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* * * * * * * * * (NOTE: This service and the information it provides are for entertainment purposes only. No warranties, either expressed or implied, are given. Neither the service nor the information are associated in any way with or endorsed by Auburn University. In compiling and distributing this information, I am NOT acting as a representative of Auburn University, the Auburn Athletic Department or Auburn athletic interests. I do NOT have any contact with Auburn coaches or Athletic Department officials. I do NOT have any contact with former, current or prospective Auburn athletes. This material is extracted strictly from independent recruiting guides, publications, newspapers and other independent sources. The work is done on my own time and on my own personal computer.-- Bob Lowry) Subject: au recruits AUBURN -- 1995 Recruits (In order they committed) (All-Caps: Considered top blue-chip recruit) # JUCO transfer @ Possible grade problem (SEC schools can take two partial qualifiers this year) 1. DB/WR Jayson Bray, 5-11, 180, 4.5, LaGrange, Ga. (11/29/94). Signed with Auburn out of high school in 1994, but did not qualify; attended Hargrove (Va.) Military Academy and has qualified; will count against last year's scholarship total. In high school, was Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Georgia Top 50" as WR; Columbus Ledger-Enquirer All-West Georgia; recruited as DB by Auburn; as senior, had 39 solo tackles, 40 assists and three interceptions; on offense, he caught 17 passes for three TDs; Pigskin Preps said he could contribute by second year, adding: "Prospect at WR and DB, has very good instincts on the field, calls defensive signals, plays very intelligent and breaks well on the ball -- a talent"; Southeastern Recruiting rated him 4 on 5-point scale and among top four DBs in Georgia, saying, "Jayson is a dangerous player whether he is returning kicks, playing WR or making plays at CB. Very quick feet and good change of directions. Top man-to-man coverage guy who is not afraid to challenge the WR"; recruiting expert Jeff Whitaker, who rated him a 9.25 on 10-point scale, called him "an excellent athlete"; selected for Florida-Georgia all-star game in 1994, where he was a standout. Picked Auburn over Florida, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Georgia Tech. 2. DB MARLON TAYLOR, 6-0, 185, 4.4, Smiths Station. (11/30/94). Jeff Whitaker rates Taylor perfect 10 on 10-point scale and says he's second best DB in entire Southeast, behind only Florida Player-of-the-Year Martavious Houston. His quickness allows him to break well on the ball, and has the ability to be a good one-on-one coverage man. He is a good tackler and has great speed, says Whitaker; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super Southern 100"; Alabama "Pepsi Super Dozen"; The Birmingham News "Super Seniors"; paper calls him major college hitter in secondary; The Huntsville Times "Elite Eleven"; Pigskin Preps, which predicts he'll contribute as freshman and rates him sixth best CB in South, says Taylor has great leaping ability and body control; BP 275. Picked Auburn over Alabama, which made a late push, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Florida State and Pitt. 3. RB CENCADE PENNINGTON, 5-9, 185, 4.4, Troy. (12/7/94). Very elusive RB considered by Auburn coaches as top scatback prospect in Alabama; finished career with more than 4,000 yards rushing and 300 points; member of Alabama Sports Writers Association "Super 12"; The Huntsville Times "Elite Eleven"; rated 9.50 on 10-point scale by Deep South Football Recruiting Guide, which calls him one of the state's most coveted prospects; Forrest Davis Top 16 in Alabama; Pigskin Preps, which projects he'll contribute in second year, said, Super talented RB who missed half of junior season with serious (non-surgery) knee injury after running for 300-plus in first game and 200-plus in second; caught recruiters eyes as sophomore when he ran for 1,400 yards and 14 TDs; BP 275. Picked Auburn over Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Mississippi State and Arkansas 4. DB # Liron Thomas, 6-2, 195, 4.5, Plant City, Fla. (12/14/94). Jeff Whitaker says he is big, vicious hitter; nine interceptions over two years at Hinds (Miss.) Junior College, where he was a walk-on all-America; Hinds' assistant coach Ron Davis said of Thomas: "He was very assertive, very aggressive, very smart. He's a tremendous leader -- the kind of football player you want. Auburn will be very happy with him"; will count against last year's scholarship totals, and will enroll in time for spring training; may get immediate playing time at safety since Brian Robinson turned pro early. Picked Auburn over Arkansas, which, according to Whitaker, offered a scholarship before Thomas' sophomore season; also had offers from Houston and Mississippi State. 