Auburn Football

AUBURN, Ala. — The unofficial start to the 2016 football season couldn't have come any sooner for the Auburn Tigers.

Last week, Gus Malzahn's team hit the field for the first time since capping a disappointing 7-6 campaign at the Birmingham Bowl. Back on the Plains, Auburn's players and coaches alike are eager to begin the work to make sure 2016 will be much different.

"Our guys are extremely excited to get out there," Malzahn said last Tuesday. "They’ve done a super job up to this point with our mat drills, in the weight room. You can tell this is a very close group. You can also tell that they’ve got a chip on their shoulder from last year, which I think is very healthy."

It's also a new-look group for Auburn, as the Tigers break in several new position coaches and start to fill in some gaps on the depth chart from last year's departures. That could also include a new No. 1 at quarterback.

Auburn will start its second full week of practice Tuesday afternoon. Before the Tigers return to the field, let's take a look back at all the action from Week 1.

Eyes on the skies

It's another spring, another quarterback situation to watch at Auburn.

After Jeremy Johnson and Sean White struggled while splitting time as the No. 1 quarterback last season, the Tigers are opening things back up again with what is currently a multi-player battle.

Johnson and White are focused on bouncing back from the disappointment of 2015, while JUCO transfer John Franklin III is looking to take over the job as the electric dual-threat that Auburn lacked last season.

"He looks very athletic," left guard Alex Kozan said. "I saw he juked the daylights out of a defensive end—something I really haven't seen in a while."

Redshirt freshman Tyler Queen is somewhat limited but still throwing, and new walk-on Devin Adams is on hand to create more competition.

Gus Malzahn on the return of surgically-repaired QB Tyler Queen: 'We have him on a pitch count as far as his arm is concerned.'

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) March 4, 2016

While Auburn was focused on protecting Johnson last season, the staff is looking to create separation among its quarterbacks by making them take hits at times this spring. In 2013, that method produced starter Nick Marshall ahead of an SEC title season.

"We’re able to go live this spring," Malzahn said. "Usually when you do that, things separate a little quicker. If we do that it will be after spring break. That's something we've talked about, especially if no one really separates themselves."

Of course, there's two sides to an effective passing game, and Auburn is also looking for answers this spring at wide receiver. New wide receiver coach Kodi Burns is stepping into a situation in which Auburn must replace its top two receivers this offseason, with his returners combining for only 575 yards last season.

"We have some experience, but overall I think we're inexperienced," Malzahn said. "That's what it is, but I think that can be a good thing. ... We've got a couple of guys coming in that we feel like will have a chance to help, too, but I really think the big thing is that we will have some talent to work with there."

In addition to Marcus Davis, Jason Smith and Tony Stevens—along with high-potential underclassmen such as Darius Slayton—Auburn has one of the top wide receiver classes of 2016 coming to campus. 

One of the biggest stars of the class, Georgia native Kyle Davis, enrolled early and wasted no time wowing his new team with his skill set.

Couple things that jumped out, true freshman WR Kyle Davis has the size to play D1 football right now

— WarEagleExtra (@wareagleextra) March 1, 2016

Steele's stamp on defense

First-year Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele got right to the point when asked what he wants to see from his new unit.

In fact, he repeated the same phrase multiple times in the first answer of his Saturday press conference.

"What we are trying to create right now...is to be a physical, dominating group that plays with relentless effort," Steele said. "The thing that is the most encouraging at this point over the first three days is we’ve got a really, really good attitude, and we have really tried to play with great effort on every play."

It's a similar style to what former coordinator Will Muschamp sought to install during his one brief season on the Plains. 

"That's what he's been preaching the whole practice: effort, and you build off of that," defensive tackle Dontavius Russell said. "Making sure we all got good effort to the ball and stuff like that. ... We're trying to build an identity as a team, and that's with effort."

And in order to make things easier on a defense that is going through its fifth defensive coordinator in six seasons, Steele is keeping the transition simple.

"We've tried to facilitate the learning curve a little bit," Steele said. "The dictionary is pretty similar. We've tried to keep as much of it the same as possible, which makes it friendly for the players."

For example, the pass-rushing defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid that Carl Lawson played last year is still called the "Buck." The Tigers will line up in similar fronts in Steele's scheme, too.

When it comes to the on-field coaching, Steele and Muschamp have different demeanors—most of the time.

Defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence has already seen firsthand that the Tigers' new defensive coordinator has some fire inside him.

"He's more calm [than Muschamp], but at the same thing you've got to realize he's still going to bite, too," Lawrence said. "He's got an edge to him, you know what I'm saying?"

Auburn's Montravius Adams says Kevin Steele's plan is similar to Will Muschamp's defense 'scheme-wise.' And he 'makes everybody relax.'

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) March 2, 2016

In the trenches

The strength of Auburn's 2016 team should be found on the defensive line, where the Tigers return Montravius Adams, Lawson, Russell, Lawrence, Byron Cowart and other highly touted players.

Adams and Lawson both decided to stay in school for 2016 instead of enter the NFL draft early—decisions Adams said were made with some help from each other.

"We decided to come back so we could play a whole season together," Adams said. "We came in as freshmen and played together in the Under Armour game and Rising Seniors game when we were in the 11th grade. Now just coming here, we haven’t played a complete season yet."

Auburn could start up to four former 5-star recruits on the defensive line this season, with plenty of blue-chip names filling in the depth chart behind them, including 2016 signee Marlon Davidson. Right now, the newcomers are having to make the tough adjustment to life under veteran line coach Rodney Garner.

"I use the example as they meet Rodney Garner when they are a recruit," Adams said. "But when they get there—that's Coach G."

On the other side of the ball, Auburn should stay strong on the offensive line with the return of its entire interior and a couple of new leaders emerging on the outside.

Auburn returns left guard Kozan, center Austin Golson and right guard Braden Smith for 2016. The line also picks up the newly eligible Darius James, a transfer from Texas who has the ability to play anywhere on the offensive line.

"Darius James has impressed me so far," Kozan said. "He's been able to set the edges as an offensive tackle and keep up with those speed guys, which I wasn't really sure if he could do. But he's proven himself so far. ... He's got a great energy."

Auburn DL Montravius Adams: Freshman Marlon Davidson reminds Adams of himself, "he's getting used to college football" and taking coaching

— WarEagleExtra (@wareagleextra) March 2, 2016

Longtime backup Robert Leff took most of the first-team snaps at left tackle during the first week of spring camp, but new offensive line coach Herb Hand is moving players around quite a bit in order to get a handle on his best five. Kozan said he was even taking snaps at center.

"I probably expect to stay at left guard, but at the same time, you never know," Kozan said. "[In] spring of 2014, everybody thought we'd be in our spots, and I got hurt. It's important to learn other spots for right now and long term for your career." 

