2024 5* WR Perry Thompson Flips To AUBURN from Bama

[ellitor 33,093]

9 hours ago, au701948 said:

I think that AU gets into one of these contortions every year about flipping someone from Ala.

One day we will flip someone they badly want to keep.

[autan 737]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

One day we will flip someone they badly want to keep.

I agree. Unfortunately it may not come until little man retires. Hope I'm wrong, very wrong.

[I_M4_AU 7,830]

2 hours ago, autan said:

I agree. Unfortunately it may not come until little man retires. Hope I'm wrong, very wrong.

If we win a few of these flips, little man may see that it is time to retire.  Being optimistic and all.

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

38 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

If we win a few of these flips, little man may see that it is time to retire.  Being optimistic and all.

Not with his ego

[ellitor 33,093]

3 minutes ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Not with his ego

Meh. I think his increased annoyance every day with the New Age college football will eventually win out in the end over his ego, and he will retire at some point because of that.

[I_M4_AU 7,830]

2 minutes ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Not with his ego

What a few flips will do is (hopefully) weaken the team enough that it turns into more losses during the regular season.  He’s getting old and may be less likely to put up with things he doesn’t have to.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

9 hours ago, ellitor said:

Meh. I think his increased annoyance every day with the New Age college football will eventually win out in the end over his ego, and he will retire at some point because of that.

Right. He sees his built in advantage of the REC going away with the NIL. So instead of winning on talent alone, he is going to have to win by coaching. Jackass had the nerve to call out A&M two years about their spending on recruiting. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by SumterAubie

[DAG 33,982]

I think we will flip him and I believe NS is the GOAT coach. Nor do I think he retires until he wins another which he is fully capable of doing.

[yngwie1995 2,229]

8 hours ago, DAG said:

I think we will flip him and I believe NS is the GOAT coach. Nor do I think he retires until he wins another which he is fully capable of doing.

If bama keeps losing 2+ games a year, he may not get the chance. Of course, with the eventual playoff expansion, bama will probably always make it with 2-3 losses (unless they're blowouts). And even if they don't make it to the SECCG, ironically that would keep them fresh for the playoffs. Of course, winning the SECCG would almost always guarantee a first round bye (i.e. rest and an easier path). Who knows? 

As far as him being the GOAT..... of course he is. The only objective measure is wins and championships. I know it's the whole package (including recruiting), but how much better of a "coach" are Saban and Kirby than most of the top coaches? They've made some bonehead calls during games, like any other coach. How much would they have won lately with Auburn's talent (and with Auburn's schedule, in the case of uga)?

BTW, it's annoying how they get heralded for how many players they put into the NFL each year, while they've had their pick of 4* and 5* players for the last 5+ years. Many of these kids are gonna make the NFL anyway, if they play for any halfway decent college team, even moreso if they have a good supporting cast. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by yngwie1995

[ellitor 33,093]

5 minutes ago, yngwie1995 said:

How much would they have won lately with Auburn's talent?

Trick question. They would have had better talent at AU overall if they had been here. On Saban specifically, where he excels is he is a great psychologist which is important when dealing with 18-21 year old kids. If you get talented kids and keep their head space sound overall you can accomplish a lot.

[DAG 33,982]

3 hours ago, yngwie1995 said:

How much would they have won lately with Auburn's talent (and with Auburn's schedule, in the case of uga)?

I always laugh at this. If they were at Auburn they works have the same talent UGA/Bama.

Part of being a coach , specifically in college, is recruiting at a high level. I never understand this argument. Like this makes him or Kirby less of a coach. That’s why majority of our fans were saying we need a primary recruiter as a head coach.

It’s like when James Harden says Giannis is only good because he is fast and tall lol. That’s part of it but what about the other athletic tall guys who don’t win championship or mvps ?

Thats why hugh freeze is trying to flip top tier talent. If Freeze were to win a championship here are you go to question his success because he didn’t win with Arkansas Talent? That’s silly.

These guys aren’t the only ones recruiting at a high level. The major difference is they are recruiting at a higher level and winning CONSISTENTLY. Of course , they are going to have mess ups. These guys aren’t Jesus. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by DAG

[JerryAU 1,659]

15 hours ago, SumterAubie said:

Right. He sees his built in advantage of the REC going away with the NIL. So instead of winning on talent alone, he is going to have to win by coaching. Jackass had the nerve to call out A&M two years about their spending on recruiting. 

What?  