5. OL @ JENO JAMES, 6-4, 270, 4.7, Montgomery. (12/14/94). Member of The Birmingham News "Super All-State"; Birmingham Post-Herald "10 Most Wanted" and Montgomery Advertiser's "Elite Eleven"; first-team all-state by Alabama Sportswriters Association; Jeff Whitaker rates him 9.75, saying he's among top three OL in Alabama; Post-Herald: "Big, strong and quick"; Pigskin Preps: Top prospect in Montgomery; very intense and aggressive on the field; starter since 10th-grade; hard worker and disciplined ..."; Lanier High School Coach Robert Fuller said, "On defense, he'll be around the football. On offense, he's always looking for somebody to hit"; assistant coach Bill Granger, who coached former Alabama DB George Teague at Jeff Davis (High School), says James is as good at his position as Teague was in high school; Southeastern Recruiting calls James Swell-coached player who played both DT and OG ... stays low when blocking and shows good footwork around the line of scrimmage; Max Emfinger adds, Jeno is another massive lineman who could become very good in college. He has a lot of quickness for his size and he is very athletic; in on 129 tackles as DT; James says he'd like to try DL, but projects as OT at Auburn; did not play offense until senior year,but Pigskin Preps projects he will contribute in second year; rated 9.75 on Whitaker's 10-point scale; BP 350. Picked Auburn over Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi State. 6. RB # ERIC HINES-TUCKER, 5-9, 180, 4.4, Valley (12/19/94). Scored 40 TDs as RB, receiver and kick returner at Jones County (Miss) Community College, where he was named a "Super Sophomore" by Smith & Street magazine; rushed for 2,300 yards in two years has already graduated, will enroll at Auburn winter quarter and count on last year's scholarship totals; a QB in high school, Hines-Tucker will provide speed in backfield that Auburn lacked last year and could fill void left by graduation of kick returner Thomas Bailey; Jones CC Coach Parker Dykes said, "He is a tough inside runner even though he is 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. He runs more like a 220-pound tailback inside. I think he is the next Emmitt Smith"; Hines-Tucker said he chose AU because "it's close to home so my family can see me play, and it's a good program and a good chance to compete for some playing time; after senior year in high school, Hines-Tucker was rated the best pure CB in the state by Southeastern Recruiting, which added: Displays good man-to-man coverage skills. Tough hitter, despite lack of size. Picked Auburn over Alabama and Florida State. 7. DL # Ervin Lewis, 6-3, 275, 4.9, Monticello, Fla. (1/12/95). December graduate of Jones (Miss.) Community College where he was a teammate and friend of AU signee Eric Tucker; will count on 1994 recruiting total and enroll at Auburn in time for spring training; originally signed out of high school with Georgia Tech, but never enrolled after Tech Coach Bobby Ross moved to the NFL; forced to go JUCO route after Tech refused to give him a release; rated four on five-point scale by Southeastern Recruiting; starter his first year at Jones, but injury sidelined him for all but four games in sophomore year; still managed 12 tackles for losses and seven sacks. Picked Auburn over Florida State, South Carolina, Texas Christian and Southern Miss. 8. LB BARRETT ASKEW, 6-2, 220, 4.5, Lanett. (1/15/95). Parade all-America; Alabama 4-A Player-of-the-Year and member of The Birmingham News "Super All-State" team and News Top 12; No. 5 on Birmingham Post-Herald 10 Most Wanted; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super Southern 100"; member of The Huntsville Times "Elite Eleven"; rated Alabama's top LB by Montgomery Advertiser; four-year starter who in senior year had 144 tackles, five fumble recoveries (two for TDs), three interceptions and three sacks; member of Pigskin Preps "SUPER SOUTH 75", which projects him to contribute in first year; SPI rates him top LB prospect in Alabama and among top four in Southeast; rated five on five-point scale by Southeastern Recruiting, which calls him very good run stopper and pass defender; rated three-plus by Forrest Davis, who says Askew has the kind of athletic ability that could lead to stardom in college. Extremely quick, explosive player. Great athlete; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker, who considers him better prospect than Lanett LB Cliff Jackson, a Miami signee from 1994; Lanett Coach Lee Gilliland said: The recruiters like the way he can get to the football. Once he gets there, he puts the back away. He does a great job of getting to the hole, and he doesn't back off anybody; BP 315. Picked Auburn over Florida, Miami, Tennessee and Arkansas. 9. OL Benjamin Elliott, 6-5, 260, 5.0, Poplarville, Miss. (1/16/95). Rated 9.25 by Jeff Whitaker, who said: College coaches are impressed by Ben's speed and good feet, two major assets for a college lineman; Emfinger rates him 9.50, saying, Ben may be one of the best kept secrets in the South. He dominates every lineman that he plays against; rated three-plus by Forrest Davis, who says Excellent size and speed. Coaches like his footwork. Smart; rated 3.5 by Southeastern Recruiting ; projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by second year; four-year starter; Bluechips Academic All-American with 4.0 GPA and 27 on ACT; won't turn 18 until July. Picked Auburn over LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. 10. LB STANLEY BELLAMY, 6-3, 220, 4.6, Columbus, Ga. (1/16/95). Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Georgia Top 50"; to player in Columbus; three-year starter who is rated 9.50 by Whitaker; rated four on five-point scale by Southeastern Recruiting, which says, Stan looks to have all the tools for LB play in college. Great first step to the ball and knows how to finish a tackle ... also a good pass defender; rated 11th best ILB in South by Pigskin Preps, which calls him proto-type LB and projects him to contribute in first year; as senior, had 87 solo tackles, 49 assists, 12 tackles for losses, one interception and caused three fumbles; excellent student with 3.8 GPA and 1,060 on SAT. BP 320. Picked Auburn over Georgia, Georgia Tech and Arkansas. 11. WR @ ROBERT BAKER, 6-0, 190, 4.45, Gainesville, Fla. (1/17/95). Gainesville area Defensive Player-of-the-Year as junior, but recruited by AU as WR; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker, who says: Baker could very well be the state's most valuable layer in terms of his value to his team this season; rated seventh best WR in South by Max Emfinger; projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by second year; rated in Top 10 DBs in Southeast by Bluechip Illustrated; rated 4.5 as WR by Southeastern Recruiting; The Orlando Sentinel's "Best of the Rest" as Florida DB; played in same secondary as Florida signees Travis McGriff and Terry Jackson; also played RB as senior, rushing for 1,537 yards and 16 TDs, with 17 receptions for six TDS; also had six interceptions; 37-inch VJ. Picked Auburn over Florida, Florida State and Syracuse. 12. LB/DE TUCKER DEARTH, 6-4, 215, 4.6, Vestavia Hills. (1/17/95). The Birmingham News Top 12 and "Super All-State"; News adds, combines smarts with the speed and grace of a wide receiver; Birmingham Post-Herald 10 Most Wanted; adds Post-Herald, Very heady player with good football instincts; The Huntsville Times Elite Eleven; Times adds, Good size, great speed and exceptional intelligence make him of the state's most coveted recruits; projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by second year; rated 9.50 by Whitaker; Forrest Davis "Alabama Top 16"; Adds Davis: Top notch athlete ... runs extremely well ... smart ... a winner ... can dominate a game ... effortless athlete; Emfinger: Tucker is an amazing player. He combines academics with athletics as well as anyone in the country; rated 4.5 by Southeastern Recruiting, which said: Very versatile player who is capable of playing ILB or OLB as well as DE. Shows good lateral pursuit ...; 4.0 GPA and 27 ACT. Picked Auburn over Florida, Penn State, Stanford and Notre Dame. 13. WR @ ERRICK LOWE, 6-2, 190, 4.5, Lake Worth, Fla. (1/19/95). Rated No. 8 overall player in Florida by Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup, which said, Most consider Lowe the top true wideout in the state ... He is a tall target with excellent speed and toughness. He is very fluid and smooth; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super Southern 100"; rated seventh best WR in nation by Emfinger, who says: Errick is the real thing at receiver. He managed to come up with the big catch, despite constant double teaming ... one of the top players in the country; "SUPER SOUTH 75" by Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute in first year, adding, Arguably top prospect in state; an imposing figure who has great balance and changes directions with ease; "Top 25 Seniors" in Florida; rated five by Forrest Davis, who says: Outstanding receiver. A deep threat at all times. Will make the catch in traffic rated second best receiver in Florida by SPI, which added, impossible to cover on the high school level; Southeastern Recruiting's "Florida Top 25", which rates him a five, and says: A rangy WR who loves going over the middle to make the catch. Shows great leaping ability and one-on-one moves; rated 9.50 by Jeff Whitaker, who said: Lowe's size and all-around athleticism make him a coveted prospect; had 88 receptions over past two seasons; also plans to play baseball at Auburn; BP 270. Picked Auburn over Florida State, Georgia, Indiana and West Virginia. 14. OL T.J. MEERS, 6-7 1/2, 280, 4.9, Powder Springs, Ga. (1/19/95). Superprep All-America; Dallas Morning-News "Top 100" nationally; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super Southern 100" and "Top 11" in Georgia; rated third best OT in nation by Emfinger, who says: T.J. is an extremely gifted athlete who could play on either side of the ball. He has excellent quickness and agility for a guy his size. On offense, he is a dominant run blocker, and on defense he's a fearsome sight if you are trying to block him. This guy will play as a true freshman and he's a definite pro player in the future; rated second best OL prospect in South by SPI; Rated No. 2 player overall in Georgia by Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup, which adds, Meers is a great competitor who goes hard on every down. Runs an incredible sub 5.0 40-yard dash; Forrest Davis rates him a five, adding: Great prospect. Tremendous size and speed combination. Super; "Georgia Top 16" by Prep Sports Recruiting; "SUPER SOUTH 75" by Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute in first year, and adds, No. 1 FS in state and possibly in the South; very aggressive player who hits very hard but also plays within himself and doesn't make mistakes; rated five by Southeastern Recruiting, which said: Very dedicated worker ...excellent footwork and great attitude; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker, who said: Stock has fallen some with subpar senior season. But he still has all the physical and mental tools to b a very good college lineman; high school coach Jim Dorsey said, He's got really good feet, and he's a real hard-working kid. He's almost got no body fat; BP 320. Picked Auburn over South Carolina, Clemson, Notre Dame and Penn State. 