Robert Leff ready to prove he can start on Auburn's offensive line https://t.co/NORfHsbYZx pic.twitter.com/qqb0gZ5atD

— Wesley Sinor (@WesleySinor) March 4, 2016

Quick hits

• Safety Tray Matthews (shoulder), running back Kerryon Johnson (shoulder) and cornerback Jeremiah Dinson (knee) will miss the entire spring. Safety Rudy Ford and JUCO defensive end Paul James III missed all of Week 1 with injuries, but Malzahn said Monday he hopes both will return this week.
• Malzahn announced four new graduate assistants—including former Auburn quarterback Jonathan Wallace and defensive end Craig Sanders—and four new analysts to the 2016 staff. 
• Defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence has massive goals for himself in 2016. Lawrence told reporters Saturday he wants to win the Lombardi and the Outland this year, a feat which Tom Green of the Opelika-Auburn News noted has only been done 13 times since 1970.
• Malzahn's new BMW i8 sports car has made headlines recently, and the head coach revealed Thursday he bought it for himself as a 50th birthday present. 

• Auburn will practice Tuesday and Thursday before taking next week off for the university's spring break.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR. 

AUBURN, Ala. — When Gus Malzahn landed in Auburn as its new head football coach in December 2012, he proclaimed that it was "a new day" for the program.

Now, a little more than three years after that introductory press conference on the Plains, Malzahn is preaching a similar message.

"It's a new year," Malzahn said Tuesday. "From a coaching standpoint, especially a head coach's standpoint, you evaluate the things from last year that you need to improve on, and we know what they are and we are going to go out there and redeem ourselves."

Coaches often like to remind their teams that the beginning of a new season is a fresh start. But when Malzahn tells his Tigers just that as they open a pivotal 2016 spring camp, it carries more weight than his standard brand of coachspeak.

He means it. He wants it. Most importantly, he needs it.

Malzahn and Auburn have gone 15-11 since playing for the final BCS National Championship as SEC champions at the end of his first season in charge. His patented no-huddle offense ranked 94th nationally in yards per game last year, as the defense didn't live up to high expectations.

The word "new" was repeated quite often in Malzahn's annual pre-spring-practice press conference. It's quite fitting for a team that will have a new defensive coordinator, four new position coaches and up to 11 new starters—not counting a possible new starter at quarterback.

Gus Malzahn on Auburn QB race: 'They'll have equal reps. We'll give them all a chance to compete.'

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) March 1, 2016

That all-important quarterback job is the one position at which the Tigers need the hard reset the most. The heavily hyped Jeremy Johnson struggled in a huge way at the beginning of 2015, and replacement Sean White finished the season with worse passing numbers.

But it's a new year.

"Both of those guys are looking forward to a fresh start during spring," Malzahn said. "Both of them are looking to compete. ... Jeremy's done a good job of putting last year, and even when he was successful the previous two, behind him. He is laser-focused moving forward.

"I think there is some freshness with that. And he's got that look. Sean has got that look, too."

As Johnson and White look to redeem themselves from the inconsistencies of 2015, they'll face their biggest competition in JUCO transfer John Franklin III—the early favorite to win the starting job for 2016.

After all, Malzahn ushered in his successful "new day" for Auburn in 2013 with Nick Marshall, another JUCO quarterback with similar size and playing style.

It hasn't taken long for Franklin's new teammates to spot the comparisons between him and Marshall.

"He's really athletic and really fast," senior receiver Marcus Davis said Tuesday. "I think he'll do a great job with the zone read. ... [Arm strength] is something people overlook with Franklin, I'd say, because he's more of a runner. But he has a really big arm. He can make that big throw."

Introducing Auburn quarterback John Franklin III https://t.co/HB6OUQeqvJ

— Wesley Sinor (@WesleySinor) March 1, 2016

If Malzahn decides to go back to a run-first system based on zone reads—a staple that new offensive line coach Herb Hand introduced to him while they were assistants at Tulsa—Franklin could be the face of that much-needed fresh start on offense.

In order to get a clearer picture on the new-look quarterback situation, Malzahn said the staff could take a page from the camps before the 2013 SEC championship season by letting the signal-callers take hits in practice—something it didn't do last spring with Johnson.

"My experience is the longer spring goes on, you put the guys in different situations, and I’m not going to rule out the chance of going live in spring," Malzahn said. "We did that two weeks before our season in 2013, and it cleared up things in a hurry."

That sense of a clean slate at quarterback should ripple through the rest of the roster this spring.

Auburn's receivers, who are looking for a new leader after the departure of Ricardo Louis, took the field Tuesday for the first time under new position coach Kodi Burns. True freshman Kyle Davis impressed in the media viewing period with his size and smoothness for a newcomer.

Kodi Burns works with freshman receiver Kyle Davis at Auburn's first practice. Davis is a good-sized WR. pic.twitter.com/j2o8Od3RwY

— John Zenor (@jzenor) March 1, 2016

"He looks great," Marcus Davis said. "Even before spring ball, going out and catching with him, you could tell he was really talented. I think he'll really be able to help early."

The offensive line, which will break in two new starting tackles this fall, went through its first practice under Hand. The now-eligible Texas transfer Darius James, who lined up in drills at first-team right tackle, drew high praise from fellow tackle Robert Leff.

"I think you'll be able to see him dominate some people this year," said Leff, who was the No. 1 left tackle during the media viewing window. "I've certainly seen it at practice. ... I could definitely see myself starting with him on the line."

On defense, the Tigers bring back a good amount of experience everywhere except for linebacker, which took an added hit when veteran JaViere Mitchell decided to leave the team before the start of camp. But Auburn is looking at that as an opportunity for newcomers to shine under new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

"We feel good about these young guys, and there’s nothing better than getting reps in the spring, and all of those young guys are going to have an opportunity to show what they can do," Malzahn said.

Another new aspect of this Tigers team heading into a crucial 2016 season is expectation—or the lack of it, as senior defensive tackle Montravius Adams noted Tuesday evening after practice.

When it comes to respect after a mediocre 2015 season, these Tigers know they'll have to "Earn It"—the team's motto for 2016.

"We're not going to be ranked in the Top 25," Adams said. "It's just like when I came in here in 2013, before the 3-9 season. We've got to earn everything we want. We're the only ones who have expectations for us."

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR. 

The second Will Muschamp era at Auburn lasted 360 days, finished with a 6-6 record and featured a defense that allowed 6.4 more yards per game than its 2014 predecessor.

When Muschamp decided to leave for the head coaching job at South Carolina, he owed Auburn zero dollars and zero cents thanks to the way his contract was written. Muschamp later hired three different Auburn assistant coaches to join his Gamecocks staff.

No matter how they're broken down, those numbers just don't add up for an Auburn program that thought it had the dream combination of offensive-minded head coach Gus Malzahn and Muschamp, whom his former boss called the greatest defensive mind in all of football. 

While Muschamp's departure after one underwhelming season frustrated many Auburn fans, the reality is that the former Auburn defensive coordinator and at least two of the assistants he took to South Carolina were getting bigger jobs with more responsibilities.

