A top defensive line prospect for Auburn football, Chris McClellan announced his Top-17 schools early this morning shortly after midnight on his Twitter, and the Auburn Tigers made the cut for the talented senior out of Oklahoma.
Sorry for the wait..🖤 pic.twitter.com/wEnlERCvEb
— Chris McClellan 7️⃣🦍 (@ChrisDMac10) June 4, 2021
McClellan is a 4-star prospect out of Owasso, OK, and holds offers from notable programs such as Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, & Florida. McClellan is the #245 recruit and the #33 DL in the 2022 class and ranks as a Top-5 prospect in the state of Oklahoma.
At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds; McClellan is built for the SEC grind and should be able to compete for playing immediately at any school he decides to take his talents to next fall. He shows excellent quickness and combined with his physicality, makes him a matchup nightmare for most offensive linemen.
McClellan spends most of his time playing the EDGE position but can excel across the defensive line and bring a specialized pass rushing ability from the inside when needed. Right now, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, McClellan is leaning towards his home-state Oklahoma State Cowboys.
McClellan was offered by the new Auburn football staff back on March 27th and will be one of new defensive line coach Nick Eason’s top targets for the 2021 recruiting class. The defensive line was subject to strong criticism throughout the 2020 season; as the Tigers struggled to replace the production of Marlon Davidson and Derrick Brown who left for the NFL the previous year.
The Tigers finished the 2021 cycle strong with a commitment from Dylan Brooks, while also landing two impact transfers in Marcus Harris and Tony Fair. The uncertainty surrounding the defensive line even caused Harsin to move former tight end, J.J. Pegues, to the defensive line during spring practice.
After this season the Tigers will be losing Marquis Burks, Tyrone Truesdell, & T.D. Moultry on the defensive line which only adds to the importance of landing an impact player such as McClellan.
This recruitment will be extremely competitive and even though Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will be tough to beat as in-state programs; I would keep an eye on Auburn and Nick Eason as they pursue one of the most talented defensive linemen in this class.