Where Auburn and Arizona State Turn After Missing on 5-Star Christian Kirk

Christian Kirk kept everyone guessing throughout his recruitment process, but the Arizona wide receiver was ready to deliver a decision Wednesday. The 5-star prospect announced his intentions to attend Texas A&M during a ceremony at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona:

Kirk, rated fourth nationally among receivers in 247Sports' composite rankings, picked the Aggies from an expansive collection of scholarship offers. Several teams were turned away in the process, including top contenders Arizona State and Auburn.

The Sun Devils and Tigers miss out on arguably the nation's most versatile offensive weapon.

He compiled three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Saguaro and stepped up as a rusher during the past two campaigns. Kirk recorded 2,300 receiving yards, 2,500 rushing yards and 72 total offensive touchdowns as an upperclassman, per MaxPreps.

The 5'10", 191-pound playmaker heads to College Station, where he'll join forces with top-ranked 2014 receiver Speedy Noil. That's great news for heralded freshman passer Kyle Allen and 5-star Aggies quarterback commit Kyler Murray.

Meanwhile, it's a time to reassess for Arizona State and Auburn. Both teams are still pursuing multiple options at the position.

The Sun Devils hope to reunite quarterback commit Brady White with Trent Irwin, his top receiver at Hart High School in California. The duo posted prolific statistics together, as Irwin became the state's all-time leader in receptions (285) and receiving yards (5,272). 

The 4-star prospect is expected to decide between Stanford and Arizona State.

"It would be great to play together at the next level and have a chance to be successful as Sun Devils," White told me before the season.

Damarkus Lodge, a 5-star receiver who decommitted from Texas A&M this season, could also end up in the desert. He's explored several possibilities since backing off his verbal pledge, including Ole Miss and USC and LSU.

The Sun Devils will look to line up an official visit with the Texas standout, who seeks a second straight state title with Cedar Hill High School this weekend. Lodge has 59 catches for 1,118 yards and 23 touchdowns through 15 games, per MaxPreps.

Arizona State already hosted 4-star receiver Cordell Broadus on campus for a weekend in October. The son of hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg helped lead Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School to a state title this fall, finishing with 39 receptions for 602 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

Auburn will say goodbye to standout receiver Sammie Coates after this season, and D'haquille Williams could follow him to the NFL, so added depth is imperative for the Tigers. 

Florida product John Burt is currently committed to Texas, but he's expressed interest in Auburn throughout his recruitment. He visited the Tigers twice during the regular season and could be a candidate to flip before national signing day.

"I like Auburn a lot," Burt told me earlier this year. "(Wide receivers) coach Dameyune Craig talks with me a lot about what I could do there. The campus is small, and the community really supports Auburn, which I like."

Auburn appeared to be firmly in the mix for 5-star New Orleans receiver Tyron Johnson just a few weeks ago. However, Johnson told Sonny Shipp of 247Sports this past weekend that his top-three list now features LSU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

The Tigers are still alive in that hunt, but momentum appears to trending in a negative direction. Johnson racked up more than 1,600 yards as a senior at Warren Easton High School.

Jacksonville receiver Dexter Carter doesn't carry the same recruiting clout as other Auburn targets in this class, but the 3-star playmaker holds an offer. The Tigers are viewed as a strong favorite in 247Sports' Crystal Ball, but North Carolina is expected to host him for an official visit shortly before signing day.

Kirk may be the most multidimensional receiver in this class, so it's difficult for Auburn or Arizona State to truly fill that void. Still, with several receivers still undecided, neither team lacks for alternatives.

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report national college football recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue.

Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.