15. DB RYAN TAYLOR, 6-2, 210, 4.55, Dublin, Ga. (1/19/95). Rated No. 1 free safety in South by SPI and member of SPI's National Fab 40; Superprep All-America; pre-season USA Today All-America; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super Southern 100" and "Top 11" in Georgia; rated ninth best strong safety in nation by Emfinger; Prep Sports Recruiting "Top 16 in Georgia"; Prep Sports Top 40 in Southeast; rated five by Forrest Davis, who said: Truly great, instinctive player. Rivals Alabama's Steve Stanley in athletic ability. A super; rated a five and top DB in Georgia by Southeastern Recruiting, which added: One of the country's premier safety prospects, who is a punishing tackler. Goes hard on every down and is a very coachable kid; rated No. 4 player overall in Georgia by Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup, which said, He has great strength and on run support he can really fill the alley;four-year starter for high school coach Sam Barrs, who said: Ryan is a very special person. You don't often find his combination of size, speed and intelligence. He is just a great defensive back; rated 9.50 by Jeff Whitaker, who said, Great athlete who can run and has the size to be a hitter; had 133 tackles, 22 interceptions as senior; BP 285; 37-inch VJ; 3.96 GPA. Picked Auburn over Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. 16. WR QUINTON REESE, 6-5, 215, 4.5, Birmingham. (1/22/95). Member of Superprep Elite 100; Prep Sports Top 40 in South; Jeff Whitaker's Alabama Player of the Year; says Whitaker, who rates him a perfect 10, One of the nation's most highly recruited receivers; rated five by Southeastern Recruiting, which adds: There are few players in the country with the kind of talent this big playmaker has; Alabama Sports Writers Association "Super 12" list; rated five by Forrest Davis, who said: Best big receiver in the South, probably the nation. Can jump. Great hands. I like to compare Quinton to Lawyer Tillman. Maybe it's his 31-inch vertical leap, or the way he uses up defensive backs; Emfinger: Quinton is a bluechip in two sports, and the school that will let him play both sports may be the one that gets him. He's one of the best athletes in the country (Reese says he also plans to play basketball for Tigers); Pigskin Preps, which rates Reese fifth best WR in South, says very consistent with lots of ability; second on The Birmingham News Top 12 list and Birmingham Post-Herald 10 Most Wanted, and first team News Super All-State team; No. 2 on The Huntsville Times "Elite Eleven"; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super South 100; high school coach Jim Holifield says Reese NFL-type hands; has 31 pass receptions for 578 yards and seven TDs as senior; also had 90 tackles at LB. Picked Auburn over Alabama and Georgia, but also had offers from Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi State. 17. WR Norris Sealy, 6-2, 190, 4.5, Miami (1/22/95). Rated 9.50 by Whitaker, who says, Sealy is a fearless pass-catcher who will never shy away from catching the ball in a crowd; SPI: Hard nosed receiver .. well known for his ability to make the tough catch over the middle; Emfinger: Norris has great hands and will make someone a fine receiver; Pigskin Preps: Considered most outstanding WR prospect in Miami, but does not project him to contribute until third year; three-time all-state player, who caught 60 passes for more than 1,100 yards and 13 TDs past two seasons. Picked Auburn over Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, South Carolina and Colorado. 18. LB/DE RICK SEALY, 6-3, 250, 4.6, Miami (1/22/95). Member of Bluechip Illustrated's National Elite Fifty and Superprep Elite 100; Dallas Morning News "Top 100" nationally; SUPER SOUTH 75 By Pigskin Preps, which rates him second best DE in South, projects him to contribute first year and says, top DE prospect in state ... uses hands well and separates from blockers; rated five by Southeastern Recruiting, which said Miami targeted as a player they can't let get away. Very quick and shows excellent lateral movement; rated 9.75 by Whitaker, who says, His outstanding speed, along with a 350-pound BP, makes Sealy one of the top prospects in Dade County; rated five and in Florida Top 16 by Forrest Davis, who said: Awesome talent. Great pass rusher. Intimidating; rated second best ILB in nation by Emfinger, who says: Rick will play as a true freshman for some lucky school.He is fast enough to play ILB ... yet strong enough to play on the defensive line; rated No. 3 player in Florida by Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup, which said: Sealy has great pass rushing skills. Some compare him to a young Lawrence Taylor. He has great feet and aggressiveness as well as super long arms ... he is a man playing among boys; SPI: Great physical attributes, but also has a great understanding of the game; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super South 100 Southeastern Recruiting Florida Top 25; had 237 tackles over past two seasons. Picked Auburn over Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, South Carolina and Kentucky. 