2019 Recruiting Thread

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I know I am beating a dead horse... The biggest concern to most is the OL recruiting. It has been subpar lately and this year we really need to bring in a good, big class. I like the few commits we have quite a bit. The concern is what happens when the current group of starters leaves. If we do not pick it up soon we will be depending on next year to bring in 6 OL and we may be starting true freshmen in a few years. Bo nix is very good but he will need some OL in a few years. The time to bring them in is THIS year, and unless I am mistaken (which is probable), we are not very high on the list of any remaining elite OL in this class. I know the coaches are trying...

[ellitor 33,108]

9 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

I know I am beating a dead horse... The biggest concern to most is the OL recruiting. It has been subpar lately and this year we really need to bring in a good, big class. I like the few commits we have quite a bit. The concern is what happens when the current group of starters leaves. If we do not pick it up soon we will be depending on next year to bring in 6 OL and we may be starting true freshmen in a few years. Bo nix is very good but he will need some OL in a few years. The time to bring them in is THIS year, and unless I am mistaken (which is probable), we are not very high on the list of any remaining elite OL in this class. I know the coaches are trying...

Understand your concern but we are not in dire need on the OL yet. We have 14 schollied OL & none of them are graduating & the chances of any starter turning pro after this season is low. The only way we will need to bring in 6 next class is if we only sign 1 or 2 in this class which is unlikely. As for starting true frosh in a few years, not necessarily. You can get Grad Transfers to do that if needed.

You are mistaken. We are very high with Will Putnam & in the thick of it with Clay Webb.

[gr82b4au 5,568]

21 minutes ago, ellitor said:

You are mistaken. We are very high with Will Putnam & in the thick of it with Clay Webb.

Thanks. I knew I was probably mistaken. ha.. Let's hope we add these two. 

[auburntiger1987 759]

might be way off base here but I'm expecting to be underwhelmed with OL this year. Between what E was posting and the fact that we just replaced a coach with a guy who isn't known to be a blazing recruiter. Just want to see some improvement on the line when it counts in games.

[auol72 188]

In regard to being underwhelmed with OL recruiting this year as E just pointed out we have 14 underclassmen on scholly. E and i disagree, i hope he is correct, that none of them try their hand at the NFL after this year. If so we will have a very experienced and deep OL next year. As to the two guys committed now, one is a four star guard, Jones, very highly thought of with a very nice offer list and the other Osborne was good enough for IMG to offer him to come from Texas to play this year there.  I think those two are pretty good. With the good clearance to begin practice given Brahms we have good depth at center moving forward. The real need is for a true bigtime OT prospect and the only one i know of right now is in Juco. Unlike others i think Putnam could be as good as Golson was at RT but most think he is a guard. Whatever he is if we could get him he has a good looking future.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, auol72 said:

E and i disagree, i hope he is correct, that none of them try their hand at the NFL after this year. 

I hope you're correct, because I think that would mean that somebody significantly exceeded expectations this year. And that could be the difference between a championship run or something less than that. 

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

1 hour ago, auol72 said:

In regard to being underwhelmed with OL recruiting this year as E just pointed out we have 14 underclassmen on scholly. E and i disagree, i hope he is correct, that none of them try their hand at the NFL after this year. If so we will have a very experienced and deep OL next year. As to the two guys committed now, one is a four star guard, Jones, very highly thought of with a very nice offer list and the other Osborne was good enough for IMG to offer him to come from Texas to play this year there.  I think those two are pretty good. With the good clearance to begin practice given Brahms we have good depth at center moving forward. The real need is for a true bigtime OT prospect and the only one i know of right now is in Juco. Unlike others i think Putnam could be as good as Golson was at RT but most think he is a guard. Whatever he is if we could get him he has a good looking future.

OL's leave AU for the NFL this year? Which one would that be? I hate to keep posting stuff like this over and over but right now we don't have anyone on the OL who would be drafted in the NFL, this includes next year. Zero. 

