This has been said before. Recruiting is about filling needs and heading down the stretch of the 2016 cycle, there may not be a better example of a program that has filled needs than Auburn.

Head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff have held together an impressive group on the defensive line despite the Tigers’ defensive coaching staff (Will Muschamp, Travaris Robinson, Lance Thompson) all departing for South Carolina as Muschamp was named the Gamecocks head coach. JUCO defensive end Paul James, Georgia four-star defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson and in-state stud Marlon Davidson all are big-time gets.

And the rest of the SEC should beware: Malzahn and his staff have signed a junior college quarterback in John Franklin (East Mississippi). The last two times that has happened — Cam Newton and Nick Marshall — both have won the starting job and Auburn has played for the national championship with Newton winning.


Current rank: No. 6 SEC, No. 10 national (247Sports Composite rankings)

Top commit: Marlon Davidson, DE, Greenville (Ala.). Speaking of defensive linemen, Davidson, a five-star prospect and the No. 17 overall prospect in the country, was a huge land for Auburn. Not only because is he an elite Alabama prospect, but he’s at a position of great need as the Tigers continue to need pass rushers. The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder is an early enrollee and should make an immediate impact for the Tigers on the defensive line this coming season.

Sleeper: David Marshall, DE, Thomaston (Ga.) Upson-Lee. Marshall, a 6-foot-2.5, 253-pound tweener type plays the game with great tenacity and has above-average quickness and athleticism. He’s the type of prospect that may not get the headlines, but the intangibles are such that it’s easy to project a high level of success for him at the collegiate level. Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner has a history of developing elite defensive linemen and Marshall certainly will benefit by the coaching he gets. Look out for this one in the coming years.
 
Quick take: Auburn really has addressed several needs in this class, particularly on the defensive line. Of course, landing a JUCO quarterback and two stud receivers in Kyle Davis and Eli Stove helps bring impact from this class to the Tigers’ offense nearly right away. Despite the coaching turnover, Malzahn and his staff have held the ship steady and have another excellent bunch of recruits heading to the plains this cycle.