Auburn still pushing for 5-star Miami commit

Auburn isn't backing down in the recruitment of Zaquan Patterson.

The five-star safety committed to Miami late last month, but Auburn's continued to stay in contact. It helped get Patterson to the Plains Saturday, as he visited campus for the game against No. 1 Georgia.

"It was a great visit, I got to see a lot," Patterson said. "Defensively, I feel like they played a very good game. They put their offense in situations where they could have won that game. Unfortunately they didn’t, but I just love to see the progression."

Since his commitment, teams like Michigan and Florida State have backed off, but not Auburn.

"Coach Zac (Etheridge) definitely has stayed in contact, Coach (Hugh) Freeze definitely been in contact," Patterson said. "All in all, I feel like besides Miami, they communicate with me the most."

Patterson has been to Auburn games before, but this one stuck out a little more than the others.

"I don’t know what it was, I was just a little more hype this game," Patterson said. "I feel like it’s because it was Georgia, but they played a hell of a game. I can’t even be mad they lost, they did everything they had to do."

Overall, he feels like he could fit in Ron Roberts' defense well, more so at the star position. His takeaway from the game was that Auburn struggled to cover Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, but feels like the Tigers could use someone like him to help with that.

"I cover tight ends all the time, so I feel like I’d be able to help them in that sense," Patterson said. "I can play anywhere on defense, so just anywhere they need me, for real."

As for what Auburn's message has been to him?

"They’re still gonna be in the race no matter what," Patterson said. "Just because I committed, they’re not gonna back away."

Patterson still plans to take an official visit to Auburn, although that date has not been set.