[auol72 188]

Then dont post! your no genius. Nobody ever thought King Dunlap would play a down in the NFL. Yet he was drafted and by Philadelphia in 2008 after going back on forth in losing his starting position at Auburn and played 7 or 8 years in the league. If you dont think there is a way Prince Tega could be drafted this year then your not as smart as you want everybody to think you are. Either way i could care less what your opinion is because i can assure you it is no better than mine. You ever even played OL?

[bigbird 60,573]

9 minutes ago, auol72 said:

Then dont post! your no genius. Nobody ever thought King Dunlap would play a down in the NFL. Yet he was drafted and by Philadelphia in 2008 after going back on forth in losing his starting position at Auburn and played 7 or 8 years in the league. If you dont think there is a way Prince Tega could be drafted this year then your not as smart as you want everybody to think you are. Either way i could care less what your opinion is because i can assure you it is no better than mine. You ever even played OL?

There is no one on this OL that will even be sniffed for the NFL draft. That's not saying none will ever. But there was little developed the last two years and it shows.

[auol72 188]

Time will tell.

[corchjay 5,311]

If Tega develops any over the next 2 years he will easily be drafted.  Harrell has a decent shot.  

This OL will continue to get better each and every game this year with good coaching and experience.  

[AU64 10,122]

Listened to a discussion today about the number of sacks over the past weekend and there are  OL problems almost "everywhere" in college football....especially as regards pass blocking.     

The line of the  discussion is that most HS offenses don't require much in the way of pass blocking and that there are very few OL out there....period.....don't have the size and mostly, because their teams tend to run spread offenses, they have not developed pass blocking skills.    

And this is just a guess, but seems that maybe when a HS coach takes a look at all the big guys turning out for football, there might be a tendency to put the big ones on defense.

Just saying...…..that seems that demand is far outstripping supply for offensive lineman who can pass block. ….and NFL is  concerned about that problem also since the shortage of good offensive linemen is even more dramatic.   Coaches are gonna have to develop whoever they get but mostly they will have to develop an offensive strategy that works with the problem. 

[ellitor 33,108]

[fredst 9,064]

2 hours ago, bigbird said:

There is no one on this OL that will even be sniffed for the NFL draft. That's not saying none will ever. But there was little developed the last two years and it shows.

But, at least Hand cooks some good Q. And, it’s only September. ?

[bigbird 60,573]

1 hour ago, corchjay said:

If Tega develops any over the next 2 years he will easily be drafted.  Harrell has a decent shot.  

This OL will continue to get better each and every game this year with good coaching and experience.  

...but not this year

[aujeff11 6,243]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

It seems corch takes sunshine pumping to a whole other level. And supposedly he’s a coach. I bet every one on his team are studs.

Edited September 6, 2018 by aujeff11

[Gowebb11 9,339]

1 hour ago, corchjay said:

If Tega develops any over the next 2 years he will easily be drafted.  Harrell has a decent shot.  

This OL will continue to get better each and every game this year with good coaching and experience.  

It’s too early to tell about Driscoll, but I could see him being a stud this time next year. 

[Gowebb11 9,339]

1 hour ago, AU64 said:

Listened to a discussion today about the number of sacks over the past weekend and there are  OL problems almost "everywhere" in college football....especially as regards pass blocking.     

The line of the  discussion is that most HS offenses don't require much in the way of pass blocking and that there are very few OL out there....period.....don't have the size and mostly, because their teams tend to run spread offenses, they have not developed pass blocking skills.    

And this is just a guess, but seems that maybe when a HS coach takes a look at all the big guys turning out for football, there might be a tendency to put the big ones on defense.

Just saying...…..that seems that demand is far outstripping supply for offensive lineman who can pass block. ….and NFL is  concerned about that problem also since the shortage of good offensive linemen is even more dramatic.   Coaches are gonna have to develop whoever they get but mostly they will have to develop an offensive strategy that works with the problem. 

Exactly. The only teams I heard praising their O line were teams like Ole Miss who played bad D lines and created a false sense of reality for themselves. 

[Roos 122]

Oh and I am sure that Texas is just overjoyed with Hand, as Maryland whipped them on the OL all day, 

sure am glad they have him because he is not worth a crap- if Herman keeps him it will be a short tenure as HC. 

