Signing Day 2013
Welcome to AuburnSports.com's hub for NSD information. We'll be updating the page with everything that's happening -- as it happens.
The theme this year is the arrival of coach Gus Malzahn and how quickly the Tigers' new staff was able to make sense of the post-Chizik chaos. Did they refine the program's overall recruiting enterprise in time to make a major impact on the recruiting trail? Did they hit a home run? Can they finish in the national Top 10?
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You'll see it all unfold right here.
The Headlines
The Signing Day Blog
11:05 a.m. RB Johnathan "Rudy" Ford has signed with Auburn over Tennessee.
10:55 a.m. K Daniel Carlson has signed with Auburn out of a Colorado high school. He was a U.S. Army All-American.
10:45 a.m. LB/S Brandon King has signed with Auburn out of Highland C.C. in Kansas. Could be the "spur" or "talon" in Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 system.
10:40 a.m. S Mackenro Alexander's paperwork has arrived at Auburn. So he's official.
10:25 a.m. OL Deon Mix officially has signed with Auburn.
10:05 a.m. S Mackenro Alexander has committed to Auburn out of Immoklee, Fla. His twin brother, Mackensie, had a bigger name ... but Mackenro is a good player in his own right.
8:50 a.m. DT Montravius Adams has signed with Auburn. He is extremely good, a major prospect. This was the team's biggest need.
8:45 a.m. We're officially calling OL Deon Mix as an Auburn signee. His papers haven't yet been received, but they're on the way.
8:35 a.m. QB/WR Jason Smith has signed with Auburn out of McGill-Toolen H.S. in Mobile. I expect him to play wideout in college.
8:25 a.m. LB Cameron Toney has signed out of Huntsville H.S.
8:22 a.m. LB Kenny Flowers has signed with Auburn out of Hutchinson C.C. in Kansas. He had been committed to Texas A&M.
8:21 a.m. WR Earnest Robinson has signed with Auburn out of Pinson, Ala. He has work ahead with his grades, but the fact that Auburn took him is a good sign.
8:10 a.m. QB Jeremy Johnson has signed with Auburn out of G.W. Carver High in Montgomery. Four-star guy.
8:05 a.m. S Khari Harding has signed with Auburn out of suburban Oklahoma City. He flipped from Arkansas last month.
8 a.m. DE Carl Lawson has signed with Auburn. He's the No. 4 overall player.
7:58 a.m. QB Nick Marshall has signed with Auburn out of a Kansas junior college.
7:55 a.m. RB Peyton Barber has signed with Auburn out of Alpharetta, Ga. He flipped from Ole Miss earlier this week.
7:40 a.m. CB Kamryn Melton has signed with Auburn out of Dothan. He was committed for a long, long time.
7:35 a.m. WR Marcus Davis has signed with Auburn out of Delray Beach, Fla.
7:15 a.m. ILB Grant Smith from Milton H.S. in Alpharetta, Ga., has accepted an offer to walk on at Auburn next season. He played with signees Carl Lawson and Peyton Barber.
7 a.m. WR Dominic Walker has signed with Auburn. He's a 3-star guy, but he's good. Real good.
6:38 a.m. WR Tony Stevens has signed with Auburn. He's a 4-star guy.
6:31 a.m. DE Elijah Daniel has signed with Auburn, completing his flip from Ole Miss.
12:01 a.m. Kicker Jimmy Hutchinson has accepted a grayshirt. Hutchinson will be a part of the 2014 class and arrive in Auburn next January.
The Signees
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Tailback
Commitment date: Feb. 6, 2013
Hometown: New Hope, Ala. (New Hope H.S.)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds
National ranking: No. 185 overall prospect
Position ranking: No. 15 tailback
State ranking: No. 9 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Ole Miss, Clemson
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Ford has great balance. He's not particularly big â€" nor is he exceptionally fast. Still, he has exquisite control of his body at all times. That allowes him to slide through holes or cut upfield without a single unnecessary step. He broke Vandy's heart by de-committing in late January, which prompted some nasty reactions from VU players on Twitter. That entire program felt like Ford would give it the kind of ground-game edge it needed. Can he have that kind of effect on the Plains? Everything suggests that Ford is a diamond-in-the-rough just waiting to be unveiled on the national stage. He's an every-down, do-it-all back that could be perfect for the next iteration of Auburn offense.
