Landing Big Cat 'extra-special big' for Auburn

AUBURN | Auburn's need for a pass rusher to help replace Carl Lawson was one of the biggest in the 2017 class. It took until the final hours but the Tigers landed their top target in Markaviest Bryant from Crisp County in Cordele, Ga.

Bryant chose Auburn over LSU, Georgia, Alabama and a host of other offers.

“Yeah. You fight hard. The guys who aren't committed when you go down to signing day, especially with our need for a pass rusher, that was really extra-special big for us as a staff,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “It was big. It was kind of the icing on the cake to this class. The last one to send his stuff in and commit. It was a good end to a good day.”

Bryant, who goes by Big Cat, was close to choosing LSU but Auburn kept recruiting him into Tuesday night and Wednesday morning and he finally signed with Auburn at 10:30 a.m. CT.

“Every time he's been on campus, you could tell he fit here. There was a great feel,” Malzahn said. “Talking to him, we always felt like we had a good chance. Last night, we felt like that he was coming here. This morning, we felt the same. He's a big-time player. He's got a chance to really be a special player.”

Bryant, who Auburn lists as 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, had 102 tackles, 36.5 tackles-for-loss and 15.5 sacks as a senior. He’s a cousin of former Auburn defensive tackle Montravius Adams.

“I think we’re getting a dynamic young man that has a tremendous skill set,” defensive line coach Rodney Garner said. “He has great length. He can bend. He has a great burst. He has the ability to affect the game in a third-down situation and be able to create some pressure on the quarterback.

“This year one of the things I thought we did a decent job of was we were able to affect the passer without having to blitz. We went to our rabbits and we were able to put four pass rushing linemen out there that were pretty skilled and with different pass rush games. We were still able to affect the quarterback without having to bring that fifth guy.”

And Malzahn was quick to credit Garner with the work he did recruiting and closing with Bryant and Auburn’s two other defensive line signees.

“I think it says he’s one of the best defensive line coaches in all of college football, if not the best with his track record,” Malzahn said. “He’s a great recruiter, and the reason he’s a great recruiter is because he works with honesty and integrity, he develops relationships and he’s very consistent. He’s one of the best in the country.”

Malzahn expects Bryant and the remainder of Auburn’s 2017 class to enroll at the end of May. He could be in an Auburn uniform and on the field as early as this fall.

“He is a pass-rushing machine,” Malzahn said. “He’s an Auburn type kid with a great family and great support system.”