Editor’s Note: All rankings, both individual and team, are courtesy of 247Sports.

Following a disappointing 8-4 season, Auburn coaches and staff are busy recruiting during the NCAA’s active period.

The biggest area of concern is defense. The Tigers had an abysmal year on that side of the football, and need to add more talent and depth.

How does Auburn stack up with its current 2015 recruiting class?

Current Auburn 2015 recruiting class

  • National Rank: No. 12. The Tigers have upped their game in recruiting early in the Gus Malzahn era, but did a nice job under Gene Chizik, as well, having hauled in consensus top-10 classes in past years.
  • SEC Rank: No. 6. Auburn is in the middle of the pack of the SEC right now, though it’s important to remember it’s early in the recruiting process.
  • No. of Commitments: 19
  • No. of Commitments by Rating: One five-star, 11 four-stars, seven three-stars

Five-star running back, and JUCO transfer, Jovon Robinson highlights Auburn’s 2015 verbal commitments thus far. The 5-foot-11, 225 pound tailback is the nation’s top-rated running back, and should make an early contribution to a backfield losing Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant.

Freshmen Roc Thomas and Peyton Barber will return, but we didn’t see a lot of them in 2014. Robinson should be able to come in and compete for a starting job early in the spring.

Attracting offensive talent has never been an issue for Malzahn, though, and the Tigers need talent and depth on defense. Seven on Auburn’s 19 verbal commits are defensive players, with the group being led by four-star linebackers Darrell Williams and Richard McBryde and four-star safety Jordan Colbert.

Malzahn is in the process of hiring a replacement for the departed Ellis Johnson as defensive coordinator, and the hire likely will have a large impact on recruiting.

In terms of ratings, none of the Tigers’ current defensive commitments leap off the page — each of them rank 13th or below at their respective positions — however, Auburn coaches have always had a track record of developing talent.

Auburn needs to make a push before the dead period, which takes effect Dec. 15 through Jan. 14, and after through National Signing Day.