Auburn Football: 10 Top 2013 Recruiting Targets Still Available

Auburn has started the 2013 class off very strong with commitments from some of the top talent in the country. The Tigers only have five commitments in the current class, with a host of top recruiting targets left on the board that are still available.

The Tigers will look to shore-up an already deep talent pool with this coming year’s class. Auburn will have the luxury for the first time under Gene Chizik to fill the roster to the 85-man limit.

The Tigers are looking to continue to recruit nationally, with a number of top targets coming from around the country. Auburn will also look to gain ground in-state as the recruiting season hits full swing this summer.

Here are 10 top targets who are drawing the focus of the Tigers.

Carl Lawson: DE, Milton High School, Alpharetta, GA

The Tigers are always looking to increase the talent along the defensive line as top-level defensive-line talent is hard to come by. The Tigers will need to look no further than Carl Lawson for an impact lineman who has the Tigers very high on his list.

Lawson is a very talented defensive end. Lawson is a 4-star rated player by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com.

Lawson has great size, speed and a wealth of strength that will translate well once he makes it to the collegiate level. Lawson will be one of the most highly sought after defensive ends by the end of the recruiting season. The Tigers will look to remain on top for Lawson when signing day rolls around next February. 

Cord Sandberg: QB, Manatee High School, Bradenton, FL

Auburn will look to fill its roster with the addition of a talented quarterback or two in the 2013 class. The Tigers only have three scholarship quarterbacks currently on the roster, so adding at least one more is a must for the Tigers.

Cord Sandberg is a player who's currently high on the Tigers list of available quarterbacks. Sandberg is also very high on the Tigers. Sandberg is a former teammate of current Auburn Tigers running back Mike Blakely, which could help the Tigers efforts.

Sandberg is a dual-threat type quarterback who can make plays with his feet just as well as he can with his arm. While the Loeffler offense would be a change of pace for Sandberg, it would be easy for him to adjust to the concepts and be a very good option for the Tigers in the future.

Sandberg is currently listed as a 4-star by Rivals.com and a 3-star by 247sports.com.

Cooper Bateman: QB, Cottonwood Senior High School, Salt Lake City, UT

When Scot Loeffler came to Auburn, he brought along his top quarterback targets for the 2013 class. One of those quarterbacks is Cooper Bateman.

Bateman is from Salt Lake City, UT, which shows the Tigers' focus continues to be on the best players in the country, no matter the location. Bateman has a live arm and deceptive speed for his size—6’3”,190—which should translate well into the Loeffler offense.

Bateman is one of the best pro-style quarterbacks in the 2013 class, which is something that will bring a continued focus from a number of top programs. Scot Loeffler and the Auburn coaches will look to do all they can to pull Bateman to the Plains.

Bateman is currently rated as a 4-star by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com.         

Connor Mitch: QB, Wakefield High School, Raleigh, NC

Connor Mitch is a dynamic quarterback who has garnered a ton of attention and numerous offers in recent weeks. Mitch has yet to receive an offer from the Tigers, but he intends to stop by the Plains “in the coming weeks” according to Keith Niebuhr at Rivals.com.

Mitch’s most recent offer came from the Tigers in-state rival Alabama. The Tigers are looking to bring in as much talent as possible at key positions. Quarterback is a glaring need with Mitch being a great fix to the issue.

Mitch has a live arm and enough speed that he could fit well into the Loeffler offense. Mitch will look to garner an offer on his coming visit to the Plains, and it looks like it may happen.

Mitch is currently ranked as a 4-star by Rivals.com and a 3-star by 247sports.com.

Rod Crayton: DT, Dadeville High School, Dadeville, AL

Rod Crayton is a huge defensive-line prospect from the state of Alabama. The Tigers are expected to host Crayton on campus this coming weekend according to Keith Niebuhr at Rivals.com.

Crayton is a big-bodied defensive lineman who has received a wealth of offers from top programs around the country, but he has kept close to the vest throughout the process so far. Crayton was in Auburn at a recent junior day in January.

Crayton has the size—he is 6’2”, 290—to be a very good interior threat in the Brian VanGorder 4-3 defense. It will be interesting to watch Crayton’s recruitment heat up, and it would be a surprise if the Tigers don’t offer this talented lineman soon.

Rod Crayton is currently ranked a 4-star by Rivals.com and a 3-star by 247sports.com.

Ty Isaac: RB, Joliet Catholic High School, Joliet, IL

Ty Isaac is one of the most sought after recruits in the 2013 class.

Isaac has great size and speed, pulling in offers from virtually every major program in the country. Isaac has a lot of options, already visiting at least one school on the list.

Isaac made a trip down south and stopped by Auburn in February. In a report by Justin Hokanson at Auburnsports.com, Isaac intends to return to the Plains in the fall for an official visit. Recruits are only allowed five official visits, for Auburn to receive one of those would bode well for the Tigers.

With Auburn only signing one running back this past year, and the departure of Onterio McCalebb from the lineup after this season, running back will be a position that the Tigers would like to add some additional talent, with Isaac being a top talent that would fit in well.

Isaac is currently ranked as a 4-star by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com.

Marquez North: WR, Mallard Creek High School, Charlotte, NC

Marquez North is a very talented receiver from the state of North Carolina. He would be a great addition to the Tigers' offensive attack as they continue to look for playmakers on the outside.

North is very high on North Carolina currently, but the Tigers will likely have a good chance of getting North to the Plains, increasing their chances of landing the talented receiver. North is a tall and rangy player who handles himself well in traffic. and he's a player who can leave a defense on a fly route.

North has an offer from virtually every in-state program as well as a host of other local programs from surrounding states. If he does leave the area, Auburn would be one of the possible landing spots.

North is currently ranked as a 4-star by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com.

Ethan Pocic: OL, Lemont High School, Lemont, IL

Auburn has pulled in two of the best offensive-line classes in the country, the past two seasons.

Jeff Grimes has built a reputation as a relentless and talented recruiter for his position group. Ethan Pocic is likely to be the next big lineman who Grimes will go after.

Pocic is 6’7”, 285 pounds, so there is a lot of room to add positive weight to his frame. Pocic is very aggressive at the point of attack and has great foot work for a guy his size. Look for Pocic to be a name that continues to linger throughout the recruiting process.

Pocic is currently rated as a 4-star by Rivals.com and 247sports.com.

Standish Dobard: TE, Edna Carr High School, New Orleans, LA

Auburn will look to return to a more traditional offense this fall with a lot of reliance on the short passing game success to land in the laps of the tight ends. Auburn has built a very strong group of tight ends, but with the season-ending departure by Philip Lutzenkirchen, the Tigers will have big shoes left to fill.

Dobard is a very talented tight end with a lot of positives. He would be a great addition to an already dangerous receiving threat in Auburn. Dobard is a former teammate of Darrion Hutcherson.

Dobard is currently ranked a 4-star by Rivals.com and a 3-star by 247sports.com.

Laremy Tunsil: OL, Columbia High School, Lake City, Florida

Laremy Tunsil is a huge talent who will likely finish his senior season as the best offensive lineman in the country. Tunsil has offers from virtually every big-time program around the country, with the Tigers looking to gain ground on some of his leaders.

Tunsil is a big-bodied lineman with great foot work and a strong first punch. He does a great job of staying low in his stance as well.

Despite the huge offensive-line classes that the Tigers have landed in the past two seasons, linemen will continue to be a focus for the Tigers, with Tunsil gathering a lot of the Tigers coaches’ attention.

Laremy Tunsil is currently ranked a 5-star by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com.

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