2024 Early National Signing Day

[Zeek 16,660]

On 12/10/2023 at 2:29 PM, Zeek said:

Hello everyone and welcome to the official 2024 ENSD Discussion Thread! Here is my preview of Auburn's recruiting efforts and what we could do to finish strong. I am going to link all of the high school names linked to Auburn. Personally, I am going to wait until after the high school Early National Signing Day (ENSD) to look more into portal targets and needs. Those numbers shift as our high school signings are made official.

NLI Received:

1. 3* DL Malik Blocton - Pike Road, AL

2. Transfer WR Robert Lewis - Covington, GA

3. 4* ED Joseph Phillips - Tuskegee, AL

4. 4* CB Jalyn Crawford - Lilburn, GA

5. Transfer DL Gage Keys - Hilliard, OH

6. JUCO DB LaQuan Robinson - Greenville, AL

7. 4* QB Walker White - Little Rock, AR

8. 4* OL DeAndre Carter - Temecula, CA

9. 5* WR Perry Thompson - Foley, AL

10. 5* WR Cam Coleman - Phenix City, AL

11. 4* LB DJ Barber - Montgomery, AL

12. 4* WR Malcolm Simmons - Montgomery, AL

13. 4* DL Amaris Williams - Clinton, NC

14. Transfer LB Dorian Mausi - Duke

15. 4* CB A'mon Lane - Columbiana, AL

16. 5* LB Demarcus Riddick - Clanton, AL

17. 4* ED Jamonta Waller - Picayune, MS

18. JUCO OL Seth Wilfred - Mitchell, NE

19. 4* DB Kensley Faustin - Naples, FL

20. 4* DL TJ Lindsey - Little Rock, AR

21. 4* WR Bryce Cain - Mobile, AL

22. 3* DB Kaleb Harris - Alabaster, AL

Haven't Signed Yet:

1. 5* WR Ryan Williams - AL Commit - not signing until February
2. 3* DL Dimitry Nicolas - AU Commit - I don't expect him to sign today...
3. 5* DL LJ McCray - UF Commit - 
4. 4* OL Coen Echols - AU vs. LSU battle
5. 3* OL Favour Edwin - AL vs AU battle

5* DB KJ Bolden - FSU Commit -Signed with UGA

There are 19 high school commitments with 6 more high school targets in our crosshairs. I would like to add that there is a possibility of one player being processed; expect that player to not sign tomorrow and to take more visits between now and the final signing day. Later in the thread I noticed a misconception where someone was including a transfer towards the 25 counter. That's not really how it works anymore... it's more of a total counter looking at the maximum roster size.

I intentionally have left off transfer targets from this thread. As soon as I can find commitment times and links they will be added.

Updated. Waiting on just two more. Both LJ and Favour don't really have a set timeline though...

[yngwie1995 2,232]

Are we still targeting the kicker from Auburn HS, Towns McGough? 

[Zeek 16,660]

1 minute ago, yngwie1995 said:

Are we still targeting the kicker from Auburn HS, Towns McGough? 

Yeah I think so. Not really urgent. PWO anyways.

[AUwent 3,778]

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

[bishoptf 699]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

Yeah I looked back through the rankings and Gus had some good ones but was tailing off towards the end when Kirby was getting geared up and then the potato famine hit....so I agree it feels like a long time since we had a good recruiting class, really happy to see us back competing for players.

Edited December 20, 2023 by bishoptf

[alabastertiger 617]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

Gus would get a high ranked class, but he didn't recruit to needs very well.

[AUY2K 272]

Need the kicker from Auburn HS!!!!

[PikesEagle 168]

13 minutes ago, TuscaloosaTiger said:

When was the last time we had a 5* OLman? Was Greg Robinson a 5*? If not then who and when?

May have been 2017 when we signed Calvin Ashley

[LKEEL75 2,566]

30 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

 

Here is a listing looks like we had some good ones in 2001, 2010-2011 - https://247sports.com/college/auburn/contentgallery/ranking-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-classes-in-this-century-50981737/#467097

So based on this article it looks like 2 was best we ever did and we have 3 already now.  Great job Freeze.

