2017 4* LB Markail Benton (Bama 6/10/16)

[au_bsci_04 407]

Plus side, Britt is #122 in new Rivals rankings. Sure hope we didn't drop him lower in the board bc of Benton.

[ellitor 33,093]

Plus side, Britt is #122 in new Rivals rankings. Sure hope we didn't drop him lower in the board bc of Benton.

Different positions for us. We are recruiting KJ & Monty Rice for the same position. I hope we find a way to bring in both somehow.

[thaitopher 807]

^FWIW his most recent CB, this morning, is to Auburn.

The only CBs worth watching are Keith's & Hank South from Bama's 247 site. Keith has AU for now. South is waiting til the Bama camps are over to make a pick but he was leaning AU a few days ago.

Hank says bama

4 hours ago he was leaning AU then he got info that MB is supposedly Bama bound.

What I was told hope I'm wrong...it's recruiting.

I seem to recall last year there was a lot of talk about on of the players that signed with Auburn on NSD. They all thought he was Bama bound. I guess it goes both ways though.

[augolf1716 21,140]

Plus side, Britt is #122 in new Rivals rankings. Sure hope we didn't drop him lower in the board bc of Benton.

Different positions for us. We are recruiting KJ & Monty Rice for the same position. I hope we find a way to bring in both somehow.

Right now I think we will.

[CameronCrazy 1,061]

Going into this year I thought that we could finally get the top two LB's in the state (Ignont & Benton) after losing Wilson & Davis last year. But this is flippin' ridiculous!

[au_bsci_04 407]

Going into this year I thought that we could finally get the top two LB's in the state (Ignont & Benton) after losing Wilson & Davis last year. But this is flippin' ridiculous!

+1

[ellitor 33,093]

Going into this year I thought that we could finally get the top two LB's in the state (Ignont & Benton) after losing Wilson & Davis last year. But this is flippin' ridiculous!

If MB does not play quite a bit better his Sr year he will not be in the Top 2 by class end.

And we never had a real chance w/ Davis & Wilson. 1 was a legacy & the other a haevy Bammer from way back.

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

If Benton picks Bama I don't see this as a big loss at all as long we finish with at least 2 more of the other talented LBs in the South we are in on. There is no question MB has a lot of potential. He has a good frame & a good Soph season. However, given his frame, potential skill set, & the solid D Line in front of him he should have made more than 32 plays in 11 games his Jr year. 247 & ESPN has him in the top 50 in the nation & I think that is overrated right now. Rivals on the other hand has tracked and adjusted their ranking of his based off his Jr season. He was a 5* on Rivals initially but dropped all the way out of the 250 today. It was not 1 big ratings move either. Before today he had dropped to #246.

I'll welcome him w/ open arms if he chooses AU but I'm not going to lose sleep if he chooses Bama.

If Benton picks uat it's a huge lost for AU. Kid has been a AU lean for two years. AU will be fine but the perception will hurt.

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

Going into this year I thought that we could finally get the top two LB's in the state (Ignont & Benton) after losing Wilson & Davis last year. But this is flippin' ridiculous!

If MB does not play quite a bit better his Sr year he will not be in the Top 2 by class end.

And we never had a real chance w/ Davis & Wilson. 1 was a legacy & the other a haevy Bammer from way back.

Wilson no. Davis wanted AU but in the end the family pressure won out. Reason his mom went over the top when he committed to uat. Wanted to look all in.

[ellitor 33,093]

If Benton picks Bama I don't see this as a big loss at all as long we finish with at least 2 more of the other talented LBs in the South we are in on. There is no question MB has a lot of potential. He has a good frame & a good Soph season. However, given his frame, potential skill set, & the solid D Line in front of him he should have made more than 32 plays in 11 games his Jr year. 247 & ESPN has him in the top 50 in the nation & I think that is overrated right now. Rivals on the other hand has tracked and adjusted their ranking of his based off his Jr season. He was a 5* on Rivals initially but dropped all the way out of the 250 today. It was not 1 big ratings move either. Before today he had dropped to #246.

I'll welcome him w/ open arms if he chooses AU but I'm not going to lose sleep if he chooses Bama.

