Weekend recap
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AUBURN | Saturday wasn't an official Junior Day in Auburn, but approximately 50 recruits still made their way to the Plains to take in the Tigers' third practice of the spring.
Several recruits spoke to Auburn coaches. At least four left claiming a new offer from Auburn, including 2017 in-state receiver Nico Collins, who visited Saturday and Sunday with his parents and sister.
Collins, from Clay-Chalkville in Pinson, was one of four 2017 Rivals100 to Watch recruits in Auburn, and one of three from Alabama. Southside (Gadsden) running back Alaric Williams and McAdory (McCalla) athlete/cornerback Malcolm Askew also visited, as did Archer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) cornerback Jamyest Williams.
The 2016 group was headlined by Central (Phenix City, Ala.) Rivals250 four-star cornerback John Broussard. Broussard visited Friday with his parents and younger brother, and returned Saturday with his father to watch practice.
West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.) quarterback Woody Barrett, one of Auburn's top targets at the position, and McAdory (McCalla, Ala.) quarterback/athlete Jay Jones, who was one of the few to receive an Auburn offer Saturday, also visited.
Offensive linemen Marcus Tatum and Parker Braun were two from the 2016 group, along with Barrett, that already had Auburn offers.
Here's a recap from the weekend…
WHO MADE IT
2016 RANKED VISITORS
2016 NOT-YET RANKED (NR) VISITORS
OT Scott Lashley, West Point, Miss. (West Point)
LB Ja'Quain Blakely, Moultrie, Ga. (Colquitt County)
LB Dee Walker, Moultrie, Ga. (Colquitt County)
CB Rakeem Hightower, Moultrie, Ga. (Colquitt County)
UNDERCLASSMEN VISITORS
(NR) OT Toryque Bateman, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City) - 2017
(NR) CB Isaiah Pryor, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer) - 2018
(NR) WR Jaylen Flemming, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden City) - 2018
WHO WAS OFFERED
WHAT WE LEARNED
* Auburn made a big impression on Broussard's mother. The Rivals250 four-star cornerback said Auburn "won my mom over" during their Friday visit. Broussard is set to announce his decision on May 7. He is not related to Alley Broussard, the former LSU star.
* Academics will play a big part for Tatum, the big offensive tackle from Florida. He wants to major in Kinesiology.
* Omorogbe, the big tight end from River Ridge in Woodstock, Ga., is being recruited to Auburn primarily as a fullback/H-back. River Ridge is switching to "Auburn's offense" this fall and he will be playing the fullback/H-back position.
* Auburn nearly received a commitment from Robinson, the 2017 linebacker from Snellville, Ga. Auburn offered the junior and he considered accepting it.
* Askew, the 2017 Rivals100 to Watch athlete/cornerback from McAdory, grew up an Auburn fan.
* Taylor, the bowling ball of muscle from Newton High in Covington, Ga., is the nephew of former Auburn safety Junior Rosegreen. Taylor is one of the top 2017 running backs in Georgia, and would like to follow in Rosegreen's footsteps and play at Auburn.
* Young, the junior cornerback from McGill-Toolen, is the younger brother of Auburn quarterback/receiver Jason Smith.
* Williams, the 2017 Rivals100 to Watch running back from Southside in Gadsden, is a close friend to both Roc Thomas and Tyler Carr. He plans to return to Auburn on April 11 and again for A-Day on April 18.
* Barrett, the quarterback from Florida, plans to announce his commitment in July. His top three are "in no order: Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn."
* Auburn is recruiting Nalls, the Mississippi State offensive guard commit from Fayette, to play center. Nalls is committed to Mississippi State, but grew up "dreaming" of playing at Auburn. Auburn "is a family tradition" in the Nalls household.
* Auburn is recruiting Fox, the weakside defensive end from Suwanee, Ga., to play the "Buck" linebacker position.
* 2015 signee Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken leg. He is using one crutch, has a month left of physical therapy and plans to move to Auburn on May 24. He visited Saturday's practice, as did fellow signee Jalen Harris, a tight end from St. James in Montgomery.
SECOND-HAND INFO
* Auburn recruits athletic offensive tackles, and doesn't like the "big fat boys." - Marcus Tatum
* Auburn is very high on Lashley, the not-yet ranked offensive tackle from West Point, Miss., and has him listed as one of its top targets at the position. - Scott Lashley
* Auburn secondary coach Travaris Robinson's No. 1 goal for the Tigers' defensive backs this spring is to improve their technique, which he considered poor when arriving in January. - Jamyest Williams
* Auburn's top two quarterback targets are Barrett, from Winter Garden, Fla., and Carver (Columbus, Ga.) Rivals250 four-star Jawon Pass. - Woody Barrett
* Auburn secondary coach Travaris Robinson's No. 1 goal for the Tigers' defensive backs this spring is to improve their technique, which he considered poor when arriving in January. - Jamyest Williams
* Travaris Robinson believes freshman safety Tim Irvin will start for Auburn in the fall. - Simeon Smiley
VISITOR LINKS
* AU offer nice surprise for 2017 WR - Nico Collins
* Top 2017 RB returns to AU - Alaric Williams
* Quotebook: Quarterbacks - Woody Barrett, Jay Jones
* Quotebook: Offensive tackles - Marcus Tatum, Scott Lashley
* Signee ahead of schedule - DE/LB Prince Tega Wanogho Jr.
* Quotebook: Tight end/fullback, cornerback - FB/TE Stephen Omorogbe, CB Chad Clay
* Quotebook: 2017 visitors - LB Malik Robinson, CB Malcolm Askew, CB Jamyest Williams
* Quotebook: Teammates - Kurt Taylor, Jaquan Henderson, Trey Young, Marlon Williams
* Auburn 'won my mom over' - CB John Broussard
* Quotebook: MSU commit, 2016 visitors - C Dee Nalls, CB Simeon Smiley, DE/LB Tomon Fox