Saban is still bringing in the top talent classes. He called out aTm and danged if he didn't proceed to chalk up the highest ever rated class the very next year. 

The notion that the REC advantage has diminished due to NIL is silly. Do you really think the REC/uat are going to only operate under NIL to pay players?  lol

The exact same under-the-table pay to play process is alive and well, and players & their families love it because there's no paper trail and its freaking tax free.  

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by JerryAU

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

32 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

What?  

Saban is still bringing in the top talent classes. He called out aTm and danged if he didn't proceed to chalk up the highest ever rated class the very next year. 

The notion that the REC advantage has diminished due to NIL is silly. Do you really think the REC/uat are going to only operate under NIL to pay players?  lol

The exact same under-the-table pay to play process is alive and well, and players & their families love it because there's no paper trail and its freaking tax free.  

 

I agree. It's also easier to do as the NCAA is irrelevant now.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

7 hours ago, JerryAU said:

What?  

Saban is still bringing in the top talent classes. He called out aTm and danged if he didn't proceed to chalk up the highest ever rated class the very next year. 

The notion that the REC advantage has diminished due to NIL is silly. Do you really think the REC/uat are going to only operate under NIL to pay players?  lol

The exact same under-the-table pay to play process is alive and well, and players & their families love it because there's no paper trail and its freaking tax free.  

 

It's how I see it.

I didn't say he couldn't recruit. In my opinion, he sees NIL, along with the portal, as leveling the playing field. Like ellitor pointed out, annoyance with New Age college football.

I didn't say the REC advantage has diminished. My point is NIL has enabled other schools to spend more on recruiting. Thus leveling the playing field somewhat.

I didn't say the under the table pay wasn't alive and well. But I do believe more scrupulous schools are spending more on recruits these days, due to NIL

[Gowebb11 9,321]

On 6/23/2023 at 6:59 AM, yngwie1995 said:

BTW, it's annoying how they get heralded for how many players they put into the NFL each year, while they've had their pick of 4* and 5* players for the last 5+ years. Many of these kids are gonna make the NFL anyway, if they play for any halfway decent college team

We’ve had a lot of 4 stars and a few 5 stars flame out after lack of development and not make the league or become practice squad guys. When UAT and UGA land them, they almost always develop them to their potential. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

11 hours ago, SumterAubie said:

It's how I see it.

I didn't say he couldn't recruit. In my opinion, he sees NIL, along with the portal, as leveling the playing field. Like ellitor pointed out, annoyance with New Age college football.

I didn't say the REC advantage has diminished. My point is NIL has enabled other schools to spend more on recruiting. Thus leveling the playing field somewhat.

I didn't say the under the table pay wasn't alive and well. But I do believe more scrupulous schools are spending more on recruits these days, due to NIL

Saban does what he always does.  He complains about something, than uses it to every advantage and dominates.  As noted he pulled th highest rated class ever last year.

His demise is always laughable 

[LPTiger 5,159]

1 hour ago, W.E.D said:

Saban does what he always does.  He complains about something, than uses it to every advantage and dominates.  As noted he pulled th highest rated class ever last year.

His demise is always laughable 

WED, his demise, like each of us, is a certainty.    What is laughable is watching the predictions of when it will occur. 

[toddc 13,194]

Recruiting expert has exact news Auburn fans are looking for in 2024 class

by Andrew Hughes 1 day ago

Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith has the exact Class of 2024 recruiting news Auburn football fans are looking for Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn football fans got the exact recruiting news they were looking for this summer: that 5-star Foley wide receiver Perry Thompson is trending towards the Plains and de-committing from Alabama. Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith was the deliverer of the golden intel on the Locked On Auburn podcast.

In answering host Zac Blackerby’s question about where Thompson might end up, Smith referred to there being more than just smoke to the wideout’s Crimson Tide de-commitment in order to take multiple visits to AU.

“If I had to pick, I would go Auburn,” Smith said (h/t Auburn Daily). “The reason I say that is if you committed that early to the Tide, then all of a sudden, you start taking visits, and you start talking to Auburn, and there’s all this talk even from the Alabama side. That’s not just smoke. That’s fire. So, I’m going to Auburn.”

Auburn football could use this massive off-field Iron Bowl victory

It has been four years since Auburn football has been on the winning side of the sport’s most storied rivalry, the Iron Bowl matchup against Alabama, but Hugh Freeze could deliver a massive off-field victory to change the narrative in the future. Thompson profiles to be a future NFL WR1 or WR2 at his current trajectory, and which quarterback room he chooses to catch his passes from will determine if he gets there.

