Florida OL visits Auburn, will return soon for official visit
Pensacola (Fla.) offensive lineman Hunter Rayburn visited Auburn on Saturday and was surprised by what he saw.
Things he’d been told weren’t entirely accurate.
“People had told me that Auburn isn’t super nice, but I was pleasantly surprised,” Rayburn said. “It was awesome. The facilities are a lot more than people described them to be. It’s a small and beautiful campus and I had a great time. I liked Auburn a lot.”
Rayburn toured the campus and facilities and met with several coaches, including Gus Mazlahn, offensive line coach J.B. Grimes and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.
“I like the coaches a lot. I got to talk to Coach Malzahn and I like him a lot,” Rayburn said. “I like Coach J.B. (Grimes) a lot, too. Coach Grimes is very down to earth. He knows what he’s doing and he’s good at it.”
Rayburn also likes that Auburn relies heavily on its running game. The Tigers rushed for 2,966 yards in 2017, fourth-best in the SEC, and featured the conference’s top rusher in Kerryon Johnson.
“I didn’t realize how successful Auburn is on the ground,” Rayburn said. “They run the ball a lot and do so effectively, which I like a lot as an offensive lineman.”
Saturday’s visit went well enough to change Rayburn’s perception of Auburn. He’s glad he saw it for himself.
“Going into the visit, (Auburn) was just another school that looked good from the outside,” Rayburn said. “But after this weekend, they are definitely in my top group. Auburn is absolutely high on my list now.”
Not only did the visit move the Tigers up his list, but Rayburn now plans to return soon for an official visit.
“The feel at Auburn, the culture, it’s just a good place and I like it a lot,” Rayburn said. “I am planning an official visit, trying to set a date now. It will be in June and we’re looking at the weekend of June 15. Within the next couple of weeks I could be back up there.”
Rayburn, whom Auburn is recruiting as a guard/center, lists Auburn, Texas A&M, Clemson, Florida and Mississippi State as his top schools. He will take an official visit to Texas A&M June 8-10 and one to Mississippi State June 22-24. He also plans to take unofficial visits to Florida and Clemson before announcing a commitment.
“I’m going to be done by the end of June,” Rayburn said. “I’ll know where I’m going and announce my decision by the end of June.”
Rayburn’s teammate, offensive tackle Adrian Medley, also visited Auburn on Saturday.
“It was great,” Medley said. “We talked to the coaches and then saw the dorms and campus. I talked to Coach Grimes. He said he wanted to see more of my film and that Auburn would be a great school for me.”
Medley lists Auburn and Florida as his top schools.
“Auburn and Florida are standing out to me,” Medley said. “I like Auburn’s program and the coaches, and I’ll probably be back this summer. I want to make my commitment by the end of the summer.”
