Auburn National Signing Day 2016: 5 Takeaways from Tigers' Class
Another signing day is officially in the books for Auburn, and the Tigers find themselves in a familiar spot as the 2016 cycle comes to a close—the top 10.
Auburn's 2016 signing class of 21 players is currently ranked ninth in the country, according to the 247Sports composite team rankings, which compile the prospect ratings from all of the industry's major services.
This will be Auburn's fourth straight top-10 class, which is an excellent sign for a program that is desperate to get back into championship contention after back-to-back seasons in which it failed to live up to expectations.
As Bleacher Report's Ben Kercheval showed earlier this week, recruiting at a top-10 level is paramount to competing for a national title—something the Tigers have done twice in the last six seasons. Even with the dip in form in 2014 and 2015, Auburn continues to get title-level talent on campus under Gus Malzahn.
Here are five major takeaways from Auburn's latest successful signing class, which included the No. 1 player in the rival state of Georgia and several offensive stars from the always talented state of Florida.
Point of Attack Is Point of Strength
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One quick glance at the projected Auburn depth chart for 2016 shows the Tigers should be strong along the defensive line. Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and a host of key rotational players will be back, as well as elite 2015 recruit Byron Cowart.
But as Alabama showed during its national championship run in 2015, having blue-chip depth along the defensive front is huge in the SEC. While Auburn can't boast the numbers of the Tide, it can look to five 4-star-or-better linemen as potential impact signings in 2016.
"Our defensive line class, I really believe, is the best in the country," Malzahn said Wednesday in his annual post-signing day press conference. "I really believe we built the foundation for a top-10 defense. Coach Garner did a wonderful job with that group."
Five-star defensive tackle Derrick Brown has the skill set to play a huge role right away for Auburn, and Marlon Davidson was one of the state's best overall football players in 2015. Others such as Antwuan Jackson (6'2 ¼", 305 lbs) and Paul James bring great size to a line that has so much potential for the future.
As is the case with any talented set of recruits, the key will be to develop these players into SEC-caliber defenders within the next few months. But Auburn should have no excuses for a bad defensive line in 2016—not with the way the Tigers have been recruiting there.
Reinforcements Are on the Way at WR
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After the departures of Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray—along with the midseason dismissal of Duke Williams—Auburn sorely needed instant-impact receivers in the 2016 class.
The Tigers addressed that need in perhaps the best possible way by signing three of the nation's top 20 receivers. Nate Craig-Myers (No. 6), Kyle Davis (No. 9) and Eli Stove (No. 20) all have the talent to contribute right away at Auburn, a team that returns less than half of the 2,258 receiving yards it had in a lackluster 2015 season.
Craig-Myers (6'2", 205 lbs) and Davis (6'1 ½", 218 lbs) are both big-bodied possession receivers who can make plays all over the field, while Stove (6'1", 178 lbs) is a skinnier target known more for his quickness. All three were highly valued targets for wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig, who had one of the best cycles of any recruiter in the country.
"Our wide receiver class is also one of the top in the country," Malzahn said. "It's made up of guys that we went after over a year ago. We handpicked the guys we wanted there, and we got them. Coach Craig and our offensive staff deserves a lot of credit."
All three players are potential difference-makers for an offense that was stagnant at best in 2015. With the right quarterback and the right scheme, this trio—along with 3-star Marquis McClain and 4-star tight end Landon Rice—could spark a potential turnaround this fall.
Return of Run-First QBs
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Gus Malzahn and his coaching staff might have dropped a not-so-subtle hint about the direction their offense is heading with this year's signing class.
The Tigers signed 4-star dual-threat Woody Barrett and 3-star JUCO athlete John Franklin III this year, giving them two running options at quarterback for the near future. Franklin is expected to compete right away for the starting job on the Plains, while the 225-pound Barrett is more of a project for the future.
After a season in which Jeremy Johnson and Sean White averaged just four carries per game—and those numbers include sacks—Franklin and Barrett are quarterbacks who can do well on designed run plays, much like Nick Marshall did in 2013 and 2014.
In the previous four signing classes, Auburn landed six quarterbacks. Four of them, including three of the last four overall quarterback signings, were pro-style passers. Malzahn's Wing T-style offense has been more effective with a legitimate running threat, and Auburn got a pair of those without dipping back into the pro-style pool.
Malzahn said Wednesday both Franklin and Barrett will get to compete for the starting quarterback job this year. Franklin is the favorite, but don't be surprised if Barrett pushes for a key reserve role early in his Auburn career.
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Missed Out on More Help at LB
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When 5-star inside linebacker Ben Davis announced he would follow in his father's footsteps and play at Alabama on Wednesday morning, Auburn lost its last chance at a position of need.
The Tigers lost Cassanova McKinzy, Kris Frost and Justin Garrett to graduation this offseason, leaving some holes for a linebacking corps that looks thin. Tre' Williams had a solid 2015 season, and Jeff Holland is a former blue-chipper who should have the ability to step into a starting position.
Auburn's only linebacker signing in the 2016 class is 3-star Tre Threat, an Alabama native Auburn hopes will play above his star rating early in his career. Threat was an Under Armour All-American, and he enrolled early on the Plains.
Malzahn said Wednesday that Threat has the ability to play both inside and outside linebacker, which will be quite beneficial for the Tigers in 2016. He's a potential "diamond in the rough" player, with some recruiting services pushing him higher on their rankings toward the end of the cycle.
Still, only signing one linebacker after losing three to graduation has to sting for the Tigers. After striking out on a few big-time stars, Auburn will have to hit this position heavy in the 2017 cycle.
Still Strong in the Sunshine State
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Auburn surged into one of the best states for football talent in the 2015 recruiting cycle and signed eight Florida natives—including 5-star defensive end Byron Cowart.
The Tigers' success in the Sunshine State was thanks in part to first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson, who were both at Florida prior to landing at Auburn. But even though Muschamp and Robinson are now head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, at South Carolina, Auburn is still doing extremely well in Florida.
Auburn signed six Florida high schoolers in this year's class, including the brother duo of Nate Craig-Myers and 3-star cornerback Jayvaughn Myers. (Auburn's two JUCO pickups from Mississippi, Paul James and John Franklin, are also originally from Florida.)
Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports seemed impressed with Coach Craig's recruiting: "#Auburn Co-OC/WR coach @CoachDCraig raided Florida this cycle. Three of the 4 WR commits. Two are 4-stars."
Auburn's solid 2016 cycle in the state of Florida is huge for the recruiting future of the program. Florida is a never-ending pipeline of blue-chip talent, and the Tigers' ability to go in there and sign highly regarded recruits over in-state powerhouses should continue to serve them well under Malzahn.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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