Auburn lands commit, two-team race with others and JUCO QB aims high

AUBURN — With National Signing Day rapidly approaching, Auburn had another busy and productive recruiting weekend of official visits. The Tigers landed their 19th commitment to the 2013 class on Sunday as coach Gus Malzahn and his staff continues to reshape the class left over by Gene Chizik’s staff.

Seven players took official visits to the Plains this weekend as Auburn added one recruit, had two others come away with the Tigers in a two-team race and a junior college quarterback who was already on-board said he has very high goals.

Former Georgia cornerback Nick Marshall, who spent last season at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, wants to do what another JUCO QB managed to accomplish at Auburn.

“Try to bring a national championship here, win the Heisman…and that’s about it,” said Marshall, who totaled 4,237 yards passing and rushing and 37 touchdowns in 11 games at Garden City CC last season. “It’s 100 percent that I’ll be coming here to Auburn.”

Marshall, 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, was recruited by Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee when they were at Arkansas State. The Rochelle, Ga. native brought a large family contingent with him for his visit and said the proximity to his hometown was an important factor in his decision to commit to Auburn.

Three-star athlete Marcus Davis became the 19th commitment to Auburn Sunday afternoon. The 5-10 165-pound Davis (Delray Beach, Fla.) played cornerback at American Heritage but will play slot receiver and possibly play a role in special teams as a returner at AU.

“It is pretty exciting. I like the ball in my hands and I think I’d be able to make plays in the offense,” Davis said. “Getting the ball in space, making plays – we talked about (returning punts) too so I’ll have the opportunity to be able to do all that.”

Wilson Bell received his offer from Auburn less than a week ago and wanted to make sure he could see himself playing for the Tigers.

“I had a real good time up here,” said Bell, a three-star recruit. “I feel like they helped reassure some things about how I felt about the school – about the offer being so late. I’m kind of glad I came.

“I came here and it was all serious, it was all business when I came because I said I really need to know should I come here after the offer being so late. I came here and they really showed me a good time. I got to meet the players, the coaches and they helped reassure the love that I did have for Auburn.”

Bell, rated the No. 23 guard in the country and No. 16 player in the state by 247Sports, is currently committed to Central Florida but said his top two schools are Florida State and Auburn. He said his final decision will come down to the stability of the coaching staff, academics and whether he is going to “excel” as a player at the school of his choosing.

Jonathan Walton thought he knew where he was going to play college football, then the Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.) H-back and linebacker came to the Plains.

“Came up here thinking one thing then completely got another because I came in with South Carolina leading and I’m leaving with something I’m trying to balance out right here,” Walton said. “It changed me a lot. I’m thinking about it. I had (a decision), I can’t say I have one now. I’m definitely going to think about that on the ride home.

“I’m definitely considering, it’s between Auburn and South Carolina. I’m going to try to make my choice sometime this week. That’s been the plan, still is the plan just don’t know who yet. … I can say it’s dead even right now.”

The 6-1, 225-pound Walton said a factor which could impact his choice between the Gamecocks and Tigers is “Auburn is a little bit closer to home.”

Four-star running back recruit Johnathan Ford (New Hope, Ala.) ran for 1,669 yards and 27 touchdowns in eight games last season and was named Class 3A first-team all-state. Ford, a Vanderbilt commit since April, came away impressed with his visit but remains committed to the Commodores.

“My visit went good,” he said. “It was a great experience meeting Gus Malzahn and the staff. Met the players, hung out with Tre Mason, Quan Bray, all them guys and it felt real good.”

The 5-10 190-pound tailback is rated the No. 15 running back in the nation by Rivals and No. 17 by 247Sports. Asked where Auburn stands in his recruitment, Ford said “Auburn’s real good” but he remains committed to Vanderbilt.

Four-star cornerback Mackensie Alexander was a late addition to Auburn’s official visits this weekend. The 5-11, 180-pound Alexander did not speak with reporters when he ended his visit but later spoke to recruiting website Auburn Undercover.

“It was a good visit. I enjoyed it,” Alexander told Auburn Undercover. “Great people. It was a great experience for me to be here. I chose to come here and I was really impressed.

“I just have to go home and think about things now.”

Alexander, the No. 4-ranked corner in the nation by 247Sports and No. 7 by Rivals and Scout, de-committed from Tennessee and was supposed to visit Rutgers this weekend.

He also had made stops at Mississippi State, Clemson and Texas A&M. Auburn cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith and safeties coach Charlie Harbison each recruited Alexander at MSU and Clemson respectively.

Three-star athlete Shane Tucker (Memphis, Tenn.) was a standout running back at the Memphis University School but is being recruited to play safety for Auburn.

“I would love to play safety, doing all the hitting instead of getting hit. It doesn’t matter to me where I play,” Tucker said, according to Auburn Undercover.

Tucker, rated nation’s No. 58 running back by 247Sports, was recruited by Malzahn at Arkansas State and has offer from Louisville, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State among others. He hopes to add Auburn to that list.

“They are very interested. They just want to see everything pans out,” he said.