With national signing days 19 days away, the new Auburn coaching staff is scrambling to gain interest from players around the nation, and more importantly, hang on to the recruits they already have verbal commitments from. Here is a look at the recruits that have already committed to the Tigers.
Carl Lawson--Defensive end (five stars)
Considered the second best player at his position in the class, Lawson is the complete package at defensive end. He has good size, 6-foot-2, 251 pounds and decent speed relative to his position. Lawson ran a 5.11 40-yard dash and has a vertical of 26 inches. An Alpharetta, Ga. native, Lawson committed to the Tigers March 24, 2012. Whether the coaching staff change will sway him similar to Reuben Foster and Dee Liner is yet to be seen, but he is weighing his options. His trip to Clemson last weekend and his visit this weekend to Tennessee mean he is seriously considering other schools, but for the time being, Lawson remains an Auburn commitment.
Jeremy Johnson--Quarterback (four stars)
Tagged as a pocket passer, this 6-foot-5, 215 pound quarterback from Montgomery can heave the ball, but is also mobile for such a big guy. Of course when Auburn fans think of a six and a half foot, more than 200 pound quarterback, one Cam Newton comes to mind. He's no Newton. But he is a viable option for the future of the Auburn quarterback position once he gets his skills polished. Unlike other commitments, when Gene Chizik was fired Johnson stuck to his word and will almost undoubtedly join the Tigers next season.
Jordan Wilkins--Running back (four stars)
Wilkins, a 6-foot-2, 205 pound running back from Cordovan Tenn. who committed to the Tigers when Chizik was still the coach. When Chizik was fired Wilkins said he would open his options again, but like Lawson, Wilkins remains with the Tigers for the time being. Wilkins is ranked the 233rd overall player in the ESPN 300 ranking system.
Tashawn Bower--Defensive end (four stars)
One of the top defensive line recruits in the class, Bower shows promise to be a premier outside defensive lineman in his collegiate career. This 6-foot-5, 241 pound defensive end runs a 4.89 40-yard dash, so he clearly has excellent size and speed - the perfect combination for his position. That combination makes him a perfect pass rusher and pursuer of the quarterback on the run. Bower committed to Auburn in the summer, and like many recruits he has considered other options since the firing of Chizik, but it seems likely that he will stick with the Tigers. Bower makes an already strong defensive end class much stronger as he is considered the 11th best defensive end according to ESPN rankings.
Earnest Robinson--Wide receiver (four stars)
Robinson is the only true wide receiver for this season's recruiting class so far and ranks 39th at his position. He is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, has a 30-inch vertical jump and runs a 4.81 40-yard dash. Robinson has confirmed that he is going to remain with the Tigers. Wide receiver has been a position Auburn has not had much success with in the previous two seasons and any added depth is welcomed. Other schools Robinson considered include Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and FSU.
Jason Smith--Athlete (four stars)
Easily one of the speediest recruits Auburn has landed this year, Smith brings 4.47 40-yard dash speed to the Tigers. Smith will either be a quarterback or a wide receiver, but it is thought that he would bring more to the table as a wide receiver because of his speed and shiftiness. From Mobile, Ala., this 6-foot-1 athlete is a firm commitment to the Tigers because of how well he should fit into Malzahn's offensive scheme. If Smith does become a wide receiver it will add to the number of different plays and tricks the head coach can throw into the book.
Cameron Artis-Payne--Running back (four stars)
The junior college running back is one of the few commitments who has already signed his letter of intent to play for Auburn. Obviously junior college transfers are allowed to sign before seniors in high school. Artis-Payne is the number 2 ranked junior college running back and he raked in 2,048 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns with California Community College Athletic Association last season. Tagged as an elusive running back, Artis-Payne is also known for his hands, which will help the back and team when the ball is dumped off to him in the open field.
Cameron Toney--Inside linebacker (four stars)
Auburn's lone inside linebacker recruit after Foster de committed, Toney is a welcomed addition to the future Tiger defense. Inside linebacker is the most important position on defense and the Tigers have not had a run-stopper who can cover the middle since Josh Bynes in 2010. This 6-foot-2, 225 pound commit is the perfect size for a linebacker, and he will only get stronger and heavier once he is conditioned by Auburn. He is known as an instinctive run-stopper both inside and outside the box, which means he has the speed to pursue an outside run, an area Auburn desperately needs to improve on.
Brandon King--Outside linebacker, safety (four stars)
Another well-sized recruit at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, King committed to Auburn in the beginning of January and was the first of a string of junior college recruits to join the Tigers. King played safety last season at Highland Community College, but it is thought that he is well suited for an outside linebacker position due to his good size. Whether he plays linebacker or safety, King's skill sets are needed to improve last year's poor defense.
Ben Bradley--Defensive tackle (three stars)
Bradley is a massive defensive tackle who weighs in at 310 pounds and is 6-foot-3. That's all good news for an Auburn defense that needs to plug up holes in the interior run game. A player with his size and strength can force running backs to the outside where, with the additions of Lawson and Bower, the Tigers are relatively deep.
Kamryn Melton--Cornerback (three stars)
The only true cornerback in the Auburn recruiting class thus far is listed at 5-foot-10, weighs 170 pounds and is named Kamryn Melton. Oh, he can jump 33 inches in the air, which partially makes up for his smaller height. Melton also runs a speedy 4.45 40-yard dash, according to Rivals.com, which means he has the speed to keep up with many SEC-caliber wide receivers. Melton is another player who was pleased with the hiring of Malzahn, and will indeed be joining the Tigers next season.
Nick Marshall--Quarterback (three stars)
Another large quarterback who can use his arms and legs in and out of the pocket joined the Tigers in January. Marshall played at Garden City Community College last season and obviously dual-threat quarterbacks like him are more than welcomed in Gus Malzahn's spread offense. Of course, there are now four players who may be vying for the quarterback position, so because Marshall is so athletic, he might be pegged as a wide receiver or a cornerback. Either way, in Malzahn's spread offense and defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 defense there is always room for more receivers and corner backs.
DevonteDanzey--Offensive guard (three stars)
Danzey is the only offensive lineman of this 2013 recruiting class, but if there is anything the Tigers have a lot of, it's young offensive linemen. Danzey has more than 300 pounds of bulk on him and signed with Auburn mainly because of Malzahn.
Daniel Carlson--Kicker (three stars)
He's the number 1 ranked kicker in this class and is almost six and a half feet tall. Carlson will undoubtedly help the Auburn special teams during his time with the team. His specialties are field goals and kickoffs.
Jimmy Hutchinson--Punter (three stars)
Hutchinson is one of the top punting recruits of this 2013 recruiting class. With the addition of Hutchinson, Auburn has recruited two highly-rated kickers.
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