Auburn Football Recruiting: The 10 Greatest Recruiting Classes of All Time

College football has become a year-round sport in the past decade, and a large part of that steady following has come from recruiting. Auburn has been one of the consistent performers in the top 10 in the past decade as numerous websites have become ranking authorities in the recruiting game.

Recruiting has always been a huge part of program development, but the last few years it has become a million-dollar business with all-star games on national television and websites that draw in millions of reads during the peak season.

While there are many classes that have left impacts, this is a list that hosts three Heisman winners and title-winning talent for the Tigers. Auburn has been extremely successful on the recruiting trail and that success looks to continue this season.

Looking back at past Auburn recruiting classes, here are the 10 greatest recruiting classes in school history. 

No.10: 2005 Class

The 2005 signing class was a follow up to the 2004 undefeated season for the Tigers. Auburn finished No. 13 according to Rivals.com and No. 22 according to Scout.com. The Tigers were able to pull in a good bit of talent in the class, but there were numerous gems that grew into stud players.

Guys like Antonio Coleman, Sen’Derrick Marks, Walter McFadden, Jerraud Powers and Patrick Trahan are still in the NFL and were not the most highly touted players at point of signing. Trahan is the only one of the group that didn’t finish his career on the Plains.

Tuberville was always known as a great talent evaluator and developer, and this class was a great example of that ability. Other players that were major recruits but never panned out were Tray Blackmon and Montez Billings. Both had a wealth of talent that just couldn’t seem to translate onto the playing field. 

No. 9: 1993 Class

The 1993 Auburn recruiting class hosted two very important and prominent Auburn Tigers. As the Tigers were looking to push toward an undefeated season in 1993, the Tigers signed a quarterback from Blount High School in Mobile, Alabama by the name of Dameyune Craig.

Craig red-shirted his freshman season, but became an instant contributor in 1994 and would lead Auburn to a SEC Western Division crown in 1997. Craig provided a spark to a team that was working its way out of probation and NCAA sanctions and helped the Tigers project back into one of the toughest teams in the conference.

Alongside Craig was another stud recruit by the name of Stephen Davis. Davis only played three seasons with the Tigers, but he made a lasting impact while on the Plains. Davis went on to become one of the most successful Auburn Tigers in the NFL. 

No. 8: 2001 Class

Auburn saw another wealth of big names appear in the 2001 recruiting class. Auburn was able to win a big in-state battle and pull in Carnell Williams. Alabama and Tennessee really pushed for his signature, but Auburn walked away with a game-changer and future record-holder when Williams signed.

Other big contributors for the Tigers were Anthony Mix, Brandon Jacobs, David Irons and Travis Williams. All five of these Tigers earned a spot on an NFL roster at one point, while Brandon Jacobs and Williams are still active on NFL rosters.

The Tigers were able to build a strong class around Williams, with Tuberville landing his second most lauded class at Auburn. The Tigers were able to secure a strong future into the new decade with the wealth of talent that was pulled in the Plains. 

No. 7: 1968 Class

Looking beyond the past decade to find recruiting classes is a virtual impossibility. Piecing together impacting players that have changed Auburn history is the only way to find how recruiting impacted college football before the wealth of information the instant access media provides today.

In 1968, things fell into place for the Tigers. Auburn was able to bring in two of the most recognized names in Auburn history as Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley both chose to attend college on the Plains.

Sullivan to Beasley is one of the most famous calls in Auburn radio history. Auburn was able to achieve at a very high level under the guidance of legendary head coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan and Sullivan went on to win the 1971 Heisman Trophy. 

No. 6: 2002 Class

2002 is the first year that most major recruiting websites begin the ranking of recruiting classes. The 2002 signing class for Auburn finished No. 6 nationally according to Rivals.com, and it finished No. 11 according to Scout.com.

Auburn had a large amount of talent that signed in this class with names like Ben Obomanu, Devin Aromashodu, Courtney Taylor, T.J. Jackson and Marcus McNeill. All are players that made it in the NFL while some are still present on NFL rosters.