Name	Auburn Position	South Carolina Position
Will Muschamp	Defensive Coordinator	Head Coach
Travaris Robinson	Defensive Backs Coach	Defensive Coordinator
Lance Thompson	Linebackers Coach	Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line
Bobby Bentley	Offensive Analyst	Running Backs Coach

Linebackers coach Lance Thompson, who joined Muschamp's Auburn staff from Alabama, decided to make the move to South Carolina after not getting the defensive coordinator job that went to Kevin Steele. He's now a defensive line coach and "assistant head coach of defense," according to the team's official site.

Still, Muschamp's quick-fire second tenure—along with the additional staff changes—seemed to provide nothing more than additional headaches for a team that is now on its fifth defensive coordinator in six seasons.

But here's another number from Muschamp's brief stint at Auburn that could benefit the Tigers' defense as it heads into spring practice next week: seven.

That's the number of high-level defensive recruits Muschamp and secondary coach Travaris Robinson brought to the Plains in the Class of 2015.

Name	Position	Rating	Auburn Recruiters
Byron Cowart	DE	No. 1 SDE	Tim Horton, Will Muschamp
Prince Tega Wanogho	DE	No. 8 SDE	Rodney Garner, Will Muschamp
Jeff Holland	OLB	No. 8 OLB	Rodney Garner, Will Muschamp
Tim Irvin	ATH	No. 18 ATH	Travaris Robinson, Will Muschamp
Javarius Davis	ATH	No. 38 ATH	Travaris Robinson
Carlton Davis	CB	No. 33 CB	Travaris Robinson, Will Muschamp
Jeremiah Dinson	CB	No. 105 CB	Travaris Robinson

Robinson, a former Auburn defensive back from 1999 to 2002, was Muschamp's ace defensive backs coach during his stint as Florida's head man. Without Muschamp, Robinson wouldn't have returned to the Plains.

When the duo arrived in Auburn, they were able to address a pair of glaring weaknesses in the Tigers defense.

First, the Tigers needed immediate help at defensive back. In the first few months of Muschamp's tenure, Auburn lost five players to transfers from a secondary that was already weak before he arrived.

Fortunately for Auburn, Muschamp and Robinson were able to land four defensive backs from the state of Florida in his brief time working on the Class of 2015: Tim Irvin, Javarius Davis, Carlton Davis and Jeremiah Dinson.

Javarius Davis redshirted for the Tigers last season, but the rest were thrown into the fire early. For true freshmen, they definitely delivered.

Carlton Davis started nine of 13 games at cornerback and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after recording 56 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. A quick and physical presence at cornerback, he made several game-changing plays last season for the Tigers.

Malzahn says Carlton Davis is establishing himself as one of the better lockdown corners in the league

— AUBlog (@AUBlog) December 30, 2015

The Miami native who was once committed to Ohio State and wasn't on Auburn's radar until the hires of Muschamp and Robinson is now the face of the Tigers secondary.

"He's a guy who is going to continue to get better," Robinson said in November, via James Crepea of AL.com. "He can be one of the better ones who ever came from here, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to coach him."

The versatile Irvin started Auburn's season opener against Louisville and played a number of roles in the secondary as a true freshman. Dinson had developed into a strong rotational piece before a devastating knee injury against Texas A&M.

Muschamp says Jeremiah Dinson "is a heck of a football player" but wanted him to be a little firmer in coverage especially early

— Jason Caldwell (@ITATJason) September 27, 2015

Throw in Jamel Dean, a big-time transfer from Ohio State who had previously been recruited by Muschamp and Robinson at Florida, and Auburn has a loaded group of young defensive backs that has already begun to show great potential.

The second area Muschamp's defensive staff at Auburn was able to address in a short amount of time was the future of the pass rush.

Auburn wasn't able to get to quarterback enough in its final season under former coordinator Ellis Johnson—who is now, in an ironic twist, an analyst on Muschamp's South Carolina staff.

With Carl Lawson out injured and Dee Ford off to the NFL the year after Auburn's 2013 run to the BCS National Championship Game, the defense became even more of a punch line in the SEC.

Muschamp and his new defensive staff at Auburn immediately turned its attention to recruiting the No. 1 pass-rusher in the entire country, 5-star defensive end Byron Cowart. 

Cowart hadn't unofficially visited Auburn since November 2013 before Muschamp's arrival, and the Florida product had made a half-dozen trips to Gainesville in 2014. 

But Cowart, who was personally recruited by Muschamp, chose Auburn on national signing day last year. 

While Cowart only recorded six tackles in all of 2015, he should be a crucial piece to the Auburn defense in the next couple of seasons. He should be able to flash more of the skills that made him the nation's No. 3 overall player after getting a full offseason of preparation under him.

"[Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner] was tough on him," former defensive end DaVonte Lambert said in December, via Phillip Marshall of Auburn Undercover. "He’s tough on all of us, but on Byron he was really tough. He’s responded very well. I think next year he’ll be real great."

Muschamp was also involved in the recruitment of Prince Tega Wanogho, a 6'8", Nigerian-born defensive end from Alabama private school powerhouse Edgewood Academy. 

Wanogho redshirted the 2015 season after suffering a major leg injury on the basketball court in his senior year of high school. Still relatively new to football, Wanogho soared up the recruiting rankings in his short time at Edgewood and has all the physical tools needed to be a star defensive lineman.

Thanks to Cowart, Wanogho and the returning Lawson and Montravius Adams, Auburn's defensive line could go from being a thin group before the arrival of Muschamp to the strength of the team in 2016.

The short Muschamp tenure also landed 4-star linebacker Jeff Holland, who chipped in 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack in his limited work last season.

Holland is a strong talent in rushing off the edge and could easily start for the Tigers in 2016 after major departures at the position.

"Jeff Holland's a guy who's got some pass-rushing ability and can give you some different things," Muschamp said, via Brandon Marcello of AL.com. "I think they've got some good young players coming."

Allie Davison of Rivals thinks Holland could be a real difference-maker for the Auburn defense in his sophomore season:

One Auburn player I feel will be a big-time playmaker this season? Jeff Holland.

— Allie Davison (@Allie_Davison) January 25, 2016

Muschamp's short time back at Auburn came with a laundry list of disappointments.

The defense didn't show many improvements until Lawson's return from injury and didn't play its best game until the Birmingham Bowl—after Muschamp had already left for South Carolina.

Muschamp was able to leave Auburn without any sort of financial penalty, and he took several assistants with him in an offseason that would later include the departures of offensive coaches Dameyune Craig and J.B. Grimes.

But even though he stayed for less than a full 365 days of a three-year contract, Muschamp was able to stock his successor's inventory with talented blue-chip recruits, many of whom would not have signed with Auburn without him.

And those players could be the keys to the numbers Auburn desperately wants to see from its defense in 2016 and beyond.

