Top June commitments: No. 2
AUBURN | There was a time when most schools wouldn’t get their first public commitment until late summer or fall, and majority would come after the season as recruiting heated up with January visits and eventually Signing Day in February.
But those commitments have shifted earlier and earlier over the last two decades and now with an early signing period, many recruiting classes are nearly full by the start of the season in September.
That’s put a lot more emphasis on recruiting in June, which now includes official visits. Here’s a look back at the top five Auburn commits in June over the past two decades including a player that finished his career as a national champion.
2. RYAN PUGH
Offensive lineman Ryan Pugh grew up an Auburn fan and the Tigers were one of the first schools to offer him as a junior. The four-star and nation’s No. 3 center and No. 211 overall prospect in the 2007 class committed to Auburn on June 29, 2006 over a number of other offers including LSU, Tennessee and Clemson. AU recruited Pugh as a center and offered the prospect of early playing time with the top two centers — Joe Cope and Jonathan Palmer — both seniors at the time. Pugh transferred from Spain Park to Hoover for his senior season, and played left tackle for the Bucs. He played in the Army All-American game following his senior season and the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game the summer before enrolling at AU.
After a 1-2 start to the 2007 season, offensive line coach Hugh Nall made some big changes to his unit, benching two veterans and inserting Pugh into the starting lineup at left tackle and Chaz Ramsey at right guard. The pair joined right tackle Lee Ziemba as three true freshmen in the starting five. Pugh started seven games at left tackle in 2007, missing three with an injury. He started 12 games at both center and right tackle as a sophomore, all 13 games at center as a junior and all 14 at center as a senior. He helped Auburn go 14-0 and win the SEC championship and BCS national championship in 2010, earning first-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors. He started 45 career games including 42 consecutive starts to finish his career.