In his search for a new school to attend and new football team to play for, former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant took an official visit to Auburn this weekend.
During what Bryant described as a “great visit,” he met with coach Gus Malzahn, spent time with the current players and learned more about the Auburn football program.
“Just getting up here, being around the guys,” Bryant said in a quote gathered from 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr. “And being around the coaching staff, just sitting down and talking to Coach Malzahn and all the coaches. It was a really great visit.”
In 2017, Bryant completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 2,802 yards, 13 touchdowns and threw eight interceptions.
Bryant passed for 3,338 yards at Clemson before losing his starting job early in the season to Trevor Lawrence, which prompted his decision to transfer.
Malzhn has been a large part of recruiting Bryant, making him a a major target late in the fall. Bryant and Malzahn met for a few hours during a previous trip Bryant took to Auburn in November.
With Bryant’s decision looming, he has said he will announce where he is going on Tuesday, on Twitter, at a still undecided time.
“(Bryan't parents) wanted me to get down here for a weekend and see Auburn from this standpoint,” Bryant said. “Getting around the players and seeing what the players have to say about the program. How they like it here. The pros and cons. It’s been really good being around those guys. Now, getting ready to make this decision, it’s really good to make this visit. Now I feel like I can take a lot from it.”
This is the fifth official visit Bryant has made to a school since deciding to transfer. He has also officially visited Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri and North Carolina.
Auburn’s program is one he has been following for longer than this season, though.
“Auburn has been a program that I’ve been following since I was in high school,” Bryant said. “Then, playing against them, I’ve been here, I know what the game atmosphere is. So I know how big football is here and that really has helped me as well.”
Bryant has been impressed with the young talent the team has and how they have improved.
“Definitely, having all those young guys coming back and also the offensive line,” Bryant said. “Watching those guys, they got better as the season progressed. Knowing that on both sides of the ball that they’re special. And also on special teams as well.”
Bryant also is a fan of what Auburn is doing with dual-threat quarterbacks.
“It’s good to see, it’s something that draws me to Auburn as well,” Bryant said.
Bryant is looking for more than just a solid football program. When asked what his biggest deciding factor is Bryant said it was the relationship.
“Everybody has been looking at this like it’s a one deal thing,” Bryant said. “Of course it Is from an athletic standpoint. But this is not just for one year. It’s a lifetime decision. Just looking for somewhere I can see myself coming back to the university. Just seeing myself eventually maybe living here and settling down. Those have been the biggest two things. Lifetime decision and also the relationship with the coaching staff and also the players as well.”
If Bryant were to choose Auburn, those relationships would play the main role in his decision.
“The players that would be the man reason,” Bryant said. “They welcomed me with open arms. My man Kam (Martin), we’ve grown close this weekend. It seems like I’ve known a bunch of those guys for a long time. And just the connections I’ve built here. And so being able to play with those guys, you can tell they’re hungry. They play at a high level, compete at a high level and win at a high level.”
Although Bryant said he has no leader for where he should go, a Friday report from the Kansas City Star said Auburn and Missouri are the top contenders.
“I have not narrowed it down,” Bryant said. “All of those schools are still in my decision.”
Bryant stated that no college staffs will visit him between Sunday and when he announces Tuesday, but several schools saw him last week.
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