkend supposedly 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

10 hours ago, W.E.D said:

We didn't make his top 5 a few weeks ago

 

10 hours ago, NWALA Tiger said:

That's what I was thinking. But he is visiting again this wkend supposedly 

We were high on his list in the fall before the December mess that Harsin went through. I could see the scenario where the dust settling has reopened his eyes a bit.