If Benton picks uat it's a huge lost for AU. Kid has been a AU lean for two years. AU will be fine but the perception will hurt.

I respect the heck out of you but screw perception on this one. Perception won't mean much if he does not produce as a SR. & his rankings continue to drop.

Also remember you saying a few weeks ago you were not big on him at all.

[ellitor 33,093]

Going into this year I thought that we could finally get the top two LB's in the state (Ignont & Benton) after losing Wilson & Davis last year. But this is flippin' ridiculous!

If MB does not play quite a bit better his Sr year he will not be in the Top 2 by class end.

And we never had a real chance w/ Davis & Wilson. 1 was a legacy & the other a haevy Bammer from way back.

Wilson no. Davis wanted AU but in the end the family pressure won out. Reason his mom went over the top when he committed to uat. Wanted to look all in.

I know all this. You don't have to tell me.

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

If Benton picks Bama I don't see this as a big loss at all as long we finish with at least 2 more of the other talented LBs in the South we are in on. There is no question MB has a lot of potential. He has a good frame & a good Soph season. However, given his frame, potential skill set, & the solid D Line in front of him he should have made more than 32 plays in 11 games his Jr year. 247 & ESPN has him in the top 50 in the nation & I think that is overrated right now. Rivals on the other hand has tracked and adjusted their ranking of his based off his Jr season. He was a 5* on Rivals initially but dropped all the way out of the 250 today. It was not 1 big ratings move either. Before today he had dropped to #246.

I'll welcome him w/ open arms if he chooses AU but I'm not going to lose sleep if he chooses Bama.

If Benton picks uat it's a huge lost for AU. Kid has been a AU lean for two years. AU will be fine but the perception will hurt.

I respect the heck out of you but screw perception on this one. Perception won't mean much if he does not produce as a SR. & his rankings continue to drop.

Also remember you saying a few weeks ago you were not big on him at all.

It will just look really bad and I'm just tired of it. Another head to head battle uat won for a kid that grew up AU. That will effect recruiting a little.

[CameronCrazy 1,061]

I completely agree with WDE, this HAS to stop! There will be no excuse if we lose Benton to Bama. And I don't care about Rice or Britt. We have to stop letting Alabama get whoever they want in this state, especially Auburn fans in our own backyard. Them getting Wilson and Davis last year should have pushed Ignont and Benton to us even more. How is Alabama selling them on sitting behind these two studs instead of immediate playing time at Auburn?

Alabama is also looking to get in the door with Justyn Ross. They are trying to break up any school that AU is trying to use as a pipeline. T-Will, Steele, & Broussard need to seal the deal!

[thaitopher 807]

I completely agree with WDE, this HAS to stop! There will be no excuse if we lose Benton to Bama. And I don't care about Rice or Britt. We bama get whoever they want in this state. , especially Auburn fans in our own backyard. Them getting Wilson and Davis last year should have pushed Ignont and Benton to us even more. How is Alabama selling them on sitting behind these two studs instead of immediate playing time at Auburn?

Alabama is also looking to get in the door with Justyn Ross. They are trying to break up any school that AU is trying to use as a pipeline. T-Will, Steele, & Broussard need to seal the deal!

Until last year didn't we sign Mr. Alabama 3 years in a row? I am not sure your statement is 100% correct. You are correct as far as LBs are concerned...dead on.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Perception changes if Auburn lands Moultry, Wooten Britt. Ignont, and/or Rice. Tough to argue with any four of five of those guys.

[ellitor 33,093]

I completely agree with WDE, this HAS to stop! There will be no excuse if we lose Benton to Bama. And I don't care about Rice or Britt. We have to stop letting Alabama get whoever they want in this state, especially Auburn fans in our own backyard. Them getting Wilson and Davis last year should have pushed Ignont and Benton to us even more. How is Alabama selling them on sitting behind these two studs instead of immediate playing time at Auburn?

Alabama is also looking to get in the door with Justyn Ross. They are trying to break up any school that AU is trying to use as a pipeline. T-Will, Steele, & Broussard need to seal the deal!

I completely understand the frustration in the rest of your post but this...You don't care about 2 prospects that may be better in the end? That makes a lot of sense.