[tigeraddikt 1,621]

Just now, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

Yes, because of hindsight. Gus's "stacked" classes are littered with busts all over,  but they weren't busts until they busted. This one might be...who knows?... but for right now, they're all first round NFL draft picks (lol). This class tracks along with Lil Nicky's first full class where he bought all those blue chippers like Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Upshaw, Hightower, Barrett Jones, Mark Barron, Marcel Dareus. What a foundational class that set the table for what he is still over there doing today. This class feels like a coach who had a relentless plan and executed that plan to completion, and he ain't done yet. Build on this for an equal, if not better, class next year, which is what Freeze said is the goal for his 2nd full recruiting class, and I like where AU stands moving forward.

[tinman1 488]

10 minutes ago, Zeek said:

Yeah I think so. Not really urgent. PWO anyways.

Re the Auburn high kicker....Ole Miss has offered him a scholly.  He still hasn't decided between them and us.

Edited December 20, 2023 by tinman1

[TeamZero77 1,786]

1 minute ago, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

I agree it feels different to me as well. I think Gus's last class wound up 7th in the nation but it doesn't really stand out to me that much. 

We now look stable for quiet some time at WR and LB'er. Those were very much needed and I remember this time last year we were very worried about the LB'er room. Adding Riddick and Phillips as well as signing the Duke linebacker today from the portal makes me feel alot better. 

[autigeremt 6,776]

Just now, tinman1 said:

Ole Miss has offered him a scholly.  He still hasn't decided between them and us.

I’d hate to see him in the SEC opposite of Auburn. He’s a special talent. 

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

12 minutes ago, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

Currently 7th nationally and 4th SEC. 

[toddc 13,194]

 

[Mikey 16,777]

4 minutes ago, tinman1 said:

Re the Auburn high kicker....Ole Miss has offered him a scholly.  He still hasn't decided between them and us.

It's been reported that AU countered the scholly offer with NIL money. Pay for it that way without using a scholarship. I'm surprised we haven't seen more of this.

[TeamZero77 1,786]

10 minutes ago, PikesEagle said:

May have been 2017 when we signed Calvin Ashley

What year was Shon Coleman? He was a 5 star OL as well.

[tigeraddikt 1,621]

1 minute ago, TeamZero77 said:

What year was Shon Coleman? He was a 5 star OL as well.

Thought he was a Chizik era pickup, but had to undergo leukemia treatments prior to actually beginning his football career at AU. Missed a couple of years or so?

[Zeek 16,660]

18 minutes ago, AUwent said:

What a terrific class. I was just hoping for a top 15 finish and it a top 10 finish now looks likely.

What's weird is how we regularly did reach this mark under Gus...yet, this feels different. Anyone else feel the same way? 

For me it’s that we actually went at the big guys and won. Where it seemed like Gus took some 4/5* type guys that weren’t too hotly contested. More tweeners and guys coming off injuries.

[ertrader 206]

23 minutes ago, TuscaloosaTiger said:

When was the last time we had a 5* OLman? Was Greg Robinson a 5*? If not then who and when?

Calvin Ashley in 2017?

[PikesEagle 168]

4 minutes ago, TeamZero77 said:

What year was Shon Coleman? He was a 5 star OL as well.

4 star by 247. Had to look him up. My spreadsheet starts for the 2013 class.

[yngwie1995 2,232]

 

 

[aujohnson 300]

5 minutes ago, tinman1 said:

Ole Miss has offered him a scholly.  He still hasn't decided between them and us.

Am I missing how this is possibly a moot point now that NIL is a thing? Is there any reason that increased NIL and no scholarship can’t get by the 85 limit?

Here is a $20k scholarship and $15k NIL. 

Here is $50k NIL but we don’t have a scholarship available. 
 

I know the NIL ”doesn’t come from the school “. 

[aujohnson 300]

6 minutes ago, Mikey said:

It's been reported that AU countered the scholly offer with NIL money. Pay for it that way without using a scholarship. I'm surprised we haven't seen more of this.

I wish I had seen this before I did all the typing in my other post. 😄

[TeamZero77 1,786]

1 minute ago, tigeraddikt said:

Thought he was a Chizik era pickup, but had to undergo leukemia treatments prior to actually beginning his football career at AU. Missed a couple of years or so?

Yeah that's him. You're correct, he was a Chizik recruit. It seemed more recent to me for some reason but you're right. His story about being diagnosed with leukemia and then fighting through it to eventually come back and play was and is amazing!!