19. DL # MARK SMITH, 6-4, 255, 4.6, Vicksburg, Miss. (1/22/95). Member of Deep South Football Recruiting News first team 1994 Community College all-America at Hines (Miss.) Junior College after transferring from Navarro (Texas) Junior College; played middle MLB, and had 13 sacks and 52 solo tackles last fall; projects as DE at Auburn; rated 4.5 by Southeastern Recruiting; will graduate in May and count on this year's totals Picked Auburn over Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee and Houston. 20. DL Michael Mallard, 6-6, 245, 4.7, Luverne. (1/22/95). Was not on any recruiting lists; dubbed Auburn's "stealth" DL prospect, Mallard was concealed by Auburn for most of the recruiting season; named to The Birmingham News and Montgomery Advertiser all-state teams in class 3A on the offensive line, but will play defense at Auburn; considered "diamond in the rough," who will not turn 18 until August; his coach, Butch Norman, said: "He's just a big kid who can run and he's quicker than he is fast. He's a good, tough kid and a hard worker"; had 101 tackles, including 12 sacks as senior Picked Auburn over Mississippi State, Kentucky and Southern Miss. 21. DL Jimmy Brumbaugh, 6-2, 250, 4.75, Keystone Heights, Fla. (1/23/95). Played noseguard in high school, but expected to be DE at Auburn; selected to Florida "Nifty Fifty" team and unanimous selection to state 3A all-state team; projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by second year, and rated four by Southeastern Recruiting; member of The Orlando Sentinel's "Best of the Rest" in Florida; Emfinger: "Jimbo was a one-man wrecking crew for (his high school team)"; as senior, had 150 tackles, five sacks, five caused fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two TDs; BP 325. Picked Auburn over Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Purdue and New Mexico. 22. DB DAN EVANS, 5-10, 180, 4.4, Plantation, Fla. (1/23/95). Superprep "Elite 100"; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker, who calls Evans "one of the state's top cover men"; rated four by Forrest Davis, who says, "Rare true corner. Can cover like a blanket"; Emfinger: Danny teamed with (Martavious) Houston to form one of the top defensive backfield duos in the country. Danny is a very aggressive cornerback who will really stick you. If the same school can get both players, they will have two great players who have a chance for the pros; Pigskin Preps projects him to contribute in second year, adding: "sticky corner who excels in man coverage"; rated four by Southeastern Recruiting, which said, tough on run support ... and can also be an effective punt returner; three-year starter and teammate of superstar Martavius Houston. BP 315. Picked Auburn over Miami, Florida State, Colorado and West Virginia. 23. LB TAKEO SPIKES, 6-3, 225, 4.6, Sandersville, Ga. (1/24/95). First team USA Today all-America; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Player-of-the-Year in Georgia; Superprep "Elite 100"; top rated LB in South and highest rating from every recruiting service; Forrest Davis: "Absolutely awesome prospect. A Derrick Thomas type of LB. Great size and speed. Very strong"; Whitaker: "Won his team's 'Golden Hawk' award for his work ethic. His high school coach says he is better at this stage than Randall Godfrey (Georgia) and Demetro Stephens (FSU)"; Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup: "As an athlete, he is big time. Very physical and punishing"; Southeastern Recruiting: "A fierce hitter and great instinctive player"; high school coach Rick Tomberlin said, "He's another Lawrence Taylor. He's a great football player"; had 118 solo tackles, including 33 for loss, 110 assists and 21 sacks; BP 350. Picked Auburn over Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee and Michigan. 24. DB MARTAVIOUS HOUSTON, 6-2, 210, 4.4, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. (1/27/95). Parade all-America; USA Today first-team all-America; Player-of-the-Year in Florida by Jeff Whitaker, who said, Houston is the bluest of the state's blue chippers. This kid is the REAL DEAL. He has been credited with more than 200 tackles the past two seasons. Agile, hostile and mobile; Superprep Elite 100; Bluechip Illustrated National Elite Fifty; Pigskin Preps: SUPER SOUTH 75 and No. 1 player in Florida; rugged hitter who can defend the pass, very physical with great closing speed; Forrest Davis: Super, super, super. None better as a DB; Southeastern Recruiting: One of the country's finest SS prospects, Martavious brings the complete package to the position. He can cover like a CB and hit like a LB. Shows great field awareness and range; Emfinger: Dooney is one of the best athletes I saw on film. He's an awesome defensive player; SPI: Houston basically freelances on the defensive side of the ball, but he'll be all free or strong safety in college. Houston is listed first among DB prospects on SPI's Dixie Depth Chart'. Has incredible speed and could play any skill position; Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup: Houston is the top prospect in Florida. He has great speed and is super physical. Simply put, Houston is one of the nation's finest; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super Southern 100; first team on The Orlando Sentinel Super Seniors list; high school coach Selwyn Brown: He's very gifted, but he works hard to get better; Florida 200-meter recordholder with 21.0; BP 315; qualifed academically. Picked Auburn over Notre Dame, Miami, Florida and Florida State. 