The recruiting class of 2023 has been slow-going for Bryan Harsin & Auburn. Before the turn of this month, The Tigers had just two commits to their name; four star safety Terrance Love from Georgia and local four star offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner. But July began with a much needed boost. First, Cadillac Williams fended off Clemson & Tennessee to reel in coveted running back Jeremiah Cobb. A day later, highly touted receiver Karmello English also opted to head to The Plains.
That July momentum seems to have been brought to an abrupt halt. In the last 24 hours, Harsin and his staff have seen two targets commit elsewhere. On Tuesday, four star defensive end Keldric Faulk – once considered a lock for The Tigers – opted to head to Tallahassee. And then Wednesday saw cornerback Avery Stuart commit to Kentucky, despite playing high school ball less than an hour away from Jordan-Hare.
A Cornerback In Demand
https://twitter.com/avery8stuart/status/1544727426898579457
Exciting cornerback Stuart is the 197th ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ composite. He is considered the 12th best CB in the class, and 16th ranked player in Alabama. Despite never visiting Auburn and fielding twenty scholarship offers, The Tigers were hopeful his proximity to the school would give them the edge. Instead, Stuart cited the family atmosphere at Kentucky that lured him to Lexington:
“I feel like Kentucky just is the place for me. I went down there and connected with all the players, coaches, all that. It’s like one big family down there… I fell in love the first time I went.”
Reasons For Optimism
Considering the tumultuous beginning to the offseason for The Tigers, not many were surprised at the lethargic start to recruiting. Harsin bounced back nicely by securing Cobb and English within days of each other, but the opportunity to make a real statement from a program looking to establish some energy on the recruiting trail – for the moment – seems to have eluded them.
Despite the setback, Auburn can still look ahead with optimism. Whilst some local talent has escaped their clutches, recruits have been impressed with the vision portrayed. That alludes to a unified direction from the coaching staff that bodes well for the future. A current recruiting ranking of 68th means nothing this early, and a quartet of four star talent is a solid foundation to build upon. With The Tigers on a number of players’ shortlists due to be announced in the near future, the next few weeks will likely make or break the class of 2023.
