2019 Class Preview: Wide Receiver

Tuesday, I started previewing the 2019 class. We took a look at a few names to know at the quarterback and running back positions for the next recruiting cycle. Today, we move to wide receivers. Honestly, this position group was much harder to narrow down. The Tigers have offered at least 20 wideouts and they are all big time talents (18 are rated at least a 4* by 247 Composite, the other 2 just haven’t been rated). Chances are very good I left some names off that I shouldn’t have but I figured a 3,000 word article on a position group for next year’s recruiting class would have been a bit of overkill....

Wide Receiver - 3

I would not be surprised if Auburn took a small wide receiver class in 2019. But considering how many offers they have doled out and the fact the Tigers already have an elite quarterback committed in Bo Nix, don’t be surprised if Auburn loads up again next cycle. My guess is the staff would love to bring in three a year so that’s what I am going to guess they shoot for in 2019.

5* Jadon Haselwood | 6’3” | 180 lbs | Ellenwood, GA | Georgia Commit

It’s hard to find a better WR prospect than Haselwood. The UGA commit will challenge for the top overall spot in the 2019 class and rightfully so. He’s fast, tall, physical and catches everything thrown his away. He can make DBs look downright foolish with his routes and could teach a clinic on high pointing the football. It will be real hard to flip him from the Dawgs but he’s still taking visits and the Tigers won’t stop recruiting him until he signs.

5* Jashawn Sheffield | 6’1” | 178 lbs | Saint Simons Island, GA

Sheffield can affect a game in so many ways. He can stretch a defense deep on a vertical route or take a handoff and burn you around the end. More than likely Sheffield will be a wideout at the next level but he could honestly play running back or free safety if needed. There was a time he looked like a lock to Florida State but Jimbo’s departure has opened things up and the Tigers are a real player in his recruitment. He would be a weapon at the 2 spot in Gus’s offense.

4* Devonta Lee | 6’2” | 212 lbs | Amite, LA

I’m a big Devonta Lee fan. The Louisiana native is a physical athlete capable of playing wide receiver or safety at the next level. He’s not the most polished product but you might not find a more competitive prospect in next year’s class. LSU is probably the early favorite but the Crimson Tide have been known to pull out an Amite product or two. I expect Lee will visit Auburn some this spring and the Tigers will make him a priority. We will see if Kodi Burns can pluck out one of the top players in the Boot next year.

4* Jalen Curry | 6’3” | 195 lbs | Houston, TX

Typically, Auburn only lands Texas kids when they are looking to transfer (Darius James, Jarrett Stidham, Kam Martin, possibly Calvin Anderson). That could change in 2019. The Houston native is one of the top wide receiver prospects in the country. He’s not only a big kid at 6’3” but he’s also one of the fastest players on the field. I would not be surprised to see Curry challenge for 5* status before the end of next year’s cycle. Auburn was one of the first programs to offer Curry but pulling him out of Texas will be hard. The good news is he has consistently listed Auburn as one of the schools standing out in his recruitment. Keep an eye on LSU, Texas A&M and Ohio State as well.

4* Mark Antony-Richards | 6’1” | 194 lbs | West Palm Beach, FL

Richards is one of the more intriguing players in next year’s class. Some programs are recruiting him as a safety while others, like Auburn, are recruiting him on the offensive side of the ball. His brother and former Auburn target, Ahmmon Richards, plays for the Hurricanes so Miami is going to be tough to beat in this race. But the Tigers are very much a factor in his recruitment and if he were to leave the Sunshine State then Auburn would be one of the more likely destinations.

4* Ramel Keyton | 6’2” | 180 lbs | Marietta, GA

Throw the ball anywhere near Keyton and chances are high he will catch it. The Marietta native was insanely productive last season with over 1,200 receiving yards and 16 TDs. Auburn is one of his top schools early and he’s expected to visit this weekend for Junior Day. I would be ecstatic if the Tigers could land this playmaker in next year’s class.

4* George Pickens | 6’5” | 190 lbs | Hoover, AL | Auburn Commit

Shockingly, Bo Nix was not Auburn’s first commit of the 2019 class. Instead, it was Hoover Buc George Pickens. The 6’5” 190 lb beast committed to the Tigers last summer during a five day span that saw Auburn land four commits. What I love most about Pickens is his best football is firmly ahead of him. He’s just starting to tap into his immense potential and you saw flashes of it last season. There just aren’t a lot of guys as big as Pickens while also as fast as him running around on the high school level. Don’t be surprised if he challenges Clay Webb, Pierce Quick and Bo Nix for the top spot in the state next year. I am expecting a big senior season out of the longtime Auburn commit.

4* Quinton Torbor | 6’2” | 182 lbs | Destrehan, LA

Coaches will be making a lot of trips to Destrehan, LA to not only check in on one of the country’s top running backs in the 2019 class (John Emery) but to also recruit one of the best wideouts in the southeast as well. Torbor was one of the first Louisiana products to land an offer when Larry Porter joined the staff before the 2017 season. He’s a speedster with a knack for breaking tackles as well. I love his quick feet and ability to create after the catch. Early on this looks like an Auburn/Mississippi State battle. Don’t be surprised if Torbor wraps his recruitment up before the start of his senior season.

With next week being signing day, I will probably put a pause on 2019 previews until the dust settles on the 2018 class. Next up though we will look at tight ends which appears to be a point of focus in next year’s class.

War Eagle!