All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com 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.

The most glaring weakness of what was otherwise a great 2016 recruiting class for Auburn was at linebacker—a position where the Tigers lost three players to graduation but only signed one.

But Auburn had a target in mind after national signing day that was more capable of making an instant impact than any high school recruit.

On Tuesday, Illinois linebacker T.J. Neal announced on Twitter he would transfer to Auburn for his senior year. As a graduate transfer, he'll be eligible to play immediately:

Next Chapter in my life. ! !@FootballAU @SEC pic.twitter.com/z0SPhUOMdD

— Tyrone Neal Jr (@Tneal52) February 16, 2016

Neal's arrival couldn't come at a better time for the Tigers.

Three of Auburn's top four linebackers from the 2015 season—Cassanova McKinzy, Kris Frost and Justin Garrett—are all out of eligibility.

That leaves former 5-star recruit Tre' Williams, who is coming off a solid sophomore campaign, as the only Auburn linebacker who recorded more than 13 tackles a season ago.

In steps Neal, who had 109 tackles for the Fighting Illini last season and 98 as a sophomore in 2014. His 109 tackles last season were second on the team and eighth in the Big Ten.

Auburn hasn't had a linebacker record that many tackles in a season since Daren Bates did it in 2011.

Neal developed a reputation as a sure tackler and a constant playmaker for Illinois, which narrowly missed a bowl game in 2015 despite head coach Tim Beckman's firing just one week before the season.

Auburn Grad transfer LB TJ Neal @TNeal52 had 17 tackles & a sack in his last game for Illinois versus Northwestern on 11/28/2015

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) February 16, 2016

"Once you’re a starter, you’re happy just to be a starter, and then you’ve got to take it to the next level," Illinois head coach Bill Cubit said last October, per Matt Daniels of the News-Gazette. "Your expectations just keep on growing. He’s expecting more out of himself, and he’s having a fun time. He’s making more plays than he did last year."

Neal should also give the Auburn defense an extra boost in getting into the opponent's backfield.

As Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee noted Tuesday morning, Neal almost had as many tackles for loss for Illinois in 2015 as Auburn's starting linebacking corps did as a whole:

Auburn grad-transfer T.J. Neal had 14 TFLs last year at Illinois. Auburn's starting LBs COMBINED for 15.5 in 2015.

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) February 16, 2016

Neal made 25 consecutive starts over the last two seasons for an Illinois defense that went from 115th nationally in yards per play in 2013 to 23rd nationally in 2015.

When you add up his tackles, tackles for loss and experience for a solid Power Five defense, Neal is the type of player who can replace—and build on—the bulk of the production of Auburn's outgoing linebackers.

Name	Tackles	TFLs	Sacks
Kris Frost	96	3.0	0.0
Cassanova McKinzy	74	10.0	5.0
Justin Garrett	50	2.5	1.0
AUBURN TOTALS	220	15.5	6.0
T.J. Neal	109	14.0	2.0

And make no mistake about Neal's plans for his year at Auburn. He told Brandon Marcello of AL.com he expects to play immediately at middle linebacker for the Tigers.

"I've got to come in and do my part, be in shape, make plays and do what I've been doing that made me so successful," Neal said, per Marcello. "I did my research and there's no one on that depth chart or roster who has the experience and credentials I have. They want me to be the quarterback of the defense."

Neal will provide the confident, experienced presence down the middle of the defense that Auburn missed at times in 2015 and would have definitely missed in 2016.

Last season, McKinzy split time at linebacker and rush defensive end to help the Tigers get more pressure in the wake of Carl Lawson's injury.

Now instead of youth and a lack of starts across the linebacker depth chart, Neal can be the cornerstone of a starting group potentially flanked by Williams and fellow former blue-chipper Jeff Holland, an exciting pass-rushing threat.

Auburn has been searching for consistency and high-level production from its linebackers since the start of the Gus Malzahn era.

While it will only be for a single season, Neal can provide both for the Tigers as they look to develop the likes of Williams, Holland, Deshaun Davis, Darrell Williams and 2016 early enrollee Tre Threat under new coordinator Kevin Steele.

Neal's presence will take some of the pressure off of a largely inexperienced linebacking corps and give Auburn the experienced playmaker it needs to build on the late-season defensive success of 2015.

And after all, the last transfer Auburn picked up from Illinois—former lead-blocking H-back Jay Prosch—turned out to be a breakout star for a program that pulled off the turnaround season of all turnaround seasons in 2013.

The Tigers may have found someone similar on the defensive ball heading into a make-or-break 2016 campaign.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.

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

Recruiting never stops, especially at a powerhouse program such as Auburn.

In order to get a streak of top-10 classes like the one Gus Malzahn and his staff has, coaches must get started early on recruiting the stars of tomorrow far in advance.

Case in point: In the first few minutes of his signing day press conference last Wednesday—a day when the entire college football world was focused solely on the class of 2016—Malzahn mentioned he had talked to dozens of 2017 recruits that day.

"Today was a really good day," Malzahn said. "They got me on the phone with close to 50 guys coming up and I think that’s a great thing. I'm excited to recruit those guys, and I know our coaches are, too."

Now that everyone's focus has started to shift toward the 2017 cycle, let's take a look at who Auburn currently has committed and who its biggest blue-chip targets are for the next several months. 

The current commitments

Name	Position	Size	Hometown	Overall	Position
Calvin Ashley	OT	6'6", 305	Orlando, Florida	No. 4	No. 2
Alaric Williams	ATH	6'0", 195	Gadsden, Alabama	No. 111	No. 8
Carlito Gonzalez	S	6'2", 190	Stone Mountain, Georgia	No. 332	No. 26

Compared to the likes of Ohio State, Alabama and Miami, Auburn is off to a slow start in the 2017 cycle with just three commitments so far.

But the Tigers didn't have a huge number of commitments for most of the 2016 cycle, and they still finished with yet another top-10 class. Gus Malzahn and his staff aren't new at this.

Auburn's trio of 2017 pledges are high quality, though, beginning with 5-star offensive tackle Calvin Ashley. The Orlando, Florida, native is the nation's No. 4 overall recruit and the No. 2 offensive tackle, making him one of the biggest early pledges Auburn has had in quite some time.

Ashley committed to Auburn all the way back in May of last year during "Big Cat Weekend," and he's made a pair of additional unofficial visits to the Plains since then—including last November's Iron Bowl.

In-state schools Florida and Florida State are still chasing after Ashley, who participated in The Opening last summer, but he remains "100 percent committed" to the Tigers.

"I’m 100 percent," Ashley said last month, per Hank South of 247Sports. "(Auburn) has really nice coaches; it’s a nice place to be, nice facilities … I love it. They’ll have a pretty good season next year. I mean this year there were just ups and downs, but next year it’ll be a pretty good season."

