Auburn Football: 5 Class of 2015 Recruits the Tigers Must Land

AUBURN, Ala. — The last few weeks on the Plains have some Auburn fans already looking forward to next season.

The Tigers will look to come back in 2015 and follow through on their championship dreams after a 2014 campaign that could result in breaking the 10-win milestone but will be without a conference or national title.

Gus Malzahn and his staff need to reload the roster after a large senior class—and perhaps a few early entrants into the NFL draft—move on from the team.

Auburn has already addressed some key needs with its 20 current commitments, who make up the nation's No. 10 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

With the Tigers facing a tuneup game against Samford this weekend, now is a good time to look at the top five uncommitted prospects Auburn needs to sign this offseason.

DE Terry Beckner Jr.

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East St. Louis (Ill.) DE Terry Beckner Jr.

It's no secret Auburn needs more help on the defensive line, especially at the end position, and Beckner is one of the top edge players in the country this season.

Beckner has made a great charge up the recruiting rankings in recent months, as the 5-star defensive end from Illinois currently sits at No. 14 overall in 247Sports' composite rankings and No. 3 in the Top247. Standing at 6'4" and 293 pounds, he is a powerful player at the point of attack with exceptionally quick hands.

Missouri is said to be leading for Beckner, but Auburn has given him a lot of attention this fall. He is currently lining up official visits to his top schools, including the likes of Florida State and Ohio State, so be on the lookout for him to head toward the Plains sometime this December.

OT Martez Ivey

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Apopka (Fla.) OT Martez Ivey

Even with Auburn's depth on the offensive line, the nation's No. 2 overall player would be a massive addition to the Tigers for the next few years.

The 5-star Ivey, who is good friends and teammates with current Auburn 3-star fullback commit Chandler Cox, is a dominant presence on the offensive line whose specialty is run blocking—making him a perfect fit for Auburn's offensive system.

It continues to be a two-team race for Ivey between Auburn and Florida, and how much Will Muschamp's firing will affect Ivey's recruitment will be something to watch out for in the coming weeks. Ivey made his official visit to Auburn during the Texas A&M game, and while the Tigers came out on the wrong end of that matchup, Auburn Undercover's Keith Niebuhr (subscription required) reports that the tackle gave his visit a "10."

WR Tyron Johnson

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Warren Easton (New Orleans, La.) WR Tyron Johnson

Johnson, a 5-star wide receiver from New Orleans, has emerged as a big-time target for Auburn over the past couple of months.

With Sammie Coates and D'haquille Williams possibly heading to the NFL after this season, the Tigers could use another top wide receiver capable of making an instant impact. Johnson's main asset is getting major yards after the catch, a skill Auburn could use early in his career with swing passes and screens that usually go toward Quan Bray.

Johnson is scheduled to make his official visit to Auburn this weekend, and the Tigers would love to make a big impression on the nation's No. 2 wide receiver. Other major schools in the running for his services include LSU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

DT Daron Payne

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Shades Valley (Ala.) DT Daron Payne

With only one commitment at the position in this current class, Auburn's defensive line coach and ace recruiter Rodney Garner is pushing hard for several top players in addition to Terry Beckner.

The top one on the interior line has to be Daron Payne, Alabama's No. 1 player and a 5-star defensive tackle from Shades Valley in the Birmingham area. The first thing that jumps out about the 349-pound Payne is his elite strength, and some recruiting experts have been impressed with how athletic he is for his size.

Alabama has long been rumored to be the front-runner for Payne, but Auburn is said to still be in the mix for his signing. Payne is scheduled to announce his commitment on Jan. 2 at the Under Armour All-America Game, so December will be a huge month in this in-state battle.

DE D'Andre Walker

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Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) DE D'Andre Walker

Walker has racked up plenty of recognition in his home state of Georgia throughout his high school career, and now the 4-star defensive end is the subject of a three-way war among SEC recruiting powerhouses.

At 6'2" and 218 pounds, Walker seems like he would be too small to play at a high level. But Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee are fighting hard for his pledge because of his speed-rushing ability—and Auburn could definitely use a player like Walker after what has transpired this season on the Plains.

Walker is teammates with current 3-star pledge Montavius Atkinson, so that may play a factor in Walker's decision. The U.S. Army All-American selection made an unofficial visit to Auburn earlier this month and could make his official visit in December.

All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.

Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.