Status:
(Signed)
Position: Kicker
Commitment date: July 1, 2012
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo. (Classical Academy)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
National ranking: NA
Position ranking: No. 4 kicker
State ranking: No. 6 overall prospect in Colorado
All-Star selection: U.S. Army All-American
Rival offers: LSU, Cal, Air Force
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Daniel Carlson is the nation's No. 4 kicker, that combines punters and kickers into one category. Carlson earned U.S. Army All-American honors. Carlson was 10-of-14 on field goals, 40-of-40 on extra points and averaged 41.0 yards per punt as a senior. He had 54 touchbacks. Auburn continues their streak of dominant special teams recruiting.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Linebacker/safety
Commitment date: Jan. 5, 2013
Hometown: Alabaster, Ala. (Highland C.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 210 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offer: Ole Miss, Arkansas State, Arizona State
Video Highlights: N/A
Instant Analysis: King's story is similar to fellow signee Kenny Flowers' -- a quick prep linebacker who went to junior college, gained weight and now is a better player. Auburn wants to play King at the hybrid linebacker/safety position formerly called "spur" during Ellis Johnson's days at South Carolina. He's bigger than your average safety, yet lacks true safety speed. That's fine because he'll be used in situations that will limit his exposure to deep-ball coverage. He could be a career backup or he could be a starter in short order. King is difficult to project at this stage.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Safety
Commitment date: Feb. 6, 2013
Hometown: Immokalee, Fla. (Immokalee H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 190 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 43 safety
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: West Virginia, Mississippi State
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: TBA
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Defensive tackle
Commitment date: March 4, 2012
Hometown: Vienna, Ga. (Dooly County H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 290 pounds
National ranking: No. 25 overall prospect
Position ranking: No. 3 defensive tackle
State ranking: No. 3 overall prospect in Georgia
All-Star selection: Under Armour All-American
Rival offer: Alabama, Georgia, Clemson
Video Highlights: Junior season highlights
Instant Analysis: Montravius Adams may be the most important recruit Auburn has signed in a long time. The Tigers desperately need a noseguard who can command the 'A' gaps and provide a consistent, run-stopping threat inside. It's been a mess since Nick Fairley left for the NFL. Adams is so much better than anyone charged with blocking him in high school. He's just too big and fast. If there's a knock on Adams, it's that he's still pretty raw as big-time recruits go. Assistant coach Rodney Garner will have to teach Adams the skills he'll need to thrive in the SEC, but that's why Garner was hired. He can do that. Adams has the physical ability to be a dominating guy inside. It just might take a year or two for him to get a strong grasp on technique.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Offensive line
Commitment date: Feb. 6, 2013
Hometown: Batesville, Miss. (South Panola H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 305 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 15 guard
State ranking: No. 5 overall prospect in Mississippi
All-Star selection: U.S. Army All-American
Rival offer: Mississippi State
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: "He can play all the positions. I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up at center. He has versatility, athletic, no doubt his best football is way in front of him." -- South Panola H.S. coach Lance Pogue
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Athlete/wideout
Commitment date: July 9, 2012
Hometown: Mobile, Ala. (McGill-Toolen H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 187 pounds
National ranking: No. 247 overall
Position ranking: No. 15 athlete
State ranking: No. 11 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: Alabama-Mississippi All-Star, Under Armour All-American
Rival offer: Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Smith played quarterback in high school and was a good one. He would have been given the opportunity to play that position at a smaller program, but he instead endeavors to become a wideout in the SEC. The change means he may need more time than the average prep wideout to catch on at the next level, but Smith certainly has play-making ability. He is very quick and makes sudden moves in space. He could emerge as a perfect slot guy in Auburn's new offense. Smith reminds me of Travante Stallworth before the initial knee injury. And before you ask: Yes, that's a compliment.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Linebacker
Commitment date: April 14, 2012
Hometown: Huntsville, Ala. (Huntsville H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 35 inside linebacker
State ranking: No. 18 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Never seriously considered any other programs
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Toney is a long, technique-y player in the Craig Stevens mold. He could be an ideal fit in Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 as that lone outside linebacker. He's at 225 pounds right now, though he could add another 20 pounds and still look appropriately bulky. The previous staff loved Toney's instincts and emotional makeup. The current staff assessed him and came away with the same impression. I don't think Toney will be an immediate contributor, but added weight and familiarity could make him a valuable element beginning in 2014. Also could be an outstanding guy on special teams.