Auburn picked up a pair of offensive tackles in the 2016 class to help replace the losses of Shon Coleman and Avery Young to the NFL. The Tigers have great depth at the position for the future, but Ashley looks like he could play early and often at Auburn.

Four-star athlete Alaric Williams is Auburn's other blue-chip commitment for the 2017 class at this moment. The in-state product committed to the Tigers last July and is still receiving plenty of attention from Notre Dame, Alabama and Georgia.

Auburn is recruiting Williams to play running back, a position the Tigers will need reinforcements at starting with the 2017 season. Jovon Robinson's eligibility expires after 2016, and Auburn will have Roc Thomas, Kerryon Johnson and Malik Miller left on campus.

Williams looks like the ideal fit to join the other Alabama running backs at Auburn, but he also has the ability to play wide receiver or defensive back down the road. According to Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports, Williams could be an early enrollee in 2017.

Three-star Georgia safety Carlito Gonzalez rounds out the current commitment crop, as he pledged to the Tigers last August.

Stephenson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) safety duo - Carlito Gonzalez and Eugene Brown - were in Auburn on Saturday... pic.twitter.com/dg3aPmnVh8

— Jeffrey Lee (@JLeeAULive) January 31, 2016

While Gonzalez remains committed to the Tigers, South Carolina is a team to watch in his recruitment. Gonzalez was recruited by Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson at Auburn—and both of them moved onto better positions with the Gamecocks.

The Tigers would love to keep Gonzalez, as both Rudy Ford and Josh Holsey are both entering their final seasons at Auburn.

Staying in-state

In Malzahn's first two full recruiting cycles, Auburn did a great job of not letting the bulk of the high school talent in Alabama sign with the Crimson Tide. The Tigers were able to snag a few Mr. Football award-winners and close the gap between the number of state blue-chippers heading to Tuscaloosa and Auburn.

Auburn didn't have as much success in-state in 2016 as it did in 2014 and 2015, but it managed to land two consensus 4-stars in defensive end Marlon Davidson and cornerback John Broussard.

The 2017 class currently has twice as many blue-chip recruits from the state of Alabama as the 2016 class did, with 14 players boasting 4-star ratings. The Tigers have already gotten off to a good start for several of them, setting up some big-time rivalry battles over the next few months.

Four-star outside linebacker Markail Benton is the state's No. 1 player, and Auburn has a number of factors working well in its recruitment of him.

Linebacker is a position of great need for 2017, and Benton hails from Central High School in Phenix City—which is 30 miles away from Auburn's campus. Benton, who has visited Auburn three times since last summer, was teammates in high school with Broussard.

All 12 of the Crystal Ball Predictions on 247Sports for Benton have him signing with the Tigers in this cycle, but Alabama will always be a contender for a top prospect such as this one.

Other top targets from the state of Alabama include Austin Troxell, a 4-star offensive tackle from Madison Academy in North Alabama. The successful program has produced recent Auburn backs Kerryon Johnson and Malik Miller, so the Tigers could pick up Troxell as well for their uptempo offense.

Troxell has visited Alabama more often than Auburn, but the Tigers were the first ones to offer him a scholarship. According to his 247Sports profile of interests, this one looks like it will be a classic Auburn-Alabama matchup on the recruiting trail.

Auburn might have a better chance for 4-star defensive end Ryan Johnson. As Niebuhr noted earlier this month, Johnson grew up an Auburn fan, and he's located right in Auburn assistant Dameyune Craig's recruiting wheelhouse of Mobile.

Johnson is listed as a 6'4", 240-pound strong-side defensive end, but he has room to grow into a future force at the defensive tackle position. While he's keeping his options open, Auburn should be a top contender for Johnson.

"I talked to Coach (Kevin Steele), Coach (Dameyune Craig) and Coach (Rodney Garner)," Johnson said, per Niebuhr. "They’re definitely showing a lot of interest in me. They definitely want us to come up here and compete."

Other in-state names to watch include 4-star quarterback Jake Bentley, who is right down the road from Auburn at Opelika. Bentley had an incredible junior season quarterbacking the Bulldogs, and he's the son of former Auburn assistant Bobby Bentley—who is also now at South Carolina.

2017 4-Star QB Jake Bentley gives us his top 2 teams #Stanford and #UGA https://t.co/5KAIhX4FMl pic.twitter.com/uEQDxSBfmG

— Rivals (@Rivals) January 15, 2016

Bentley has good mobility, but he's still a pro-style quarterback. It will be interesting to see if the Tigers continue to pursue him in this cycle after signing two dual-threats in 2016. 

Four-star wide receiver Nico Collins and four-star offensive tackle Kendall Randolph are both widely expected to sign with Alabama, but the Tigers will still track them in this cycle.

To the battleground states and beyond

Auburn went into its traditional pipeline of Georgia in the 2016 cycle and came out a big winner, netting three of the state's top 10 recruits.

Georgia will continue to be a high priority for Auburn in this upcoming class, with many of the Tigers' top targets hailing from the Peach State.

Five-star cornerback Deangelo Gibbs is the biggest one of those, as he's ranked as the nation's No. 9 overall recruit and No. 2 cornerback. Gibbs is from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia—the same school that produced Ole Miss star and former No. 1 overall recruit Robert Nkemdiche.

As Bleacher Report's Sanjay Kirpalani detailed last year, Gibbs has been one of the class of 2017's can't-miss recruits for quite some time. He won the defensive back MVP award at a Nike camp in Atlanta when he was a high school sophomore, beating out a number of eventual 5-stars from the 2015 and 2016 cycles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VaPfb9vi6g

Gibbs is a freakish athlete with incredibly polished skills as a defensive back, and he's picked up 33 scholarship offers so far. Georgia and Tennessee are said to be the early leaders for him, but he visited Auburn last November and is one of the Tigers' biggest priorities on defense.

Auburn is widely expected so sign 4-star athlete Tray Bishop from Dawson, Georgia. The high school quarterback will most likely play either receiver or safety at the next level, and he's visited Auburn three times in the past year.

The Tigers could snag 4-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon like they did with Derrick Brown and several other highly rated linemen from Georgia. The nation's No. 6 defensive tackle has garnered plenty of attention from Auburn as well as Georgia, Ohio State, Florida and Florida State.

Auburn continued to flex its newfound muscles in the state of Florida by signing several natives in the last cycle and picking up a commitment from Ashley. 

Four-star inside linebacker Will Ignont could technically be classified as an Alabama recruit, but he transferred from Buckhorn High School to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Ignont is expected to become a Tiger, and Auburn would love to pick up a blue-chip from IMG for future recruiting purposes.

Other 4-star targets from Florida include running backs Colin Wilson and Devan Barrett. Auburn will have to battle the in-state Gators for these prized rushers, who could add to the great depth the Tigers love to have in the backfield.

Perhaps the biggest recruit to watch outside of the pipeline states of Alabama, Florida and Georgia has to be 4-star dual-threat quarterback Lowell Narcisse—a Louisiana native who was formerly committed to Auburn.

