Woody Barrett Commits to Auburn: 4-Star QB Is Perfect Fit for Gus Malzahn

With the number of available standout quarterbacks dwindling, Auburn landed its player in 4-star, dual-threat target Ervin "Woody" Barrett out of Winter Garden, Florida, Wednesday afternoon.

And while Barrett's commitment may not have been much of a surprise to most of the recruiting world (23 of 24 people chose Auburn in Barrett's 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction), it still comes as welcomed news for head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff. The Tigers had six commitments entering Wednesday—each from a different position on the field.

What they needed most was a stud quarterback to spearhead the class' offensive side. They got one in Barrett, the nation's No. 6 dual-threat quarterback.

"I feel like it's a great opportunity," Barrett told 247Sports' Ryan Bartow. "I have a good vibe with the coaches, and I feel I can learn from them so I can help the team.

"I actually told [Malzahn] Monday night. He was so excited. He said he couldn’t stop smiling. We had already talked about it. He asked if I was sure, and I told him and [quarterbacks] Coach [Rhett] Lashlee I was sure."

At 6'2" and 225 pounds, Barrett epitomizes the phrase "dual-threat quarterback." The West Orange High School product moves very well in the pocket, and when he's flushed out, he's a problem for defenders because of his power and speed. Barrett throws an accurate mid-range and deep ball, and he throws with a lot of zip.

Barrett's acceleration could make him an intriguing player in third-down situations. He's run the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds, per Bartow, and that speed, along with his field vision, allows him to extend plays. His strength will help him pick up first downs in short-yardage situations, as well.

Barrett chose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and a host of other schools. Part of his reasoning for choosing Auburn was familiarity with the offense.

"Auburn runs a system kind of like we do," said Barrett, who is used to the no-huddle, spread formation. "Coach Gus [Malzahn] knows that. It's his own offense. I feel I can go there and be the next Cam Newton."

Those are lofty expectations for a player with a year of high school football still remaining, but Barrett being a similar producer as Newton shouldn't be considered a stretch. He threw for 24 touchdowns and ran for nine more as a junior last season, and he's expected to lead a West Orange team looking to build on an 11-1 record in 2014.

Barrett will have some talented players to work with in the 2016 class. Wide receiver Eli Stove is a 4-star talent who's considered a big-play guy. Landon Rice is a 3-star tight end who can be a reliable blocker as well as a solid pass-catching option. In practice, he'll line up against 4-star talents like cornerback John Broussard and safety Stephen Davis Jr.

When it's his time to take over the Auburn offense, Barrett is expected to be a leader. And Malzahn is anticipating him to be among the best quarterbacks in the SEC. He has the tools to be that player and then some.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon on Twitter: @DamonSayles