The Tigers did bring in some busts in the class, as is always the case in the inexact science that is recruiting, but Auburn also found a stud in hiding. Will Herring came in as an athlete and safety that worked his way onto the field and eventually became a linebacker for the Tigers and still finds his way downfield in the NFL. 

No. 5: 1982 Class

The 1982 Auburn recruiting class hosted one of the most dynamic players ever to step onto a football field. Vincent “Bo” Jackson was the most electrifying running back that Auburn has ever scene. Jackson came to Auburn and led the Tigers to a victory over Alabama to end a nine-game losing streak that forever etched his place in history for the Tigers.

Jackson marked a change in the Auburn landscape and helped garner the Tigers more respect nationally. Jackson went on to become the leading rusher in Auburn history and the Tigers second of three eventual Heisman Trophy winners. 

No. 4: 2011 Class

The Auburn Tigers finished the 2011 recruiting class listed as the No. 7 class according to Rivals.com and the No. 2 class according to Scout.com. The Tigers were able to pull a wealth of talent on the cusp of their national title run.

The Tigers pulled in some immediate impact players with names like Kiehl Frazier, Angelo Blackson, Gabe Wright, Jermaine Whitehead, Robenson Therezie and Justin Garrett to name a few. These players all played a significant role in Auburn’s eight-win season this past fall.

The true lasting impact of this class has not yet been felt with guys like Kris Frost, Greg Robinson and Christian Westerman looking to make major pushes for starting time this coming fall. Auburn hit a home run in 2011 and looks to continue to build off of this past years recruiting class.

By the time these players graduate, Auburn will likely be very grateful for their contribution to the Tigers program.

No. 3: 2010 Class

The 2010 Auburn recruiting class is far and away one of the best groups of players that has been brought to the Plains. The class finished No. 4 according to Rivals.com and No. 6 according to Scout.com.  It included the likes of Cameron Newton and Michael Dyer, who have both left the program but with a fair share of the stat lines in the record books.

Gene Chizik and crew took the opportunity to bring a wealth of talent in his first full class and little did anyone know that a Heisman winner was in the ranks. The Tigers have a number of recruits from this class that are big contributors for the current team and will guide the Tigers for the next three years. Names like Jeffrey Whitaker, Corey Lemonier, LaDarius Owens, Trovon Reed and Craig Sanders will make sure the Tigers are at the top in the conference.

This spring, look for the return of Shon Coleman, a 5-star offensive lineman from this class that has battled cancer for the past two years. He should be cleared to play and could become a major player up front for the Tigers offense. 

No. 2: 2006 Class

The 2006 class was the first class that Auburn was able to piece together its 2010 national title team from. It finished No. 10 according to Rivals.com and No. 9 according to Scout.com. Players like Craig Stevens, Terrell Zachery, Mike Blanc, Zach Clayton, Zach Etheridge and Michael Goggans were a part of this class and were also big impact players for the title team.

Ben Tate was also a part of the 2006 class and was a major part of the success that the Tigers had in Gene Chizik’s first year in 2009. Tate was the first of the Chizik era running backs that earned 1,000 yards rushing. A streak that is now moving into its fourth year.

Players like Greg Smith and Raven Gray were major whiffs from this class, but at the end of the day a ton of leadership and production came from this class in 2010. 

No. 1: 2000 Class

Auburn began its march toward an undefeated in 2004 season with a number of stud recruits in 2000. Auburn was able to bring in names like Jason Campbell, Junior Rosegreen, Carlos Rogers, Bret Eddins and Ronnie Brown to name a few. All were major players in the undefeated season and left lasting impacts on Auburn football.

Numerous future NFL players were a part of this class, as well as talented JUCO transfers that made immediate impacts. Top to bottom this class produced a ton of NFL talent and was the best of the Tuberville era.

There were others that were major players from JUCO that year. Two names that Auburn fans are sure to remember are Rudi Johnson and Daniel Cobb. Cobb will bring a wealth of emotions, while Johnson’s name is likely to bring only smiles.

In Johnson’s only season with Auburn, he earned the SEC MVP honors and rushed for 1,567 yards and 13 touchdowns.