Narcisse committed to Auburn last July but opened his recruitment back up in January, telling Shea Dixon of 247Sports that he "rushed" his decision.

"I still plan to communicate and nurture a relationship with [Auburn]," Narcisse told Dixon. "But at this time I will open my recruitment back up. My main goal now is to continue to get my health better and be a leader and role model to my team."

Narcisse came in at No. 7 for quarterbacks in Bleacher Report's Future 100 for the class of 2017, and it's easy to see why Auburn is still pushing for him after his decommitment. He's the ideal Malzahn quarterback:

He's easily the smoothest runner on this list, which makes him an ideal fit to land in a collegiate offensive scheme that emphasizes designed rushing attempts from its quarterback, His agility is often utilized on roll-out plays that take him beyond the pocket, and he displays solid touch (17/20) that creates space for receivers to extend. Elongated passing mechanics (12/15) can be polished to add even more precision and power to passes.

Auburn doesn't have a gaping hole at quarterback for 2017, but it will lose Jeremy Johnson after this season. If the Tigers want to have strong depth there for the future, Narcisse is the way to go.

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.

In order for Auburn to get back to where it feels like it belongs in the college football world, it had to keep doing what it was doing on the recruiting trail.

On Wednesday, Auburn officially signed its fourth straight top-10 recruiting class under Gus Malzahn. The Tigers finished No. 9 nationally in 247Sports' composite team rankings.

Even after back-to-back seasons in which it fell short of high expectations, Auburn continues to bring in the talent necessary to compete for championships in the cutthroat SEC West.

The Tigers overcame some late losses of key recruiters on the coaching staff and still managed to sign one of the nation's best classes for both defensive linemen and wide receivers. Auburn did especially well in the nearby state of Georgia and continued to maintain a stronghold in Florida.

Auburn's 2016 roster situation should make for plenty of early impact from this year's signing class, which features a few potential starters for this upcoming season.

It's time to get to know the players who will be huge pieces to the team's puzzle for the next several seasons, from the much-needed passing targets to the under-the-radar names on the defensive side of the ball.

Here's an in-depth look at Auburn's 2016 recruiting class.

Player	Position	Hometown	Size	Nat'l Ranking
Derrick Brown	DT	Buford, GA	6'4", 317	5-star, No. 9
Marlon Davidson	DE	Greenville, AL	6'4", 260	4-star, No. 30
Nate Craig-Myers	WR	Tampa, FL	6'2", 205	4-star, No. 43
Antwuan Jackson	DT	Ellenwood, GA	6'2", 305	4-star, No. 49
Kyle Davis	WR	Lawrenceville, GA	6'1.5", 218	4-star, No. 72
Eli Stove	WR	Niceville, FL	6'1", 178	4-star, No. 121
Prince Sammons	OT	Cincinnati, OH	6'8", 280	4-star, No. 210
Woody Barrett	QB (DT)	Winter Garden, FL	6'2", 225	4-star, No. 215
Landon Rice	TE	Calhoun, GA	6'5", 250	4-star, No. 223
John Broussard	CB	Phenix City, AL	6'0", 164	4-star, No. 273
Nick Coe	DE	Asheboro, NC	6'5.5", 269	4-star, No. 274
Paul James	DE	Miami, FL	6'4", 255	4-star, No. 17*
John Franklin III	ATH	Fort Lauderdale, FL	6'2", 180	3-star, No. 22*
Brodarius Hamm	OT	Griffin, GA	6'5", 320	3-star, No. 341
Marlon Character	S	Atlanta, GA	6'0", 170	3-star, No. 347
Jayvaughn Myers	CB	Dade City, FL	6'1", 185	3-star, No. 388
Tre Threat	OLB	Spanish Fort, AL	6'2", 235	3-star, No. 422
Marquis McClain	WR	Crestview, FL	6'2", 209	3-star, No. 429
Malik Miller	RB	Madison, AL	5'11", 229	3-star, No. 446
Tashawn Manning	DT	Apopka, FL	6'4", 270	3-star, No. 992
Daniel Thomas	S	Montgomery, AL	6'0", 190	3-star, No. 1,504

Signing-day specials

The top offensive and defensive recruits of the 2016 class for Auburn both came down to national signing day, when they gave the Tigers plenty of reason to celebrate in the war room.

Auburn coaches celebrate signing 5-star Derrick Brown. Big defensive lineman had 42 tackles for a loss in 2015. pic.twitter.com/CKq4Iyv8BV

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) February 3, 2016

Five-star defensive tackle Derrick Brown was rated as the ninth-best player in the entire country. He'll provide a huge boost to what should already be a strong Auburn defensive front in 2016.

The longtime Georgia lean trended toward the Tigers in the days leading up to signing day. He ultimately picked Auburn over the in-state Bulldogs, Alabama and Tennessee.

By signing with Auburn, he became the program's best-ever pick from the Peach State, as the Tigers hadn't signed Georgia's No. 1 player in the recruiting ranking era.

Derrick Brown (No. 5 DT/No. 9 overall) picks @AuburnFB; 1st time in ESPN 300 era Georgia’s No. 1 has picked Auburn (30 min. from GA border)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 3, 2016

"I think that for the next three-to-four years, it's going to be great to watch Auburn football," Brown said on the ESPN2 telecast of his announcement. "That's why I made this decision."

Brown has the skill set to play a huge role and even start for Auburn in 2016. He's extremely athletic for a 317-pound defensive tackle, and his top-notch pursuit abilities made him a National Player of the Year candidate in high school. 

"He's a true impact player," Malzahn said. "We believe he’s one of the best players in the entire country. I got a chance to watch him in person, and it was one of the more impressive performances I’ve had a chance to watch at any position."

The Tigers needed more punch at the point of attack and another highly rated playmaker to line up alongside the likes of Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and Byron Cowart. It'll be nearly impossible to keep him off the field this fall.

The same goes for 4-star wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers, a big-bodied receiver who will provide a major shot in the arm for a receiving corps that lost both of its top playmakers from the 2015 season.

Craig-Myers announced his commitment to Auburn over finalist North Carolina on Wednesday morning at his high school and immediately made big promises to the Tiger fanbase:

Newest Auburn WR Nate Craig-Myers: "First you'll hear me get freshmen All-American, then you're gonna get the Biletnikoff"

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) February 3, 2016

The Tampa native has an all-around game to go with his 6'2", 205-pound frame. When healthy in high school, he was one of the nation's most productive receivers, and he had a chance at being a top-10 player for the Class of 2016 before a knee injury in his junior season.

"He’s a big guy, he can go get the football, he’s tough to tackle and he’s got that competitive edge," Malzahn said.

In addition to Craig-Myers, the Tigers also picked up his brother, 3-star cornerback Jayvaughn Myers. A 6'0" athlete who made it to the Under Armour All-American game, the Tigers will be thrilled to also seal Myers over UNC, especially with some of their depth concerns at corner.