Status:
(Signed)
Position: Linebacker
Commitment date: Jan. 25, 2013
Hometown: Lilburn, Ga. (Parkview H.S./Hutchinson C.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 225 pounds
National ranking: No. 61 JUCO prospect
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Arkansas, Texas
Video Highlights: N/A
Instant Analysis: Flowers is a tough guy to assess right now. A stint in junior college allowed him to gain productive weight since graduating from Parkview High and now he appears ready to bang with linemen in the SEC. His biggest strength in high school was acceleration. Flowers still has above-average quickness. Now he's stronger than ever before. He'll be given a shot at that outside linebacker spot, though the important thing will be his ability to defend the pass. If he shows refinement in that part of the game, Flowers could be a revelation this fall.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Wideout
Commitment date: Feb. 26, 2012
Hometown: Pinson, Ala. (Pinson Valley H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
National ranking: No. 114 overall
Position ranking: No. 14 wideout
State ranking: No. 7 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: Alabama-Mississippi All-Star, Under Armour All-American
Rival offer: LSU, Mississippi State, Alabama
Video Highlights: Junior highlights
Instant Analysis: Robinson is an interesting wideout in that he excels in different ways than you'd expect. He's not a track star, but he pulls away from most defenders on the field. He's not a huge guy, but he catches high balls well. He won't soon be mistaken for a tight end, but defenders often bounce off him. He's the receiver version of Kenny Irons â€" a player who gets better as a game progresses. If he gets serious about blocking and dedicates himself toward getting better every day, Robinson could be a top-tier guy in the SEC two years from now.
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Status:
(Signed)
Position: Quarterback
Commitment date: May 20, 2012
Hometown: Montgomery, Ala. (Carver H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds
National ranking: No. 93 overall prospect
Position ranking: No. 5 pro-style quarterback
State ranking: No. 6 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: U.S. Army All-American
Rival offer: Ole Miss, LSU
Video Highlights: Army All-American Game breakdown
Instant Analysis: Johnson appears to be the perfect quarterback for Gus Mazahn and Rhett Lashlee's hurry-up/no-huddle offense. He has enough speed to force defenses to take him seriously as a potential ball-carrier. Johnson also has ample arm strength, improving accuracy and the ability to move away from pressure without losing sight of what's happening downfield. Though he's not a runner by trade, Johnson's scrambling ability could make him an alluring Wildcat option during his apprenticeship.
Status:
(Signed at 8:05 a.m.)
Position: Safety
Commitment date: Jan. 21, 2013
Hometown: Edmond, Okla. (Santa Fe H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: No. 11 overall prospect in Oklahoma
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Arkansas, Arizona State
Video Highlights: Junior highlights
Instant Analysis: I'm confused about why Harding wasn't a more highly recruited player. Sure, several big schools wanted him. Most of them were in the Big 12 and Harding wanted to play in the SEC, which is unusual for kids from Oklahoma. He was committed to Arkansas for more than seven months before flipping to Auburn in January. So what do the Tigers have here? He plays like a prototypical run-stopping safety. Harding is quick and fearless and rangy. He's less refined when defending in phase against the deep ball, but that's correctable. He looks like an above-average college safety to me. When's the last time Auburn had that? Junior Rosegreen?
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Status:
(Signed at 8 a.m.)
Position: Weak-side defensive end
Commitment date: March 4, 2012
Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga. (Milton H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 253 pounds
National ranking: No. 4 overall prospect
Position ranking: No. 1 weak-side defensive end
State ranking: No. 2 overall prospect in Georgia
All-Star selection: Under Armour All-American
Rival offer: Tennessee, Clemson
Video Highlights: Senior season highlights
Instant Analysis: Lawson is the most highly ranked player Auburn has signed since the rise of Rivals.com a decade ago. That's high praise. Lawson was unblockable in high school. He's remarkably fast off the edge, though that's not what makes him unique. He plays with great pad level, keeps his head up, tracks plays, shucks aside blockers and makes plays. He's on another level mentally. Couple that with hitting the talent jackpot and you have a perfect storm of potential greatness. It's within the realm of possibility to think he could bulk up to 290 pounds and be a quick three-technique guy inside. Or he could settle in as a chaos-inducing end at 265 pounds. Either way, he's Dee Ford at worst and may emerge as the best Auburn defender in a generation.