25. RUSTY WILLIAMS, 6-0, 190, 4.5, Monck's Corner, S.C. (1/27/95). USA Today Player-of-the-Year in South Carolina; Super Prep all-America;Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute in first year, said, One of the state's better athletes; his quickness and soft hands should make WR coaches happy; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker, who adds, SHe has excellent hands coming out of the backfield. And he's very good in the open field because of his quickness and agility; after rushing for more than 1,000 yards as junior and adding 200 yards receiving, Williams rushed for 2,112 yards and 28 TDs as senior, averaging 10 yards per carry; high school coach Jerry Brown said, He's certainly got to be one of the best running backs in the country. He's extremely versatile and he really makes a lot of people miss him. He's an exciting runner. Picked Auburn over Notre Dame, despite last minute personal push from Lou Holtz. Brown said Williams choose Auburn because he said he just had more Auburn in his heart. Also considered South Carolina and Clemson. 26. OL/DL T.J. DUNIGAN, 6-4, 270, 5.0, Coffeeville. The Birmingham News Top 12 and member of Super All-State team; Birmingham Post-Herald 10 Most Wanted; The Huntsville Times Elite Eleven; Tuscaloosa News Sweet 16 and Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super South 100; rated 10 by Whitaker, who said: A big-time talent at a small program. Although he plays at a Class 1A school, Dunigan is regarded as one of the state's elite recruits. He has quick feet, great explosion off the ball and more than adequate strength; Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute in first year and lists him in SUPER SOUTH 75, said, very sound fundamentally with a lot of quickness; rated 4.5 by Southeastern Recruiting, which said, really a man among boys ... Good work ethic and fully qualified; rated 4-plus by Forrest Davis, who said: Small school player with great potential. Runs well. Could be the best of a number of outstanding linemen in the state; could play on either side of the ball, but says he'll start his career at DT, where he stood out during senior season with 73 tackles, 10 sacks, four fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles; BP 330. Picked Auburn over Alabama, Georgia and Georgia Tech. 27. WR KARSTEN BAILEY, 6-2, 200, 4.4, Senoia, Ga. (4/17/95). Late signee after drastically improving ACT score; rated top WR in Georgia by Southeastern Recruiting. Pigskin Preps expects him to contribute in second year; rated four on five-point scale and Georgia's Top 16 by Forrest Davis, who said, "Big-time receiver. Fast, great hands. Runs excellent routes"; Georgia Top 50 by Atlanta Journal-Constitution; rated 9.5 by Jeff Whitaker, who said: "A versatile and talented athlete who shines in the secondary too"; as senior, had 52 receptions for 808 yards and 11 TDs; also rushed for 812 yards and nine TDs; for career, had 107 receptions for 1,853 yards and 25 TDs; 188 carries for 1,187 yards and 10 TDs; BP 305; high school coach said: "He's big, he's strong, he's fast and he's an outstanding receiver. He may have been the best skill player in the state last year"; selected to play in the Georgia-Florida All-Star game. Also recruited by Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma and Georgia Tech. ALABAMA -- 1995 Recruits (In order they committed) 1. DB # Kevin Jackson, 6-1, 205, 4.5, Dothan. (11/29/94). Originally signed with Alabama in 1993, but failed to qualify academically; attended Jones County (Miss.) Community College, where he played LB; had 105 solo tackles, 43 assists, five interceptions and two block kicks last season; qualified; expected to enroll for second semester at Alabama and participate in spring training; Southeastern Recruiting calls Jackson a tough hitter and hustler. Picked Alabama over Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia. 2. OL JASON MCDONALD, 6-7, 290, 5.1, Theodore (11/30/94). Comes from strong Alabama family background; SuperPrep Elite 100; SUPER SOUTH 75 by Pigskin Preps, which predicts he can play as a freshman, says McDonald is a great pass blocker who plays both OT positions; SPI rates him fifth best OL in South, adding, Decent footwork for his size and upper body strength, continues to improve; Southeastern Recruiting: Consistency seems to be Jason's strong suit. A dedicated worker in practice and off the field. Great frame and shows excellent footwork. Top pass blocker with his long arms to keep DLs at bay; Emfinger says, He is working to develop his upper body strength and needs a redshirt year, but his potential is outstanding; Deep South Football Recruiting Guide says he has a relentless work ethic, and is one of the state's top