Top June commitments: No. 5

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 starting with two returning starters heading into the 2021 season.

5. (TIE) Tashawn Manning and Brodarious Hamm

Both Manning and Hamm signed with Auburn in the 2016 class but had to delay their enrollment as they battled cancer. Manning’s commitment came on June 19, 2015 and Hamm followed three days later. Manning’s recruitment was pretty straightforward. He was offered as a defensive lineman by several ACC and Group of 5 schools before the Tigers stepped up with an offer in early June. Manning, from Wekiva in Apopka, Fla., committed to AU during a two-day visit a couple of weeks later. He enrolled in 2017 and redshirt that fall. He switched to offensive line in 2018 and worked as a backup for a couple of years before starting all 11 games at left guard in 2020.

Hamm, from Spalding in Griffin, Ga., originally committed to Tennessee in April but made multiple trips to Auburn in the spring and summer and said, "I just couldn't see myself at Tennessee anymore and my heart has always been in Auburn.” Hamm had an impressive offer list that also included Alabama, Georgia and LSU. After enrolling at AU and redshirting in 2017, he moved from right guard to right tackle in 2019. He was the backup in ’19 and the starter last fall, although injuries limited him to eight starts.