"He’s long and he’s very athletic," Malzahn said. "Coach [Wesley] McGriff is very excited about this guy. We think he’ll have a chance to come in and compete for playing time."

One of Auburn's biggest signing-day pickups in quite some time was 4-star offensive tackle Prince Sammons, a Nigerian-born recruit who was also highly ranked at defensive end. He chose Auburn over Michigan State, Oregon and Duke.

Sammons has a similar background to 2015 defensive end signing Prince Tega Wanogho. Still relatively new to the game of football, Sammons was still able to earn a coveted 4-star rating thanks to his 6'8", 280-pound frame and his physical nature on both sides of the ball.

"We really went hard the last month or so at offensive tackle," Malzahn said. "He’s a guy that a lot of people wanted as a defensive end, and that tells you his physicality. We’re very excited about him playing offensive tackle for us. We think the sky is the limit."

With tackles Avery Young and Shon Coleman leaving early for the NFL draft, Auburn needed to restock at the position. Sammons has an extremely high ceiling and could be one of the most dominant players of this recruiting class.

Already on the Plains

Even with all the normal drama on national signing day, Auburn was able to be 100 percent confident in nine impact players for its 2016 class—because they were all already on campus.

Auburn's nine early-enrollees were led by three top-100 recruits, two of which will play on the defensive line with the 5-star Brown.

Marlon Davidson, a former 5-star at defensive end, committed to the Tigers last September and stayed strong the entire way. The state of Alabama's No. 3 recruit is the younger brother of Kenneth Carter, who was a defensive lineman at Auburn from 2010 to 2013 and is currently on Malzahn's staff.

"We think he’s an impact player," Malzahn said. "He's a big, athletic guy that can run, and we feel very good about him."

While most recruiting services preferred the linebacker combination of Ben Davis and Mack Wilson—both former targets for the Tigers—Malzahn said Davidson was identified early on by staff as the best player in Alabama:

Gus Malzahn said he thinks Auburn signed the best player in Alabama in defensive end Marlon Davidson.

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) February 3, 2016

Antwuan Jackson is another highly rated defensive tackle whom Auburn plucked from the state of Georgia. Like Brown, Jackson stands out for being so light on his feet while weighing more than 300 pounds.

His explosion off the ball will make him another early-impact signing for the Tigers defensive line, especially since he enrolled in time for spring ball on the Plains. Expect him to play some sort of role in the rotation for the Tigers this fall.

"Auburn's top four defensive tackles all return, so Jackson, an early enrollee, could contend for playing time as the fourth man in the rotation or be a redshirt candidate," James Crepea of AL.com wrote. "Three defensive tackles are entering their senior seasons, so developing Jackson should be the priority in 2016 regardless of his playing time."

Perhaps the name Auburn fans are most familiar with among the early enrollees is 3-star JUCO athlete John Franklin III.

The former Florida State player, who practiced with Nick Marshall during the Seminoles' preparation for the 2013 national title game, is expected to be one of the top names in Auburn's upcoming quarterback battle.

"He’s got great speed, and we think he throws the ball well," Malzahn said. "He’s familiar with our offense, so we’re definitely excited about what he can do."

Auburn made Franklin a priority during this recruiting cycle, and his early arrival should give him a great chance at taking the starting job this fall. He's built for the more run-heavy style of offense Auburn used to perfection in 2013 and 2014.

Gus Malzahn says signee John Franklin III will 'get a chance to win job' as starting quarterback. 'Our quarterback position is wide open.'

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) February 3, 2016

Although he wasn't the full-time starting quarterback at his junior college, Franklin made plenty of plays with his legs and arm. He'll be one of the stars of the spring for the Tigers.

Four-star wide receiver Kyle Davis, another top player from the state of Georgia, could be catching touchdown balls from Franklin as early as this spring.

The early-enrolling Davis is similar to Craig-Myers in both size and skill set, making him the ideal possession receiver in Malzahn's offense. He also pushed for the No. 1 spot at the receiver position during this cycle.

"We really put an emphasis in this class on big guys that could run and could do some things with the ball after they catch it," Malzahn said. "We think he’s got a chance to be a phenomenal player."

Other big names who enrolled early at Auburn include 4-star tight end Landon Rice—which gives Auburn a traditional weapon at the position—4-star local area standout John Broussard and 4-star JUCO pass-rushing specialist Paul James.

Best of the rest

Auburn signed a few more blue-chip prospects on Wednesday, including its possible quarterback of the future in 4-star Woody Barrett.

Barrett is a dual-threat quarterback who has some bulk at 225 pounds. The Florida native is equally as skilled at running over defenders as he is at tossing spirals over their heads for big plays.

Although he's not as polished a quarterback in terms of technique just yet, the potential is there in Barrett's legs and arm.

Malzahn said Wednesday he would also have a shot as the starting quarterback, but the early projection on him is that he'll be a No. 1 guy later down the road.

When he gets adjusted to the college game and tightens up a few things, Barrett looks like he'll be a perfect fit in a Malzahn offense. He can be quite dangerous on the ground and through the air.

Fellow 4-star Eli Stove, on the other hand, might not take as long to make an impact on Auburn's offense.

Stove is the third member of a wide receiver class that has a claim to be the best in the entire country for 2016. He has skills that immediately translate to the next level.

He has sure hands and a little more quickness than some of the other receivers Auburn picked up in 2016.

“We really feel like he’s got a very unique skill set," Malzahn said. "We think he’s got a chance to be an impact player. He can really do some things with the ball once he gets the ball in his hands."

Four-star defensive end Nick Coe will bring great size to his position from the moment he steps onto Auburn's campus as a freshman. 

At 6'5" and 269 pounds, Coe can be plugged in virtually everywhere on the Auburn defensive line—any position, any role. His athleticism jumps out in his high school film, and the ceiling is high for the North Carolina native.

WATCH | Nick Coe causes offensive linemen issues. We like that! #WarEagle #AUNSD16https://t.co/PSvEbu2NdI

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) February 3, 2016

"The fronts that they run, they like to have a stud end," Owen George, Coe's high school coach, told Drew Champlin of AL.com. "They all talk about how his size is going to help him immediately. He's got the size and athleticism to play in a three-man front at defensive end or in a four-man front, maybe slide down to a 3-technique in the pass rush."

Coe also excelled as a high school wrestler, making him a force in one-on-one situations with offensive linemen. While Auburn signed quite a few players for a defensive line that returns several key players, Coe has the ability to crack the rotation early.

Sleepers to watch

If any Auburn fans are looking for any 3-stars who could develop into some top-notch Tigers, start with linebacker Tre Threat—the only player at his position in this year's class. 

By being the lone incoming linebacker in a season after the departure of three seniors, Threat automatically has a shot at early playing time for Auburn.

Enrolling early will be another benefit for this underrated Under Armour All-American, whom Auburn targeted early in the cycle as a player to have.