prospects; rated 9.75 by Jeff Whitaker; No. 10 on The Birmingham News Top 12 list for Alabama; Birmingham Post-Herald top 30 in Alabama; rated top player in Mobile area; graded in high 80s and low 90s in blocking assignments; BP 320; qualified. Picked Alabama over Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas and Notre Dame. 3. OL MICHAEL MOORE, 6-4, 280, 5.0, Fayette (12/21/94). Pigskin Preps SUPER SOUTH 75 and rated second best guard in Southeast; rated perfect 10 by Whitaker; Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute as freshman, adds: "very aggressive and strong with good feet and quickness"; Deep South Football Recruiting Guide rates him among top five players in Alabama; No. 5 on The Birmingham News "Super Seniors" list; No. 6 on Birmingham Post-Herald "10 Most Wanted" list "Exceptional quickness and power," says recruiting expert Forrest Davis; Southeastern Recruiting rates Moore five on five-point scale, saying: "Shows good technique and pulls well for sweeps. Toughness unquestioned as he also played DT and received constant double teams"; high school coach calls him "best high school lineman I've ever seen"; BP 385. Picked Alabama over Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State, LSU, Miami and Notre Dame. 4. DB Thomas Hill, 5-9, 170, 4.5, Meridian, Miss. (1/11/95). Projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by third year; rated 9.25 by Jeff Whitaker; rated 4 by Forrest Davis, who said: A defensive back with great promise. Can run and cover man-to-man. Knows how to hit; BP 230. Picked Alabama over Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Clemson and Southern Miss. 5. TE/DE Clint Waggoner, 6-5, 225, 4.7, Fairburn, Ga. (1/11/95). Pre-season top 12 pick in Georgia by Big East-ACC Football Recruiting Roundup; first committed to Georgia, then Tennessee before settling on Bama; projected by Pigskin Preps to contribute by second year; Emfinger says, Clint may be one of the finest pure athletes in the country, although he plays at a smaller school. None of the scouts cared about the small school. He's got too much ability and potential; rated 4 by Southeastern Recruiting, which says: Plays for small private school and was a dominant force at DE; very athletic player with vertical jump of 37 inches; rated 9.25 by Whitaker, who says: Great agility and body control for a tall kid; SPI: At the smaller prep level, Waggoner simply dominates. Waggoner may be a pass rush specialist in college; rated 3-plus by Forrest Davis, who says: Excellent prospect. Great size, can catch. Enormous potentialS. BP 275. Picked Alabama over Georgia, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and South Carolina. 6. WR Shamari Buchanan, 6-1, 200, 4.5, Decatur, Ga. (1/16/95). Injured during senior year and was not a name recruit; rated 3-plus by Forrest Davis, who says, Great hands, agile, acrobatic, big play threat; rated four by Southeastern Recruiting. BP 290. Picked Alabama over North Carolina State, Mississippi State and South Carolina. 7. DB FERNANDO BRYANT, 5-11, 175, 4.4, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (1/16/95). Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super Southern 100; rated five by Southeastern Recruiting, which says, Fernando has great coverage skills ... He shows a smooth backpedal and fast closing speed; rated 9.50 by Whitaker, who says, Fernando is a tremendous athlete and has the ability to affect the outcome of a game from any spot in the secondary ... punishing tackler ... also could be a fine receiver; rated 11th best CB in South by Pigskin Preps, which projects him to contribute by second year; Tennessee Top 16 by Forrest Davis, who says, Outstanding athlete. One of the best around. A hitter. To say he can run and cover is an understatement; Picked Alabama over Tennessee, Notre Dame and Auburn. 8. DL/RB REGGIE GRIMES, 6-4, 230, 4.7, Nashville, Tenn. (1/23/95). Superprep "Elite 100"; Rated perfect 10 by Jeff Whitaker, who says: "Reggie is an extremely versatile athlete who could contribute early in his college career at one of several positions. He is a phenomenal athlete with a bright future"; rated No. 2 player in state by The Tennessean; Atlanta Journal/Constitution "Super South 100"; projected to contribute in first year by Pigskin Preps, which rated him among top three players in Tennessee; rated 4.5 and third best DL in Tennessee by Southeastern Recruiting, which said: "Reggie has the ingredients to play either DE or OLB in college to take advantage of terrific speed rated five by Forrest Davis, who added, "This guy is amazing. Runs like a back. Has been known to play QB. Could be exceptional"; rated eighth best DE in South by Emfinger, who said: "He is such a great athlete that he actually played quarterback as a junior. Reggie has a lot of raw talent and is one of best ever to come out of the Nashville inner-city"; could be given a shot at FB at Bama since he rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 21 TDs as senior; Tennessee Top 16 by Prep Sports Recruiting; BP 360. Picked Alabama over Tennessee, Georgia and Georgia Tech. 9. QB/DB STEVE STANLEY, 6-4, 195, 4.65, Leighton. (1/23/95). Rated No. 1 player in Alabama in Birmingham Post-Herald 10 Most Wanted list and The Huntsville Times Elite Eleven; No. 4 on