Fly War Eagle
Fansided

Auburn Recruiting: What You Need to Know About the Recruits Visiting on Big Boom Weekend

By Nicholas Ian Allen

facebooktwitterreddit

Several highly touted prospective members of the 2015 Auburn recruiting class are on campus for what may be the most important weekend in school history.

Some have dubbed it Big Boom Weekend. Others say it’s the biggest recruiting weekend in Auburn history. Whatever it is, it’s an important day for the direction of the Auburn football program.

More from Auburn Football Recruiting

I’ll admit, it’s a little odd to get so excited about a bunch of 17 and 18-year olds visiting campus, but recruiting is the lifeblood of college football, and Auburn is no different.

Expect maybe, Auburn is different. After all, there’s no other college or university in the nation that can boast such a talented group of prospects at one time and in one location.

And the most interesting thing is, the Tigers have a legitimate shot to secure a handful of the players that will be in attendance this weekend on National Signing Day, which is now just 19 days away.

So, who will be there and what do you need to know about them?

Players Expected to Be in Auburn This Weekend

  • DE Byron Cowart: Cowart is a five-star defensive end from Florida that is ranked as the top player in the nation on the ESPN300. Auburn will need to overcome Florida and Florida State to sign Cowart, but he has a great relationship with new Tigers defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, which could give AU the inside track. Cowart says he knows where is he headed, but he won’t say just yet.
  • DE CeCe Jefferson: Like Cowart, Jefferson is a five-star defensive lineman from the Sunshine State that will be in town for an official visit. He is a consensus top ten overall player in this year’s recruiting class and would be an impact player from day one. Auburn is a long shot to sign Jefferson, and Ole Miss is the leader, but Muschamp gives the Tigers a chance.
  • DT Terry Beckner, Jr.: Another five-star, Beckner was ESPN’s top rated overall player until Cowart passed him this week. A defensive tackle, Beckner would be an immediate impact player at a position that lost four seniors from the 2014 roster. Becker, an Illinois native, is a long shot to sign, and Missouri and Florida State seem to have the best chance to get him, but his recruitment is wide open.
  • OL Martez Ivey: Unlike the players listed above him, Ivey will not be in town for an official visit (because he’s already taken one) but is expected to be in Auburn for an unofficial visit, which could be a very good sign. Ivey is the nation’s top rated offensive line recruit, and he is reportedly 50/50 to sign with either Auburn or Florida. By choosing to come to campus on Big Boom Weekend and spend time with the players that will be in attendance and the new coaches on staff, it could give the Tigers an edge heading into Signing Day.

    • Jan 2, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Highlight defensive end Byron Cowart (99) and Christian Wilkins (42) celebrate a sack during the first half of the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game at Tropicana Field. Team Highlight defeated Team Armour 46-6. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

    WR Terry Godwin: A five-star receiver committed to Georgia, Godwin is also unlikely to play his college ball in Auburn. However, there’s still a chance, and wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig made a home visit with Godwin and his family yesterday. For those counting, he’s the fifth five-star mentioned thus far that will be in attendance this weekend. For comparison’s sake, having one or two in a given weekend is great.

  • WR Nate Craig-Myers: One of the top overall recruits in the 2016 class, five-star wideout Craig-Myers is an Auburn commit that will be in town for an unofficial visit. There are lots of other schools interested in Craig-Myers, and the Tigers will have their hands full keeping him all the way through February 2016. Building some solid relationships this weekend with other future Tigers should help.
  • QB Torrance Gibson: An Ohio State commit, Gibson may be the longest shot of them all this weekend. However, anytime you get a player on campus, there’s a chance the surroundings (coaches, other players, the campus itself) can change his mind. Gibson wants to play quarterback in college, but is athletic enough to contribute elsewhere also.
  • LB Jeffrey Holland: Holland, a four-star linebacker, has named Auburn his leader but he has not committed. The Florida native has let it be known he would love to play his college ball with Cowart and/or Jefferson, so Holland is a pivotal piece to the puzzle this weekend. He will be on campus for an unofficial visit. Auburn football fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for a player to commit this weekend, but Holland may be the most likely to do so, and if he does, it could mean some very, very good news is in the works. The Gators are still in the mix, though.
  • DB Tim Irvin: Aside from Holland, the most likely player to commit to Auburn this weekend might be Tim Irvin – a four-star safety from South Florida. The interesting thing is Irvin committed to Texas about two weeks ago. However, he is still looking around, has a good relationship with Muschamp and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson, and wants to enroll early. UPDATE: Irvin has flipped to Auburn.

