NEWNAN, Ga. | Auburn enters the summer dead period on a recruiting roll.
The Tigers added two commitments over the weekend, bringing their total to 12 in the 2019 class. The duo top off a busy month of June that’s included five commitments and boosted the class to No. 16 in the Rivals.com team rankings.
All but three of the teams above Auburn in the rankings have more than 12 commitments, and the class already includes the nation's No. 1 pro-style quarterback, No. 1 outside linebacker and No. 7 wide receiver.
“I think our recruiting class is really setting up good. I think we’re in a great spot,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “I’ve said this before. I think we have a chance to have one of the best recruiting classes that we’ve had, at least since I’ve been here, and we’ve had some real good ones.”
Four-star athlete Jashawn Sheffield from St. Simons Island, Ga., who is expected to play safety at Auburn, announced his pledge Saturday with three-star offensive lineman Justin Osborne from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla, joining the class on Sunday.
The Tigers did lose one of their commitments Sunday when three-star cornerback Cordale Flott from Saraland, Ala., flipped to LSU following an official visit. De-commitments have been relatively uncommon for Auburn over the past several years according to Malzahn.
“The way we recruit is a little bit slower from the standpoint that we try to develop longer term relationships,” he said. “We’ve had very few de-commitments in the last three years and it’s been by that philosophy. I think you see that happening right now and everything is accelerated now because of the early visits and everything that goes with that.
“This class is in a super spot. We got great leadership with some of the commitments that are leading the charge.”
Sheffield officially visited Auburn this past weekend while Osborne visited the previous weekend, de-committing from TCU shortly afterwards. Wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson from Hewitt-Trussville committed on June 8 shortly after receiving an offer following a standout performance at a camp.
The Tigers also added two defensive linemen from the state of Mississippi this month in four-star Jaren Handy and three-star Jamond Gordon, who both attended Big Cat on June 2.
“I think it was the best one that we’ve had,” said Malzahn of Auburn’s 10th Big Cat recruiting event. “It was a great response. It was a great time. That will help here in the next few weeks or months to come.”
The addition of Osborne, who is originally from Flower Mound, Texas, was an important one. He joins center Jakai Clark as the Tigers’ two offensive line commitments, and Malzahn is planning to add at least two more to the class.
“The fact that we only had two offensive linemen last year, that’s why this is real critical with this class. I think we’re in a super spot to finish that,” Malzahn said.
The dead period runs from Monday through July 24. There can be no face-to-face contact between coaches and prospects during those four weeks, eliminating official and unofficial visits, and camps until the end of July, which gives coaches some extra time to spend with their families and go on vacations.
“This is the first spring we’ve had official visits, and summer too, and it’s been just about every weekend. So added with the camps, it’s been a little bit busier spring and summer than normal," Malzahn said.
“I know our guys have worked hard. I know we need to get them recharged because once we get them back from our break the second week in July, we’ll hit the ground running and not look up until Signing Day in February.”
