Auburn Football: Top Targets Heading into Final Stretch of 2016 Recruiting Cycle

Auburn's coaches resurrected from the "dead period" earlier this week. Now it's time for them to nail down what they hope will be another strong top-10 recruiting class.

Gus Malzahn and his transitioning staff currently have the No. 10 class in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings—a collection of the industry's top rankings. What's impressive is that Auburn has already achieved that high ranking while only landing pledges from 17 recruits.

That means there is still plenty of room left for Auburn to pick up even more highly touted recruits between now and the end of signing day in less than three weeks. 

This upcoming weekend is set to be a huge one for the Tigers' recruiting efforts, with a mixture of 11 top targets and current commitments currently scheduled to be on the Plains, per Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports. 

With just a short time remaining until the end of the 2016 cycle, here are 10 of Auburn's top targets left on the board and where they stand with the Tigers at this point in the frenzy.

5-Star DT Derrick Brown

DT Ranking: 3 | Overall Ranking: 8

Hometown: Buford, Georgia (Lanier)

Size: 6'3 ¾", 317 lbs

Derrick Brown is perhaps the top target on Auburn's entire recruiting board with less than three weeks remaining until national signing day. The U.S. Army All-American is visiting the Plains this weekend and could be the jewel of an already strong 2016 class on the defensive line for the Tigers.

"The positional coach also plays a pivotal role at Auburn, where Rodney Garner leads the defensive front," Bleacher Report national recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue wrote this week. "Brown didn't seem pleased with the departure of [former defensive coordinator Will] Muschamp, but consistency remains in place at a pivotal spot for his relationship with the Tigers, and Garner has been a fantastic recruiter here."

Auburn is in Brown's top five, along with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi State and Tennessee. Georgia and Tennessee are set to get official visits from Brown after Auburn, and the Tigers would love to make a great impression on one of the nation's best defensive prospects in the next few days.

5-Star DT Rashan Gary

DT Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 1

Hometown: Paramus, New Jersey (Paramus Catholic)

Size: 6'5", 293 lbs

Auburn still has what many consider to be an outside chance at Rashan Gary, the nation's No. 1 player who dominated in the recent Under Armour All-America Game. Michigan is said to be the strong leader for Gary, and the departure of Muschamp didn't sit well with Gary's mother, per Niebuhr.

According to Todderick Hunt of NJ.com, Malzahn is expected to have an in-home visit with the New Jersey native before signing day. He visited Auburn for the Iron Bowl, and the Tigers reportedly made a strong impression.

While it would be a surprise for Gary to go anywhere other than Michigan at this point in the recruiting cycle, much crazier things have happened on the road to the first week of February. Don't count the Tigers completely out of it yet for the nation's most coveted prospect.

5-Star LB Ben Davis

ILB Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 13

Hometown: Gordo, Alabama (Gordo)

Size: 6'3", 240 lbs

Like Gary, one shouldn't count Auburn completely out for 5-star linebacker Ben Davis. Auburn is currently in the top five with Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Notre Dame, and the Tigers are scheduled to get an official visit from him January 22.

Auburn's main asset in the recruitment of Davis is new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who recruited Davis during his time at LSU this past season. Davis is an Alabama legacy, though, and the Crimson Tide will get his last official visit on the weekend before signing day.

The Tigers could use instant-impact players such as Davis at linebacker after the departure of senior starters Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost. If Auburn can sell Davis on that and his close relationship with Steele, it could spring a huge in-state upset.

4-Star WR Nate Craig-Myers

WR Ranking: 2 | Overall Ranking: 32

Hometown: Tampa, Florida (Tampa Catholic)

Size: 6'2", 205 lbs

Wide receiver has been a position of great importance for Auburn in the 2016 recruiting class, and the Tigers already have pledges from 4-stars Kyle Davis and Eli Stove. But the Tigers are still on the hunt for more top wideouts, and former commitment Nate Craig-Myers is the top one on the board.

Craig-Myers was a high-profile pickup for Auburn way back in July 2014, and he stayed committed to the Tigers until last May. After his decommitment, many thought Auburn was out of the race. However, Craig-Myers is headed to the Plains this weekend along with his brother, Jayvaughn.

The Tigers are in a tight battle with Florida, Florida State, North Carolina and Ole Miss for Craig-Myers, who boasts a strong all-around game and elite size at the wide receiver position. He'll visit the Rebels two weeks after this weekend's stop at Auburn.

4-Star CB Jayvaughn Myers

CB Ranking: 23 | Overall Ranking: 256

Hometown: Dade City, Florida (Pasco)

Size: 6'1", 185 lbs

The brother of top wide receiver target Nate Craig-Myers, Jayvaughn Myers is also visiting Auburn this weekend. The Tigers could potentially snag both of them in a package deal, but Wesley Sinor of AL.com notes the two aren't making it a requirement.