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Status:
(Signed at 7:55 a.m.)
Position: Athlete/quarterback
Commitment date: Jan. 14, 2013
Hometown: Rochelle, Ga. (Georgia/Garden City C.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offer: Texas Tech, Kansas State, Indiana, Arkansas State
Video Highlights: N/A
Instant Analysis: Marshall may be the biggest enigma in this signing class. He signed with Georgia two years ago as a defensive back, but left Athens and sought refuge in junior college. That's when he began playing quarterback again. He arrives in Auburn as a quarterback, though he has the athleticism to play several other positions if he can't crack the rotation behind center. Jeremy Johnson seems capable of rendering Marshall moot in short order, which begs the question: Why would Marshall spend a junior-college season at quarterback only to play another spot at Auburn? We don't know.
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Status:
(Signed at 7:55 a.m.)
Position: Tailback
Commitment date: Feb. 3, 2013
Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga. (Milton H.S.)
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 211 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 33 tailback
State ranking: No. 44 overall prospect in Georgia
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Ole Miss, Clemson
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Barber missed the meat of his junior season with a high ankle sprain, which wrecked his numbers and damaged his stock. Clemson and Ole Miss remained enamored. Auburn entered late and snatched the power back. He isn't huge, but Barber is a rugged runner who can bang between the tackles and pull away from the front seven.
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Status:
(Signed at 7:40 a.m.)
Position: Cornerback
Commitment date: Feb. 27, 2012
Hometown: Dothan, Ala. (Dothan H.S.)
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 165 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 35 cornerback
State ranking: No. 16 overall prospect in Alabama
All-Star selection: Alabama-Mississippi All-Star
Rival offer: Never seriously considered any others
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Melton doesn't get a ton of publicity because he's small and he committed to Auburn quite early in the 2012-13 recruiting cycle. He doesn't play small. Melton has no trouble fighting through blocks and unloading big hits on bigger players. Secondary coaches Charlie Harbison and Melvin Smith love defensive backs with high motors â€" and few players can match Melton's aggression at cornerback.
Status:
(Signed at 7:35 a.m.)
Position: Athlete/Slot receiver
Commitment date: Jan. 27, 2013
Hometown: Delray Beach, Fla. (American Heritage H.S.)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 41 athlete
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: Florida-Georgia All-Star
Rival offers: West Virginia, Wake Forest
Video Highlights: Nike Camp Highlights
Instant Analysis: Davis is a versatile offensive player. He spent most of his time at quarterback in high school, but profiles as a slot receiver or scatback in college. He's quick and compact and shifty. His lack of training means he'll open fall camp with a more difficult task, though Davis has the ability to emerge as the jet sweep guy â€" a la Onterio McCalebb. That position doesn't require as much initial training. His career could go in any number of different directions.
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Status:
(Signed at 7 a.m.)
Position: Wideout
Commitment date: Jan. 25, 2013
Hometown: Orlando, Fla. (Evans H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds
National ranking: N/A
Position ranking: No. 95 wideout
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Nebraska, South Carolina, Florida
Video Highlights: Senior highlights
Instant Analysis: Walker is one of my favorite out-of-the-spotlight prospects. His team loved to pass the ball (hence Auburn's decision to sign two Evans wideouts this year) and Walker was the deep guy. He doesn't fast on tape, but he blew people away downfield because he's so good at challenging for the ball â€" and winning. Walker can add 10-15 pounds and be one of the bigger wideouts around at 210. Since break-neck speed isn't really his game, losing half a step won't matter. His jumping ability and play-making ability will make him valuable. Here's your next Darvin Adams, complete with the dry wit and blue-collar attitude.
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Status:
(Signed at 6:40 a.m.)
