Talented trio of LBs
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AUBURN | Lance Thompson didn't have much input into Auburn's 2015 linebacker class.
The Auburn linebackers coach didn't have much time.
Thompson, who was in his third stint at Alabama, was hired at Auburn on Jan. 14, just three weeks before Signing Day. Auburn had three linebackers committed at the time and would add only one more, Jeffery Holland, whom Thompson had recruited at Alabama.
Thompson didn't design the class, but he'll gladly accept the role as developer.
"It's a very talented group," Thompson said.
Rivals.com certainly thought so. Auburn signed three of Rivals' top 20 outside linebackers, one more than USC, Oklahoma and Notre Dame, which each signed two. No other school signed more than one top 20 outside linebacker.
Holland, from Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla., is the lowest-ranked of the group at No. 20. Thompson, however, has higher expectations for him.
"We are looking for good things out of Jeff," Thompson said. "He's a big guy, a 230-235-pound guy who is very athletic."
And Holland loves to hit. He welcomes and encourages contact, and Thompson always welcomes those type players. He loves to coach them.
"Jeff is a tough guy. He likes contact," Thompson said. "When you watch his tape, you really see a relentless, competitive-type kid. That's not natural for a lot of guys. When you can get a guy like that, those are fun guys to coach.
"He's a football player instinctively. Football is very important to him. He's a worker. We're looking for big things from him."
Thompson said the same about his other two linebacker signees, Rivals250 outside linebacker Richard McBryde and Rivals100 outside linebacker Darrell Williams.
McBryde, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, signed with Auburn after being committed to the Tigers since July. Rivals.com ranked McBryde the No. 16 outside linebacker, but Thompson believes the former Charles Henderson (Troy, Ala.) standout could play in the middle.
"He can run and he is physical at the point of attack," Thompson said. "He has really good linebacker instincts."
So does Williams, 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, who was ranked the No. 8 outside linebacker in 2015. The former Hoover (Ala.) star committed to Auburn in May and never wavered. Thompson, who previously recruited Williams to Alabama, is glad he didn't.
"I'm real familiar with Darrell. I've seen him several times in camp," Thompson said. "He's played in a really good program so he understands the expectations of doing things at a certain standard.
"He could be an inside guy or outside guy for us. He's good in space and he has some pass-rush ability."
Montavious Atkinson, ranked the No. 39 outside linebacker in 2015, signed with Auburn out of Langston Hughes High in Fairburn, Ga. Atkinson, 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, is projected to start out playing safety at Auburn.