[corchjay 5,311]

1 hour ago, aujeff11 said:

It seems corch takes sunshine pumping to a whole other level. And supposedly he’s a coach. I bet every one on his team are studs.

Used to coach.  As I’ve always claimed I was an average OC.  

Still coach baseball and yes my teams are always pretty dang strong

and if saying Tega has a chance with proper development over the next 2 years is sunshine pumping then paint me guilty 

[corchjay 5,311]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

...but not this year

No I stated after 2 years.  No one is/was expected to be drafted after this year. None have been a real “starter” at this level for even a full year.  After 2 seasons I could see Harrell and Tega both drafted.  

[bigbird 60,573]

2 minutes ago, corchjay said:

No I stated after 2 years.  No one is/was expected to be drafted after this year. None have been a real “starter” at this level for even a full year.  After 2 seasons I could see Harrell and Tega both drafted.  

Correct, but my response was a counter to this

7 hours ago, auol72 said:

E and i disagree, i hope he is correct, that none of them try their hand at the NFL after this year. 

 

[aujeff11 6,243]

16 minutes ago, corchjay said:

then paint me guilty 

Only if you insist. 

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

17 hours ago, auol72 said:

Then dont post! your no genius. Nobody ever thought King Dunlap would play a down in the NFL. Yet he was drafted and by Philadelphia in 2008 after going back on forth in losing his starting position at Auburn and played 7 or 8 years in the league. If you dont think there is a way Prince Tega could be drafted this year then your not as smart as you want everybody to think you are. Either way i could care less what your opinion is because i can assure you it is no better than mine. You ever even played OL?

This ain’t it chief

[Zeek 16,657]

So, back on topic, @ellitor, @WarDamnEagleWDE, @corchjay, and any others in the know I hate to bother you but I think this could be a nice time to summarize where we're currently at and where we're looking to go with this class.

Currently Committed:

1. Owen Pappoe / 5* / OLB
   • Where do we see him playing for us? Mike/Sam/Will? I don't believe he is a buck option.
2. George Pickens / 4* / WR
   • Do we feel comfortable that we'll keep him and if so are his grades still an issue? I think that I read on here that he has them under control.
3. Bo Nix / 4* / QB
   • Do you guys think he'll finish with a 5th star?
4. Zion Puckett / 4* / ATH
   • What position do we project him to play?
5. Jaren Handy / 4* / DE
   • Buck or DE?
6. Keiondre Jones / 4* / OG
   • Is Florida someone we should worry about here?
7. Jashawn Sheffield / 4* / ATH
   • What position?
8. Cam'Ron Kelly / 4* / ATH
   • What position?
9. Jaylin Simpson / 4* / ATH
   • What position?
10. Tyler Fromm / 4* / TE
    • Tight End like Chandler Cox or like Sal Cannella?
11. Justin Osborne / 3* / OT
    • True tackle or likely to be moved inside?
12. Luke Deal / 3* / TE
    • Same question about Fromm regarding how they'll be used.
13. Colby Wooden / 3* / DE
    • DE or Buck?
14. Jamond Gordon / 3* / DE
    • Buck or DE?
15. Ja'Varrius Johnson / 3* / WR
    • Viewed as a Ryan Davis replacement? Any chance he moves up in the 4* range?

Finally some FAQs:

• How many more are we likely to take? I know we don't have a view of the board and things can be shaken up but what's a rough estimate.
• Who are our flip targets that we actually have a chance with?
• Is there anyone currently committed that's likely to flip?
• Any JuCo or Grad Transfers to keep an eye on right now?

I know most of the above has been answered before or in other threads but it might help if we have them all answered in one spot!

QB- Done // RB - looks like we're taking 1 // WR - Done unless Haselwood or Curry I believe? // TE - Done // OL - work in progress 2-3 more? // K - none // P - none // DL - 1 to 2 more? // LB - 2 to 3 more? // Secondary - I take it all of our ATH commits are filling secondary spots so I can't imagine us taking but maybe 1 more? 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Zeek