The Birmingham News Top 12; rated second best FS in South -- only behind Auburn prospect Ryan Taylor -- by Pigskin Preps, which lists him in SUPER SOUTH 75 and expects him to contribute in first year; rated five by Forrest Davis, who gave him Alabama Player of the Year honors and said: Awesome athlete. None better, Will play FS in college. A winner. Dominating; Superprep Elite 100; SPI National Fab 40; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super South 100; Emfinger: Steve is a marvelous athlete who is equally at home on either side of the ball; Southeastern Recruiting rated him five at QB, saying, A terrific athlete with surprising speed for size. Equally comfortable in the pocket or on the roll out; rated perfect 10 by Whitaker, who said, A truly gifted athlete who is the consensus choice as the state's top QBS; class 3A player of the year, who holds state long jump record; led high school team to consecutive class 3A championship, rushing for 1,089 yards and passing for 1,200 yards and 23 TDs; had 16 interceptions in four-years; BP 215. Picked Alabama over Auburn, Tennessee, Florida State and Florida. 10. DB/RB Michael Feagin, 5-9, 180, 4.5, Greenville. (1/24/95). Rushed for nearly 1,400 yards as junior and rated in pre-season as one top RBs in South; but stock plunged sharply during a mediocre senior season and will probably be shifted to secondary; in interview with The Birmingham News, Feagin said, "I'm a little bit surprised" bigger schools back off, "but I think I can play at that level"; fell out of The Birmingham Post-Herald pre-season 10 Most Wanted list; Alabama only major school to offer, and the offer may be contingent on possible NCAA sanctions against Alabama; member of The Birmingham News Super All State team; rated four as DB by Southeastern Recruiting ... rated by three-plus by Forrest Davis ... Pigskin Preps does not project him to contribute until third year as CB. BP 245. Picked Alabama over Jacksonville State and Troy State. 11. DB @ KELVIN SEIGLER, 6-1, 175, 4.45, Mobile. (1/24/95). Rated 10 by Jeff Whitaker, who said, has tremendous speed and phenomenal ability as a kick returner; Atlanta Journal/Constitution Super Southern 100; The Huntsville Times Elite Eleven; rated five by Southeastern Recruiting, which says, Kevin shows outstanding secondary skills. A complete player who knows how to tackle and breaks well to the ball; SPI: Sigler might be the state's to prospect at DB or WR; The Birmingham News Super All-State team; rated four-plus by Forrest Davis, who added, Can run and cover with the best. Tremendous kick returner. Great athlete; rated fourth best CB in South by Pigskin Preps, which projects rates him in SUPER SOUTH 75 and him to contribute in first year; adds Pigskin Preps: great closing speed and fearsome hitter. Top 10 in state and maybe the state's bestS. Picked Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Florida State and LSU. 12. OL Chris Samuels, 6.6, 260, 4.9, Mobile. (1/24/95). Rated three-plus by Forrest Davis, who calls him a sleeper; Pigskin Preps, which does not project him to contribute until third year, says, very effective run and pass blocker, but needs to get stronger; unrated by Jeff Whitaker or Southeastern Recruiting. BP 240. Picked Alabama over Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Tulane. 13. RB SHAUN ALEXANDER, 6-2, 195, 4.5, Florence, Ky. (1/27/95).USA Today first-team all-America who rushed 455 times for 3,166 yards and 54 TDs; had nearly 6,700 yards and 110 TDs during career; career records rank fifth in national record books; rated top player in South bySuperprep ; rated perfect 10 by Whitaker; 4-A Player-of-the-Year by Louisville Courier-Journal and The Associated Press; SUPER SOUTH 75 by Pigskin Preps, which says, Unquestionably the top player in the state ... a big back with great acceleration and open field running ability; runs with power and great vision; dubbed Alexander the Great by Emfinger, who said, Shaun is the state's best prospect for 95. His combination of academics and athletic ability make him a hot commodity;rated five by Forrest Davis, who says, Powerful back who can run and block. Surprising strength for size. Elusive. Alexander said he picked Alabama because they just had a football family down there. It was kind of a place like Boone County and I wanted to go to a college like that. Picked Alabama over Michigan and Notre Dame. 14. WR MICHAEL VAUGHN, 6-1, 185, 4.5, Clarksdale, Miss. (1/27/95). Ranked as top receiver in South by Superprep; rated 10 by Whitaker, who says, The top WR prospect in Mississippi and maybe in the South. Gurus and coaches are drooling over this guy; Good hands, great speed, good size, good leaping ability; No. 3 on Jackson Clarion Ledger's Dandy Dozen; Memphis Commercial Appeal's Mid-South Top 100 and Atlanta Journal/Constitution's Super Southern 100; rated 5 by Forrest Davis, who said, May be the best WR in the South. Does everything well. Gamebreaker; SUPER SOUTH 75 by Pigskin Preps, which rates him top WR in South, adding, Has unlimited ability;, great suze, speed, leaping ability and hands; as senior, caught 67 passes for 1,100 yards and 26 TDs; also had 53 tackles, five interceptions and 27-yard kickoff return average; BP 225. Picked Alabama over Mississippi State and Florida.