JUCO OL 'very likely' signs with AU

AUBURN | Matthew Tanner isn’t ready to announce his commitment to Auburn.

Not yet, at least.

The junior college offensive guard visited Auburn over the weekend and said it is “very likely” he will sign with the Tigers.

“But we have to get some things finalized before I commit, some paperwork,” Tanner said.

That could happen as early as Monday.

Tanner doesn’t have any doubt about Auburn after his visit.

“It was great,” he said. “I had a great weekend. I enjoyed the players. It’s a great place to be.”

Tanner met with offensive line coach Herb Hand during his visit. The second-year Auburn coach explained his expectations for Tanner should he sign with Auburn.

“(Hand) told me that they have a need at guard, and if I came here that I could make an immediate impact,” Tanner said. “He talked about the depth chart and how well I fit in here. He really likes the guys who are starting right now, but I could be a second-string guy.”

Tanner, who is 6-foot-7 and weighs 345 pounds, was s second-team all-conference selection at Eastern Arizona Community College last season. He has two years of eligibility.