High profile visits, multiple commitments and a unique atmosphere during the fifth annual Big Cat Weekend put a charge into Auburn football recruiting heading into summer.
Big Cat's laid back approach to recruiting, including pie-eating contests, water balloon fights and scavenger hunts, helped Auburn land two recruits and increase its 2014 recruitment list to nine verbal commitments.
Local Opelika High School tight end Jakell Mitchell gave his pledge to the Tigers in front of everyone in attendance at Big Cat. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Mitchell is a three-star prospect who was considering top tier SEC programs like Alabama, LSU and Georgia.
"I went ahead and made my decision today because I feel like Auburn is the best fit for my position," Mitchell told Rivals.com.
Mitchell said Auburn's style of play and coaching staff were major factors in his decision making process.
Mitchell had an impressive junior season recording 28 receptions for 403 yards and 17 touchdowns to help Opelika reach the Class 6A state championship. His style of play caught the attention of offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee because Mitchell's versatility allowed him to play wildcat quarterback and fullback in certain plays.
"[Lashlee and I] have a good relationship," Mitchell said. "We talk every chance we get, and we talk about football and other sorts of things. He is a good person."
After Mitchell's commitment in front of the Big Cat crowd, three-star cornerback Nicholas Ruffin announced his intent to play for the Tigers in 2014 late afternoon Saturday, May 25.
"I've committed to play football at Auburn University. I'm blessed," Ruffin told Rivals.com. "It was a big decision, and I felt it needed to be made. I couldn't hold it back anymore. I stepped on the field and fell in love instantly."
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Ruffin had offers from large schools despite his three-star ranking. Auburn has needs in positions other than cornerback and wanted a select few players in the secondary. Ruffin was one of the top-three backs Auburn has recruited.
Early in April, Alabama still led for Ruffin's commitment, but the Atlanta native's A-Day visit, Big Cat attendance and family influence changed his mind.
"Lo and behold, my aunt wore an Auburn shirt, and something told me today might be the day," Ruffin said. "It was a confirmation I needed to be here."
Ruffin will continue to be recruited by some of the nation's best schools, but says his decision to attend Auburn is final.
"I don't plan on going back (on my word); my word is my bond. I'm not changing that," Ruffin said. "I can't tell you how good this feels to have this process done."
The overall goal of Big Cat was to build relationships between Auburn coaches, recruits and their families in an atmosphere that is free from football activities and workouts. For some of the nation's best recruits, the event was a great time that was substantially different from other college visits.
Rivals250 linebacker Rashaan Evans came away from Big Cat extremely impressed with the weekend's fun-filled schedule and said other recruits loved it as well.
"It felt like we were all family and all already committed to Auburn... It was crazy," Evans told Rivals.com.
Big Cat gained a large amount of support from its visitors by making recruits feel at home.
"We all had fun; we all enjoyed it," Auburn commit Tre Williams said. "I'm just glad it was fun. They saw how we are, relaxed, not uptight and all that."
Four-star safety Cortez McDowell, a Rivals250 player from Locust Grove, Ga., said he was impressed with how the coaches interacted with the players.
"That's one thing (different) about Auburn from the other places, the other coaches didn't really hang around the kids; it was strictly business," McDowell said.
Amid some controversy, five-star Clemson quarterback commit Deshaun Watson visited Auburn shortly over the weekend, later denying his attendance.
Watson is the No. 1 ranked quarterback and No. 12 overall player in the 2014 class.
According to Justin Hokanson, AuburnSports.com editor and expert recruiting writer, Watson enjoyed his visit, but felt extremely pressured by Clemson coaches and reporters to deny his attendance.
"The reason for Watson's denials are all about pressure," Hokanson wrote. "As soon as word got out that he was visiting on Friday, Clemson coaches and reporters were blowing him up. The Clemson coaches may have even told Watson to tweet that he wasn't in Auburn in order to silence the chatter."
Whether it was the commitments, the water balloon fights, or the controversy, Big Cat Weekend was big news in college recruiting.
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