AUBURN – Gene Chizik and his staff dared to go hard after the No. 1 players in four states. And Wednesday, they came out ahead in three of them.
It was an unprecedented accomplishment in Auburn history.
The Tigers wrapped up the most highly regarded recruiting haul in recent memory when the No. 1 prospects in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi withstood intense in-state pressure and signed with the Tigers. Only running back Marcus Lattimore got away, staying at home to play for South Carolina.
Running back Michael Dyer of Little Rock Christian Academy, the nation’s top-rated running back prospect, led a class of 27 signees that joined five already enrolled in school. Wide receiver Trovon Reed of Thibodaux (La.) High School and offensive lineman Shon Coleman of Olive Branch (Miss.) High School also jilted state schools.
And then there was 4-star defensive end Corey Lemonier from Hialeah (Fla.) High School, who jilted Florida State to sign with Auburn.
By the time the day was over, the Tigers had locked up a top five recruiting class. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 by ESPN/Scouts Inc.
The day started with unanswered questions about Lemonier, Coleman and Reed.
Lemonier had narrowed his choices to Auburn and Florida State. It became Tuesday night that he was moving in Auburn’s direction. He made it official on ESPNU.
Coleman had said on Jan. 17 that he was “100 percent committed” to Auburn, but he took four subsequent official visits. Rumors of a switch to Alabama were rampant. But he did what he said he would do and chose Auburn.
Reed committed to Auburn on Nov. 13, his late mother’s birthday. But the pressure increased. Finally, he ended it Wednesday by signing with Auburn.
Dyer committed in October and never wavered.
The Tigers also took three lessere-known prospects – athlete Ladarious Phillips of Handley, offensive lineman Tunde Fariyike of Upsilon-Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga., and safety Ryan Smith, a former Kentucky commitment from Cordova.
Gene Chizik was to talk about his second Auburn recruiting class Wednesday afternoon.
