Eli Stove to Auburn: Tigers Land 4-Star WR Prospect

Auburn wanted to address the passing game ahead of the 2016 season, and that's what it did Saturday when Keith Niebuhr of 247 Sports confirmed that Eli Stove committed to the Tigers. 

Stove is the No. 7 wide receiver and the No. 67 player overall in the 2016 recruiting class in 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the 12th-best player in the state of Florida.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was certainly excited: 

Credit: 247Sports

Although 2016 is loaded with talented wideouts, Stove is one of the biggest playmakers. He gets to his top speed immediately, and his top speed is a lot faster than what most others can offer.

Whether it's in the return game or in the passing game, Stove can turn something into nothing in a split second.

Rivals.com posted a video of Stove matched up with some of the better cornerbacks in the country during a showcase event:

One of the knocks on Stove's game is a common refrain among outstanding athletes who play wideout: He's not a great route-runner and relies too heavily on his physical advantage over his defender.

Once he hits college, he'll no longer own quite as big of an edge over opposing cornerbacks and safeties, and there's no question he'll need to become a more polished player.

With that said, Stove won't stop being a home run threat any time he touches the ball. He's a good enough pass-catcher that his game isn't solely tied to his ability to run fast and change directions quickly.

When he arrives at Auburn, Stove could immediately be one of those X-factors Coach Malzahn waits to use in the right situations, in addition to playing a role in the return game.

After a year or two following his arrival, don't be surprised to see Stove emerge as one of the most dynamic weapons in the country.

Recruit star ratings and information via 247Sports unless otherwise noted.