It’s possible that the Tigers will be better prepared in 2024 than Alabama if 5-star California QB Julian Sayin isn’t ready for the starting job in Tuscaloosa. Payton Thorne has two years of eligibility remaining, while Alabama isn’t sure of their QB1 at the moment, with post-A-Day transfer Tyler Buchner possibly serving as their best choice. Saban may need to find a portal QB to compete with Freeze in the QB room next season, and it’s possible Thompson sees that and will choose accordingly.

If his choice is AU, the Iron Bowl bragging rights will be the Auburn family’s to claim until the two teams meet in November.

And who knows? Maybe it will continue beyond that.

[W.E.D 11,070]

18 minutes ago, toddc said:

Recruiting expert has exact news Auburn fans are looking for in 2024 class

by Andrew Hughes 1 day ago

Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith has the exact Class of 2024 recruiting news Auburn football fans are looking for Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn football fans got the exact recruiting news they were looking for this summer: that 5-star Foley wide receiver Perry Thompson is trending towards the Plains and de-committing from Alabama. Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith was the deliverer of the golden intel on the Locked On Auburn podcast.

In answering host Zac Blackerby’s question about where Thompson might end up, Smith referred to there being more than just smoke to the wideout’s Crimson Tide de-commitment in order to take multiple visits to AU.

“If I had to pick, I would go Auburn,” Smith said (h/t Auburn Daily). “The reason I say that is if you committed that early to the Tide, then all of a sudden, you start taking visits, and you start talking to Auburn, and there’s all this talk even from the Alabama side. That’s not just smoke. That’s fire. So, I’m going to Auburn.”

Auburn football could use this massive off-field Iron Bowl victory

It has been four years since Auburn football has been on the winning side of the sport’s most storied rivalry, the Iron Bowl matchup against Alabama, but Hugh Freeze could deliver a massive off-field victory to change the narrative in the future. Thompson profiles to be a future NFL WR1 or WR2 at his current trajectory, and which quarterback room he chooses to catch his passes from will determine if he gets there.

It’s possible that the Tigers will be better prepared in 2024 than Alabama if 5-star California QB Julian Sayin isn’t ready for the starting job in Tuscaloosa. Payton Thorne has two years of eligibility remaining, while Alabama isn’t sure of their QB1 at the moment, with post-A-Day transfer Tyler Buchner possibly serving as their best choice. Saban may need to find a portal QB to compete with Freeze in the QB room next season, and it’s possible Thompson sees that and will choose accordingly.

If his choice is AU, the Iron Bowl bragging rights will be the Auburn family’s to claim until the two teams meet in November.

And who knows? Maybe it will continue beyond that.

Never heard of Brian Smith.  He legit?

[ellitor 33,093]

30 minutes ago, toddc said:

Recruiting expert has exact news Auburn fans are looking for in 2024 class

by Andrew Hughes 1 day ago

Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith has the exact Class of 2024 recruiting news Auburn football fans are looking for Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn football fans got the exact recruiting news they were looking for this summer: that 5-star Foley wide receiver Perry Thompson is trending towards the Plains and de-committing from Alabama. Locked On Recruiting Expert Brian Smith was the deliverer of the golden intel on the Locked On Auburn podcast.

In answering host Zac Blackerby’s question about where Thompson might end up, Smith referred to there being more than just smoke to the wideout’s Crimson Tide de-commitment in order to take multiple visits to AU.

“If I had to pick, I would go Auburn,” Smith said (h/t Auburn Daily). “The reason I say that is if you committed that early to the Tide, then all of a sudden, you start taking visits, and you start talking to Auburn, and there’s all this talk even from the Alabama side. That’s not just smoke. That’s fire. So, I’m going to Auburn.”

Auburn football could use this massive off-field Iron Bowl victory

It has been four years since Auburn football has been on the winning side of the sport’s most storied rivalry, the Iron Bowl matchup against Alabama, but Hugh Freeze could deliver a massive off-field victory to change the narrative in the future. Thompson profiles to be a future NFL WR1 or WR2 at his current trajectory, and which quarterback room he chooses to catch his passes from will determine if he gets there.

It’s possible that the Tigers will be better prepared in 2024 than Alabama if 5-star California QB Julian Sayin isn’t ready for the starting job in Tuscaloosa. Payton Thorne has two years of eligibility remaining, while Alabama isn’t sure of their QB1 at the moment, with post-A-Day transfer Tyler Buchner possibly serving as their best choice. Saban may need to find a portal QB to compete with Freeze in the QB room next season, and it’s possible Thompson sees that and will choose accordingly.

