Big Cat 'amazing' for 2024 DE
Malik Blocton is creating his own recruitment path.
Still, there's a chance it ends at the same place his brother's path did — playing defensive line at Auburn. Blocton, who's the younger brother of current Tiger Marcus Harris, took a better look at the program Saturday while attending AU's Big Cat Weekend.
"It was amazing," Blocton said. "It was fun, real fun."
The 2024 prospect spent most of the day with defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh.
"He’s really funny and with football, I feel like he knows what he’s doing," Blocton said. "My brother never has anything bad to say about him."
Even though Harris and Blocton are brothers and train together at Madhouse Training in Montgomery, Harris has always wanted Blocton to make his own decision.
"He’s proud of me for where I’m at," Blocton said of Harris. "He wants me to go wherever I feel like is the best place for me. He doesn’t want me to go to Auburn just because he went to Auburn."
Nonetheless, the Pike Road native is looking heavily into the Tigers. Along with South Carolina, Tennessee, Jackson State, Maryland and Arkansas, Auburn is one of the early favorites for the 6-foot-3 defensive end that has 20 offers.
That wasn't always the case, though.
Blocton grew up a "big" Alabama and Florida fan, but in recent years has found that Auburn captivates his attention.
"Since I got older, Auburn has really been like a team that I watch a lot," Blocton said. "I probably watch more Auburn than Alabama now. Then, I'm at the Auburn games almost every weekend, so I definitely think that Auburn has taken over Alabama."
In Auburn, he gets to watch older brother Harris compete under the lights of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Having someone by his side like Harris, who's been through the recruitment process before, has been impactful for Blocton.
"It’s really beneficial because I know that [Harris] knows what he’s talking about," Blocton said.
Absorbing his brother's advice and applying it to his recruitment, Blocton is in no rush to make a decision, nor does he have a timeline as to narrowing down schools. He takes limited visits at the moment and when he does visit, it's to a school that Blocton feels is interested in him.
"That’s why I go to Auburn so much," Blocton said. "I feel like Auburn has a lot of love for me."
Blocton is currently planning a return to Auburn for the Mercer game Sept. 3 and the Penn State game Sept. 17.