When Jordan Diamond committed to Auburn Feb. 3, he shocked the recruiting classes of universities such as Michigan and Arkansas, bolstering the Tigers' class with his No. 10 offensive tackle ranking.
"The visit I had down there was amazing," Diamond said of his Dec. 16, 2011, trip to the Plains. "I really like the place, I like the town ... It just feels like there is a lot of support."
Tigers offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said targeting a player outside of the SEC was a challenging process.
"We felt like it needed to be a big class for us," Grimes said. "With the numbers where they were, we had a lot of spots to fill. And early on it was a bit of a concern for us just because it wasn't a great year in terms of numbers in the Southeast for really good, SEC-quality offensive lineman. Jordan was a kid early on that was on everyone's watch list for top lineman in the country. We evaluated him off of his junior highlight film and thought he was a really talented kid."
Diamond said he enjoyed the feel of Auburn, and everyone he met gave him support.
"I got a chance to sit down in a meeting with coach Grimes and see how he operates things and the way he conducts practices," Diamond said. "It's all something that an O-lineman would want."
Schools in almost every region of the country expressed interest in him, but Diamond said the coaches at Auburn were a major factor in his decision.
"Coach Grimes, coach Trooper (Taylor) and coach (Gene) Chizik, those guys did a pretty good job with staying in touch and really communicating and telling me that they really wanted me here and things like that," Diamond said. "Just the fact that I have the opportunity to play (at Auburn) really enhanced it."
At 6 feet 6 inches and 290 pounds, Diamond said he can bench 270 pounds and squat 390, all before entering a collegiate program.
Grimes said Diamond's athleticism was surprising for his size.
"The two things that attracted us to him was, one, he is such a big, massive kid. There's a saying 'you can't coach size'; kids are either big or they're not," Grimes said. "He's got a huge frame, but surprisingly agile for his size. He's light on his feet. He can pull, pass protect and do all the things that we want an offensive lineman to do."
Diamond's mother, Angela, said she knew her son's talent would take him somewhere other than their backyard.
"I know it's a long way, but actually we have been preparing for this for like two years," she said. "I knew that he would be going somewhere. I like Auburn; I think it's a good place. Out of all the schools we have talked to and everybody that has been recruiting him, I felt like coach Grimes was the best. I really feel comfortable with my son going there and having him there with those people."
Diamond's educational goals involve majoring in some form of law enforcement and business.
Grimes said Diamond is ready for the challenges of being a college athlete.
"The next step was finding out what kind of kid he is, what kind of character he's got, what kind of work ethic he has and whether he's going to be a good fit for the program, not just a good athlete," Grimes said. "Everything was positive along the entire road. His coaches immediately said, 'If I had every kid in my program like this, I'd never lose a game.'"
Diamond's strong suit is pass protection, and with his long arms and top-tier strength, quarterback could be a comfortable position next season for the Tigers.
"I'm able to use my technique to outdo just about anybody that I'm going against," Diamond said. "I am really smart, I can catch on to things very easily, and ultimately I hope I'll be able to show I can do that."
Diamond's mother said her son is confidently preparing for the start to his college career.
"He's in another zone when he is playing, and actually he's been in the same zone for a long time," she said. "He's really focused, he's straightforward and he's on a mission. He is already working out daily, getting his mind ready for Auburn."
Diamond said in light of his size and strength, he plays like one of the NFL's best.
"This is probably a little strange, but it's like Peyton Manning: the way he finishes ball games, the way he conducts himself on the field and out-thinking his opponents and using what he knows to help everybody else," Diamond said. "But as far as O-lineman, I play like Jake Long and Jonathan Ogden. Those are guys that finish the job and really get after it and are physical."
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