Auburn limped to a disappointing 8-4 campaign in 2014, and now is without a defensive coordinator due to the dismissal of Ellis Johnson one day after the 55-44 loss to Alabama.
Recruits are hanging in the balance, waiting for Gus Malzahn to make his move in the search for a new coordinator, though Auburn’s second-year coach has not put a timetable on the hire.
The Tigers have hauled in consensus top-1o classes in recent years, but currently are on the outside looking in at No. 11. Nineteen commitments are on the books for Malzahn and company, with a wave of JUCO transfers and early enrollees set to arrive in the coming weeks.
With Auburn nearing its 20th verbal commitment, let’s assess the Tigers’ class thus far.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Saturday Down South’s references to recruiting rankings are to 247Sports.com industry composite ranking.
| NAT RANK | PLAYER | H.S. (CITY, STATE) | STAR | POS | HGT | WGT |
| 1 | Jovon Robinson | Georgia Military College (Milledgeville, GA) | 5 | RB | 5’11” | 225 |
| 39 | Kerryon Johnson | Madison Academy (Madison, AL) | 4 | ATH | 6’0” | 200 |
| 188 | Darrell Williams | Hoover (Hoover, AL) | 4 | OLB | 6’3” | 226 |
| 195 | Jordan Colbert | Griffin (Griffin, GA) | 4 | S | 6’2” | 205 |
| 219 | Tyler Carr | Southside School (Gadsden, AL) | 4 | OG | 6’5” | 311 |
| 221 | Richard McBryde | Charles Henderson (Troy, AL) | 4 | OLB | 6’2” | 210 |
| 228 | D’Afernee McGriff | Leon (Tallahassee, FL) | 4 | RB | 6’1” | 230 |
| 247 | Marquell Harrell | Creekside (Fairburn, GA) | 4 | OG | 6’3” | 295 |
| 261 | Kaleb Kim | Mill Creek (Hochston, GA) | 4 | OC | 6’4” | 280 |
| 320 | Bailey Sharp | Sprayberry (Marietta, GA) | 4 | OT | 6’5” | 280 |
| 12 | Jason Smith | Mississippi Gulf Coast CC (Perkinston, MS) | 4 | ATH | 6’1” | 180 |
| 360 | Tyler Queen | North Cobb (Kennesaw, GA) | 3 | PRO | 6’2″ | 229 |
| 370 | Chandler Cox | Apopka (Apopka, FL) | 3 | FB | 6’1” | 225 |
| 438 | Montavius Atkinson | Langston Hughes (Fairburn, GA) | 3 | ILB | 6’1″ | 200 |
| 487 | Jauntavius Johnson | Lincoln (Tallahassee, FL) | 3 | DT | 6’2” | 330 |
| 530 | Elijah Sullivan | Tucker (Tucker, GA) | 3 | OLB | 6’1″ | 215 |
| 533 | Jalen Harris | St. James School (Montgomery, AL) | 3 | TE | 6’5” | 244 |
| 940 | Chris Westry | Oakleaf (Orange Park, FL) | 3 | CB | 6’4” | 180 |
| NA | Ian Shannon | Marietta (Marietta, GA) | 3 | P | 6’4″ | 190 |
After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.