Florida and Florida State are said to be the leaders for the defensive Myers brother. However, if his sibling lands back with Auburn again, Myers might decide to head north with him. Dameyune Craig and new Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff—two ace recruiters—are his main contacts for the Tigers.

While Myers isn't one of the highest-rated targets on the board for Auburn, he is a vital one because of his brother and his versatility in the secondary. Niebuhr wrote Myers could play nickelback, cornerback or safety in Auburn's defense down the road.

4-Star OT E.J. Price

OT Ranking: 63 | Overall Ranking: 8

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia (Archer)

Size: 6'6", 311 lbs

Auburn has a chance at double-dipping into the talent pool at Archer in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Highly ranked wide receiver commit Kyle Davis is from there, and the Tigers are also going after 4-star offensive tackle teammate E.J. Price.

The departure of offensive line coach J.B. Grimes to Cincinnati could be a big factor in Auburn's recruitment of Price going forward. According to his 247Sports profile, Price's two recruiters from Auburn—Lance Thompson and Grimes—are both no longer on staff.

Price tweeted Friday he was visiting LSU for the weekend, and Auburn is set to get his final official visit on January 29. His recruitment has been a hard one to follow, but the Tigers are still in good shape with less than three weeks before signing day.

4-Star OT Willie Allen

OT Ranking: 11 | Overall Ranking: 96

Hometown: New Orleans (John Curtis)

Size: 6'7 ½", 300 lbs

Willie Allen might be the biggest offensive target left on the board for Auburn—and that's not just a reference to his size. The nearly 6'8" offensive tackle represents a key recruit for the future, especially after the early departures of Avery Young and Shon Coleman to the NFL.

The Tigers need to replenish their depth along the offensive line, and they only have one commitment there so far in this class. That's where new offensive line coach Herb Hand, noted for his ability to connect with recruits during his time at Vanderbilt and Penn State, comes into play.

Allen is set to visit Auburn on January 22, and he received a personal visit from Hand and Rhett Lashlee earlier this week. Expect the Tigers to go all-in on this massive run-blocking force at offensive tackle.

4-Star CB Shyheim Carter

CB Ranking: 5 | Overall Ranking: 53

Hometown: Kentwood, Louisiana (Kentwood)

Size: 6'0", 190 lbs

Keep an eye on the possibility of Auburn for Shyheim Carter. According to Niebuhr, the Tigers have a chance to get deep into the race for the nation's No. 5 cornerback with just weeks left before national signing day.

"Auburn has jumped into the mix with the former Alabama commit, and we're told the Tigers have a shot to become a legitimate contender," Niebuhr reported. "That comes from a well-placed source in Louisiana."

Right now, Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss are set to be leading for the speedy defensive back, with Mark Richt's staff at Miami making good progress in recent days. But Auburn's recent hires of Steele and McGriff—two recruiters with strong ties to Louisiana and the surrounding area—may make the Tigers a surprise contender.

4-Star WR Tre Nixon

WR Ranking: 40 | Overall Ranking: 205

Hometown: Melbourne, Florida (Viera)

Size: 6'1", 170 lbs

Another name who could bolster Auburn's developing wide receiver depth is speed demon Tre Nixon. The Florida native has been clocked at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and he's become a steadily rising recruit in the 2016 class.

Auburn wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig visited Nixon on Friday. Georgia is set to get an official visit from Nixon this weekend, and there's a chance Auburn could land the prized final visit of his recruitment in two weekends.

Penn State is said to be the leader for Nixon at this point, but the Tigers are making a strong push for this longtime target during the home stretch of the cycle. He could be a top-notch vertical threat for years to come in Auburn's offense alongside the likes of Davis and Stove.

3-Star ATH Stephen Davis Jr.

ATH Ranking: 22 | Overall Ranking: 384

Hometown: Irmo, South Carolina (Dutch Fork)

Size: 6'4", 215 lbs

The ranking might not be as strong as the others on this list, but Auburn is still pushing hard for 3-star legacy Stephen Davis Jr. His father is one of the best running backs in Auburn history, yet the Tigers seemed out of the race for his son when he decommitted last September.

But Davis is back on the Plains this weekend after a 10-month hiatus, and the Tigers are said to be strong contenders in a race with South Carolina. It will be interesting to see how he views South Carolina considering Muschamp's staff at Auburn reportedly "wasn't sure where to play Davis," per Niebuhr.

Davis has ridiculous size for a potential safety, and he could play linebacker for the Tigers down the road. This weekend will be crucial, as Auburn would definitely love to sign a legacy recruit—especially one who lines up on the defensive side of the ball.

Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.