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Auburn Football Recruiting: Why the Tigers Don't Need Top Recruits to Win
Here we discuss how National Signing Day’s twists and turns will have no negative effect to Auburn football’s 2017 season.
Just a few hours into National Signing Day’s commitment spree, Auburn football has already been graced with some top talent. Aside by the treasure trove that was discovered with Jarrett Stidham and his pairing with quarterback-oriented offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, there are other newcomers like 5-star offensive tackle Calvin Ashley or the No. 2 JUCO tight end Salvatore Cannella.
Yet there exists an awkward conversation to be had about Lindsey’s arrival and the impact it may have on the starting lineup. It’s safe to say that each player on the offensive side of the ball will either face diminished playing time or increased playing time, with their contribution at the hands of Lindsey. Auburn has dominated at running the ball long before Tre Mason, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams or Bo Jackson, and now they have both a quarterback and a coordinator who wants to throw the ball.
There is already a pro-style quarterback on the roster with Sean White, which might imply that Stidham’s arrival might not be so immediately welcome for the starting role. Both Stidham’s statistics at his sole year with Baylor and White’s 2016-17 season are fairly similar, so why would it make sense to place Stidham above White?
We often forget about the other talent that exists for Auburn outside of the quarterback, with running back talent at its highest with Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson returning. Even at wide receiver, Nate Craig-Meyers, Kyle Davis and Eli Stove are coming back as sophomores as both top tier recruits and impact players.
The biggest addition to the defensive line will be defensive end Markaviest Bryant, who joins what seems to be an already dominating defensive side of the ball. Defensive end Byron Cowart, linebacker Deshaun Davis and defensive lineman Dontavius Russell will cap an impressive returning sophomore class — so where’s the room to collapse or lessen what Auburn can already do?
If there’s anything that could be said about the 2017 season, it’s that it will be a season of either improvement or collapse, but it will not be defined by how commitments fall or where letters of intent are signed. This team is already good, and there’s no reason for this class of recruits to impact the season that dramatically — except for maybe Stidham. A solid quarterback situation would be lovely.
Here’s to quarterback mayhem and the rest of National Signing Day.
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