"He’s got the unique ability where he can play inside or out, so he’s going to give Coach [Kevin] Steele and Coach [Travis] Williams some flexibility," Malzahn said. "He’s a talented young man."

WATCH | Tre Threat is...well, a threat. #WarEagle #AUNSD16https://t.co/14iFPL1t2u

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) February 3, 2016

Threat comes from a strong high school program at Spanish Fort in southern Alabama and has an edge to his game that could make him a real difference-maker in college. He's the type of linebacker who can get a team fired up with a big hit.

Another defensive player to watch is the lowest-rated one on the board for Auburn in 2016 and the last one to receive a scholarship offer.

Three-star defensive back Daniel Thomas had to play the waiting game with the Tigers, who were after 4-star safety Nigel Warrior. When Warrior decided to follow in his father's footsteps and play at Tennessee, Auburn gave the Montgomery native a shot.

"He’s been on our radar a long time," Malzahn said. "He’s come over to games, and we brought him on an official visit this weekend and just fell in love with him and his family."

According to recruiting analyst JC Shurburtt, Thomas could be one of those players in a few years whom fans will look back on as a severely underrated prospect:

I think Daniel Thomas is a better football player than 1/2 the safeties he's ranked behind. #Auburn

— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) February 3, 2016

At Robert E. Lee High School in the Alabama capital, Thomas picked off seven passes last season and had a couple of huge touchdowns in the return game.

Auburn could always use depth at both roles, and Thomas will have a chance to become an under-the-radar difference-maker for the Tigers in the next few seasons.

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.

Auburn saved the best for last on national signing day by going back to a tried-and-true method—snagging a 5-star player out of the state of Georgia.

Plenty of great Auburn players, past and present, hail from the Peach State. But the commitment of 5-star defensive tackle Derrick Brown, the No. 9-ranked overall player in the country, on Wednesday afternoon was a little different in a great way for the Tigers.

WAR EAGLE pic.twitter.com/VdpshPwHp2

— Derrick Brown (@DerrickBrownAU5) February 3, 2016

A big #WarEagle to Derrick Brown! Welcome to the #Auburn Family! #AUNSD16 pic.twitter.com/cQvVKtzxZ6

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) February 3, 2016

As Tony Barnhart said on ESPN2's national signing day broadcast moments before Brown pulled out an Auburn cap at Lanier High School in Buford, the Tigers hadn't signed the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia in the past decade.

Derrick Brown is the first No. 1 player in the state of Georgia to pick Auburn in the ESPN 300 era (since 2006)

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) February 3, 2016

Until Wednesday, that is, when Brown announced that he would join an Auburn defensive line that should be a strength in 2016.

"My relationship that I built with the coaching staff down there is excellent," Brown said on the ESPN2 telecast of his announcement. "I felt like last night, just sitting around talking to my parents, that that was the place for me."

Auburn's outlook after a disappointing 7-6 season became brighter last month when both defensive end Carl Lawson and defensive tackle Montravius Adams announced that they would return to school instead of going pro early.

Both Lawson and Adams were Georgia-born 5-stars from Auburn's loaded 2013 recruiting class, which was Gus Malzahn's first as Auburn head coach.

AU has snagged three five-stars from the state of Georgia since Rodney Garner was hired -> Carl Lawson, Monty Adams and Derrick Brown.

— AuburnSports.com (@AuburnRivals) February 3, 2016

The duo would later break into a veteran defensive line rotation as true freshmen, helping the Tigers make a surprising run all the way to the BCS National Championship Game.

Since then, the pass-rushing Lawson has developed into the biggest game-changer on the Auburn defense, even though he's only played in seven contests. Adams is now one of the most consistent playmakers on a defense that has seen a lot of change in the last two seasons.

Those two will spearhead a defensive line that returns plenty of players from 2015, most notably defensive end Byron Cowart. The Florida native was also a 5-star out of high school, and the pressure will be on him to live up to the hype after a slow start in his freshman season.

Auburn could start nothing but former consensus 5-stars along the defensive line in 2016, as Brown has the talent to take that role from the first game of his true freshman season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyf_BW2Ofac

"He can certainly help [Auburn] immediately," Bleacher Report's Michael Felder said. "He does not look like a guy that weighs almost 320 pounds ... he moves so exceptionally well, and he's got the ability to make himself a little bit skinny, get through the hole."

That ability to get through the offensive line and make plays in the backfield time and time again—he had an unreal 42 tackles for loss as a senior—is what will make Brown such an instant-impact player on Auburn's defensive line.

"[These] are the same expectations that I have for myself ... to go in and make an immediate impact and work hard and just play in the fall," Brown said.

According to Brandon Marcello of AL.com, Auburn ranked second-last in the FBS in stopping opposing rushers behind the line of scrimmage. The Tigers must get tougher against the run, especially considering the number of talented run-first offenses in the SEC.

"He's a humongous piece to a puzzle that they're still trying to figure out," Felder said. "I really think Derrick Brown becomes a key piece to them getting back on track on the defensive side of the ball."

The 2016 defensive line class at Auburn has the potential to be looked upon in the same regard as the 2013 class that netted Lawson, Adams and Elijah Daniel, who had solid production before his dismissal last spring.

In addition to Brown, Auburn has fellow Top 50 signees Marlon Davidson and Antwuan Jackson—both of whom are already on the Plains as early enrollees. Paul James was one of the top defensive line prospects out of the JUCO ranks, and 4-star Nick Coe will bring tremendous size (6'5 ½", 269 lbs) to the line as well.

Marlon Davidson, Paul James III, Antwuan Jackson, Derrick Brown, Nick Coe PLUS Carl Lawson, Byron Cowart and Monty Adams. Oh boy.

— Allie Davison (@Allie_Davison) February 3, 2016

But Brown is the crown jewel of that defensive line haul and the entire 2016 recruiting class for Auburn, another one that looks set to finish in the Top 10 nationally.

While the Tigers have gone backwards since their magical 2013 season, being able to go into Georgia and keep the state's No. 1 recruit out of the hands of the rival Bulldogs—and the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa—bodes well for the program's future.

Brown is one of six Georgia recruits who signed with Auburn in this cycle, joining Jackson, 4-star wide receiver Kyle Davis, 4-star tight end Landon Rice, 3-star offensive tackle Brodarious Hamm and 3-star safety Marlon Character.

Auburn's close proximity and recent success in the Peach State will mean more natives such as Brown and Davis will continue to suit up for the Tigers.

"Georgia is important for our success," Malzahn said Wednesday in a press conference. "Around half our players come from there, and we think [signing Brown] is going to give us great momentum."

The potential is there for a return to championship-quality football in the next couple of seasons, and that's what made an instant-impact player such as Brown choose the Tigers.

"I think that for the next three to four years, it's going to be great to watch Auburn football," Brown said. "That's why I made this decision."

All quotes from ESPN2 telecast 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.