Putting a disappointing 2018 firmly behind them, Gus Malzahn and the Auburn Tigers have relied on the recruiting trail to get back on track for 2019. How would this class fare on a report card, though?
Nationally, Auburn has put together quite the class, with two five-stars signed and a third on the way. However, with the SEC showing unprecedented dominance in the rankings, Auburn sits a measly sixth in conference recruiting.
In 2018, the Tigers finished 8-5 and just managed a berth in the Music City Bowl against Purdue, where they rolled the Boilermakers 63-14. Defensively, Auburn was mostly great, allowing just 19.2 points per game (14th). However, they struggled against the run at times, surrendering 195 rushing yards to Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald in a disappointing 23-9 loss.
Four of Auburn’s top five recruits are on the defensive side of the ball, including five-star outside linebacker Owen Pappoe (Loganville, GA) and two four-star defensive ends Jaren Handy (Hattiesburg, MS) and Derick Hall (Gulfport, MS). Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele took notice of the struggles from 2018 and addressed them by signing a strong defensive class.
Offensively, Auburn was a disaster in 2018. Against Power Five opponents, the Tigers managed just 22 points per game and looked lost in Starkville against Mississippi State. That week six loss was when the wheels fell off, and Auburn dropped the next week’s game to 2-3 Tennessee at home. The Tigers ranked 51st in passing efficiency in 2018, similar to teams like Bowling Green and Baylor.
With starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham leaving for the NFL Draft, Auburn has a position to fill. Backup quarterback Malik Willis has played very little in his career but has completed 77% of his passes in 13 attempts and a touchdown.
Enter: Bo Nix.
Nix (Pinson, AL) is the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the country and signed with Auburn during the Early Signing Period in December. The five-star signal caller is expected to compete with Willis for the starting spot this offseason and could provide Auburn with their next great quarterback.
Five-star wide receiver George Pickens (Hoover, AL) was pledged to join Nix at Auburn, but the 6-foot, 3-inch Pickens flipped to Georgia on National Signing Day, leaving the Tigers without a game-breaking talent. The Tigers managed just 222 yards passing per game, good for 74th in the country so they really could have used him.
Overall, they did a nice job addressing 2018 issues with this class, but still pales in comparison to other SEC programs.
Grade: B