Position: Wideout
Commitment date: Jan. 20, 2013
Hometown: Orlando, Fla. (Evans H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
National ranking: No. 95 overall
Position ranking: No. 11 wideout
State ranking: No. 16 overall prospect in Florida
All-Star selection: U.S. Army All-American
Rival offers: Texas A&M, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State
Video Highlights: Junior highlights
Instant Analysis: The first thing anyone notices about Stevens is just how long he is. His wingspan must be in the top 2 percent of all humans relative to height. A lot of wideouts at this age lack refinement â€" they're just out there running and tracking balls like an outfielder. Stevens has a smoothness about his movements. He understands defensive flow and makes shrewd cuts. His awareness is excellent. Stevens also is extremely fast and I expect him to be discussed as one of the team's true burners. The downside? He's extremely thin and will need to add significant bulk to survive in the SEC. Will that slow him down? Time will tell.
Status:
(Signed at 6:30 a.m.)
Position: Defensive end
Commitment date: Feb. 6, 2013
Hometown: Avon, Ind. (Avon H.S.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 249 pounds
National ranking: No. 107 overall prospect
Position ranking: No. 8 strong-side defensive end
State ranking: No. 2 overall prospect in Indiana
All-Star selection: Under Armour All-American
Rival offers: Ole Miss, Florida, Arizona State
Video Highlights: Rivals spotlight
Instant Analysis: ""One thing he has been known for is his work ethic in the weight room," Bless said. "He is a guy who gets after it the whole time from the time he walks in to the time he leaves. Typically he is one of the last ones to leave the weight room. He carries that attitude over to the football field. He has great explosion and strength off the ball and has very good leverage and understands how to play the game." -- Avon H.S. coach Mark Bless
Status:
(Signed on 12/19/12 and is enrolled)
Position: Tailback
Commitment date: Nov. 8, 2012
Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa. (Allan Hancock C.C.)
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 210 pounds
National ranking: No. 6 JUCO prospect
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Washington, Utah
Video Highlights: N/A
Instant Analysis: Artis-Payne is an interesting story. He signed with Rutgers out of high school, failed to qualify, spent some time away from the game, enrolled at a California junior college and now has a chance to become a top-tier college player. So what does Auburn have? He's a compact, aggressive, collision-inducing runner in the Rudi Johnson mold, though he has more lateral agility than Auburn's Class of 2000 centerpiece. Artis-Payne doesn't waste much time dancing around; he finds a seam and hits it. He's already 22 and Artis-Payne is aware of the fleeting nature of athletic ability. He arrived with unusual motivation and should gain almost immediate approval from coaches for his work ethic. He could emerge as the steal of this class.
Status:
(Signed on 1/8/13 and is enrolled)
Position: Defensive tackle
Commitment date: Jan. 7, 2013
Hometown: Norcross, Ga. (Hutchinson C.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 315 pounds
National ranking: No. 4 JUCO prospect
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky
Video Highlights: Rivals Spotlight
Instant Analysis: Bradley is a great example of how a stint in junior college can help a player. He committed to West Virginia out of high school, but was "just" 280 pounds at the time. He simply was too weak to help at the BCS level. After two years at Hutch, Bradley now has the bulk and strength to command inside gaps at the highest junior-college level. Will that translate to the SEC? Time will tell, but he has the physical tools to represent an upgrade for Auburn. And he'll be coming in fresh with assistant coach Rodney Garner. Bradley won't be slowed or affected by how the Tigers operated under the previous coaching regime.
Status:
(Signed on 12/25/12 and is enrolled)
Position: Guard
Commitment date: Dec. 25, 2012
Hometown: Tampa, Fla. (Hutchinson C.C.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 285 pounds
National ranking: No. 19 JUCO prospect
Position ranking: N/A
State ranking: N/A
All-Star selection: N/A
Rival offers: Baylor, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Video Highlights: N/A
Instant Analysis: Danzey played tackle in junior college, but will compete for playing time at guard on the Plains. He's considered an advanced run blocker who must refine his approach toward pass protection. He has quick feet, which is a must considering how often Gus Malzahn likes to pull his guards in the run game. Reminds me of Byron Isom on tape. I expect him to begin (and finish) the 2013 season as a starter.
The Commitments
They're all signed!