[Mikey 16,599]

I completely agree with WDE, this HAS to stop! There will be no excuse if we lose Benton to Bama. And I don't care about Rice or Britt. We have to stop letting Alabama get whoever they want in this state, especially Auburn fans in our own backyard. Them getting Wilson and Davis last year should have pushed Ignont and Benton to us even more. How is Alabama selling them on sitting behind these two studs instead of immediate playing time at Auburn?

Alabama is also looking to get in the door with Justyn Ross. They are trying to break up any school that AU is trying to use as a pipeline. T-Will, Steele, & Broussard need to seal the deal!

I completely understand the frustration in the rest of your post but this...You don't care about 2 prospects that may be better in the end? That makes a lot of sense.

Durn, CC made me agree with ellitor! June 6, 2016. A day that will live in famy. (I guess if infamy is a word, famy can be a word, correct?)

[McLoofus 35,182]

Yeah, I'm with ellitor and Mikey. Getting the right guys has to be more important than perception.

Bama has given us plenty of reasons to piss and moan. I'm not going to go looking for more.

[steeleagle 2,945]

You know. I trust so much in what E and WDE and others who post on this site that it is hard to disagree from any different perspective because one can see it from both sides.

The important things to remember is as long as Saban is there he will always make it hard during recruiting season. His recruiting of defensive players, having them develop and wait their turn, and then be a part of a highly successful defense, always playing or being close to a national championship and being exposed to those who select All conference, All-American lists, and most always placing Alabama players on NFL draft lists.

It's hard not to take that road even if you grew up an Auburn fan or was leaning to Auburn in their younger years.

So if we get ANY of these guys then that is a plus for Auburn. I'm just not going to worry about perception. We would be doing this every year as long as Saban is there and I am just not going to do it.

[austudnt23 1,432]

I am with WDE on this one I think Benton will be a big loss if he picks UAT. It looks like he told both coaching staffs he would be coming there so we will see. It would be nice for one of these to play in our favor. Benton did not play well last year imo but I think he will be a stud. I am by no means a talent evaluator though. Also I do trust UAT when it comes to evaluating lbs, they have had a pretty good track record with this.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

When you care more about keeping an LB from uat who might not even pan out the way we want him to instead of getting two guys who could work out better than the latter... That's when you know you have a problem worrying about the college across the state. Benton is likely Bama bound as something changed on Sunday that I can't be sure what. It's a loss, but I could see him potentially falling in the rankings later in the year like E said. Bring on Ignont, Rice, and KJ!

[Timeslider 6 269]

Perception changes if Auburn lands Moultry, Wooten Britt. Ignont, and/or Rice. Tough to argue with any four of five of those guys.

I don't want to sound contentious, but perception changes when we start beating certain teams consistently. There are teams that win with lesser talent than we have and we'll get who we want when and if we start competing for a championship on a regular basis, screw that west Alabama team. I never want to be like them, by nature alone, we are two different teams. They may win, but they sacrifice all that is valued and principled by the way they conduct their business.

[ellitor 33,093]

When you care more about keeping an LB from uat who might not even pan out the way we want him to instead of getting two guys who could work out better than the latter... That's when you know you have a problem worrying about the college across the state. Benton is likely Bama bound as something changed on Sunday that I can't be sure what. It's a loss, but I could see him potentially falling in the rankings later in the year like E said. Bring on Ignont, Rice, and KJ!

I was told MB did not even set up a commit date or time til after his Bama visit Sunday FWIW.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

When you care more about keeping an LB from uat who might not even pan out the way we want him to instead of getting two guys who could work out better than the latter... That's when you know you have a problem worrying about the college across the state. Benton is likely Bama bound as something changed on Sunday that I can't be sure what. It's a loss, but I could see him potentially falling in the rankings later in the year like E said. Bring on Ignont, Rice, and KJ!

I was told MB did not even set up a commit date or time til after his Bama visit Sunday FWIW.

Yep. It's a shame. Been watching this kid for two years at his games.

[austudnt23 1,432]

I'm not sure when MN decided to set up the commitment date, but he told our coaches and fellow recruits at BCW he would be coming to Auburn. It looks like he told UAT coaches the same thing though Sunday. That's why I don't ouch much stock into silent commits.. MB has been silently committed to us for over a year. We shall see who he picks.