    • RB Kerryon Johnson:

    The top rated player currently committed to the Tigers, Johnson was recently named Mr. Football in the state of Alabama, and earned his fifth star from ESPN. He is expected to be in town on an unofficial visit, probably to try to help recruit the uncommitted players on this list.

    Live Feed

    Auburn vs. Texas A&M Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4
    Auburn vs. Texas A&M Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4 /

    Betsided

  • 2023 Week 4 AP Poll Top 25: Every SEC team’s highest, lowest spot on ballotSouth Bound & Down
  • SEC Football: Florida, LSU rise in Week 4 2023 power rankingsSouth Bound & Down
  • SEC Tailgating: Where should you go in each town?South Bound & Down
  • SEC football standings based on yards per play through Week 2FanSided
  • Auburn Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2023-24 seasonBusting Brackets
  • DT Jauntavius Johnson: The only defensive lineman currently committed to the 2015 Auburn recruiting class, Johnson is making an official visit to the Plains this weekend. He is a massive three-star prospect that could see playing time as a true freshman at nose guard.
  • ATH D’Anfernee McGriff, S Jordan Colbert, OL Marquel Harrell, S Montavious Atkinson, LB Richard McBryde, LB Darrell Williams and TE Jalen Harris: All currently committed to Auburn and planning to be on campus for either an official or unofficial visit this weekend (and hopefully) to help recruit.
  • WR Ryan Davis: A four-star wide receiver in the Quan Bray and Marcus Davis mold but with more upside than both, Ryan Davis is yet another prospect from the state of Florida that is considering both Auburn and the home state Gators.
  • ATH Javarius Davis: A three-star athlete from Jacksonville with speed in the 4.4-second range in the 40-yard dash, Davis will be on campus this weekend. Another Florida target, Davis is also considering Louisville, Miami, Georgia and Georgia Tech.
  • DB Sheldrick Redwine: A three-star prospect from Miami, Redwine has indicated through Twitter that he will be in Auburn this weekend. The Tigers offered him on January 6. Redwine committed to Louisville on January 3.

    • Those Who May or May Not Be There

    • DT Kendrick Norton: Several outlets are reporting that four-star defensive tackle Kendrick Norton will be in town this weekend, but he is also expected to be in Miami to visit the Hurricanes.
    • DT Trent Thompson: There are whispers that five-star defensive lineman Trenton Thompson, who is ranked as the nation’s best player by 247Sports and is committed to Georgia, might make it to campus for an unofficial visit. That has yet to be confirmed, however.
    • WR Preston Williams: A five-star wideout and Tennessee commit, Williams was scheduled to be in Auburn this weekend, but there has been chatter that he needed to push back his visit back to next weekend instead.
    • WR Antonio Callaway: A four-star receiver from Miami, Callaway is visiting with the hometown Hurricanes Friday, but is expected to be in Auburn for an official visit on Monday.

    That’s a lot of talent. Currently, there are 20 players committed to the 2015 Auburn recruiting class, so the Tigers really only have seven or eight spots available (because of the numbers in last year’s class, the Tigers can go slightly above 25 scholarships this year).

    Also, keep in mind that this list is fluid. Some players may not attend, while others may show up at the last minute – but needless to say there is a lot going on. It may or may not be the biggest recruiting weekend in the history of the program, but it will have an impact on the future of Auburn football and the 2015 recruiting class.

    Don’t expect any new commitments, especially because so many of the players on this list will be making other official visits over the next two weekends, but you never know. Keep an eye out on Twitter for a big BOOM!

    Next: 12 Top Auburn Targets & The Odds They Sign

    More from Fly War Eagle

    Home/Auburn Football Recruiting