If his choice is AU, the Iron Bowl bragging rights will be the Auburn family’s to claim until the two teams meet in November.

And who knows? Maybe it will continue beyond that.

What would a Miami Hurricane & South Florida recruiting reporter know about Perry Thompson?

[Rednilla 5,391]

21 hours ago, ellitor said:

What would a Miami Hurricane & South Florida recruiting reporter know about Perry Thompson?

Hearsay?

[NWALA Tiger 3,535]

22 hours ago, ellitor said:

What would a Miami Hurricane & South Florida recruiting reporter know about Perry 

Fortune cookie from Panda Express?

[tinman1 485]

Time to move on from this one.  He was interviewed on local TV in B"ham yesterday and said Saban told him to not worry about him (Saban) retiring, he (Saban) would be at bama for his entire career.  Thompson had the biggest grin on his face like he had just got his Christmas wish.  Honestly he seemed so thrilled he could barely talk.

 

 

 

 

 

[AUwent 3,748]

I had heard mention of a UAT event the same weekend?

 

[toddc 13,194]

Alabama WR commitment Perry Thompson will attend Auburn's Big Cat event

Jeffrey Lee

Perry Thompson (Photo: Cole Pinkston/Auburn Live)

Alabama wide receiver commitment Perry Thompson ended any suspense about where he’ll visit on July 29.

And it won’t be in Tuscaloosa for the Tide’s barbecue.

“I will be in auburn for big cat weekend,” Thompson wrote on Twitter Sunday.

The No. 32 overall recruit in the country has been committed to Alabama for more than a year. He announced his pledge back on June 24, 2022. However, since Hugh Freeze has taken over as Auburn’s head coach and Marcus Davis as wide receivers coach, the momentum has swung in the Tigers’ favor.

Just last month, Thompson took an official visit to Auburn and left with the Tigers tied at the top with the Tide.

“They are at the top with Alabama,” Thompson said after the visit. “(Auburn) is up there. They are right there with Alabama.”

RELATED: Running list of visitors for BIG CAT

Thompson, who is from Foley, Ala., had many reasons why Auburn is on the same level as Alabama. The list starts with the coaches.

“The whole coaching staff, they are great,” he said. “They make me feel like family. (The visit) went very well. I loved it, for real. The coaches, the environment .. everybody makes me feels like family.

“The highlights were spending time with Coach Freeze and Coach Davis. Just going through the plays and them showing me how they’d use me in the offense. Them telling me how big of a legacy I could make if I come home.”

Visit makes big impression on Thompson

During the visit, Thompson had a FaceTime call with NFL and former Ole Miss receiver DK Metcalf, who played under Freeze at Ole Miss.

“We chopped it up,” Thompson said. “He was telling me that Coach Freeze is a good guy, to come to Auburn and trust the process.”

He also talked with current Auburn receiver Nick Mardner.

“That’s my guy,” he said. “We have a good relationship. I hung with him all weekend. He tells me to come to play and make a legacy.”

With Auburn and Alabama now tied at the top, Thompson plans to have a final decision between the two schools before the end of the summer.

“Before my senior season kicks off,” he said. “It’s just these two.”

Thompson is the No. 32 overall player, the No. 9 wide receiver, and the No. 4 best player in the state of Alabama, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

On3 Scouting Summary

“Big-framed pass catcher with some of the best physical tools among receiver prospects in the 2024 cycle. Measured at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds prior to his junior season. Has high-end length for the position with a 33.5-inch arm. Runs well at his size, showing the separation skills to get vertical and beat double coverage.

“Tracks the ball well with the ability to locate the ball over his shoulder for high difficulty grabs. Makes plays from the outside and in the slot. Flashes good change of direction as a route-runner on Friday nights and in th 7-on-7 setting. Makes plays after the catch and as a return man. Shows competitiveness and toughness as a two-way player.

“Productive in a high volume role as a junior, catching 87 passes for 1,059 yards and nine touchdowns. Does not benefit from a loaded supporting cast. On the lower end of yards per catch among his highly-touted peers with 12.2 yards per reception as a junior.

“Has turned in some encouraging personal best track times over high school career but can continue to consistently transfer that over to the field with his play speed and the track as the times tend to vary. Still putting his tools together but has the upside to be one of the better receivers in a strong crop at the position in the 2024 cycle.”