Auburn Flips Georgia 4-Star Safety Marlon Character away from South Carolina
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
When South Carolina lost head coach Steve Spurrier to an abrupt mid-season retirement after their LSU game in Week 6, they also lost 4-star safety recruit Marlon Character. On Monday, Character completed his de-commitment from the Gamecocks verbally committing to the Auburn Tigers.
Auburn seemingly had been in the running for Character all along despite his commitment to the Gamecocks. The Georgia native has been on a few unofficial visits to Auburn and even attended the Tigers game against Louisville in Atlanta in Week 1 of the college football season.
Character, listed at 6’0”, 170 pounds, has built an impressive offer sheet of 20 Division-I programs that includes Alabama, Ohio State, Ole Miss, LSU, Kentucky, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Miami, and in-state powers Georgia and Georgia Tech.
The Tigers are off to a slow start in compiling their 2016 recruiting class but have put together a solid group to-date led by Greenville High School 5-star defensive end Marlon Davidson. Seven of the 13 commitments to the 2016 class are slotted to play on the defensive side of the ball. Character is the second defensive back added to the class joining in-state recruit John Broussard.
Auburn 2016 Verbal Commitment List
CB John Broussard, 5’11”, 165 lbs, Central HS, Phenix City, AL
SS Marlon Character, 6’0”, 170 lbs, Grady HS, Atlanta, GA
DE Marlon Davidson, 6’3”, 279 lbs, Greenville HS, Greenville, AL
DE David Marshall, 6, 2”, 255 lbs, Upson-Lee HS, Thomason, GA
DE Daquan Newkirk, 6’3”, 252 lbs, First Academy, Orlando, FL
DT Tashawn Manning, 6’3”, 270 lbs, Wekiva HS, Apopka, FL
LB Tre Threat 6’1”, 230 lbs, Spanish Fort HS, Spanish Fort, AL
OT Brodarious Hamm, 6’5”, 315 lbs, Spalding HS, Griffin, GA
QB Woody Barrett, 6’2”, 220 lbs, West Orange HS, Winter Garden, FL
RB Malik Miller, 5’11”, 217 lbs, Madison Academy, Madison, AL
TE Landon Rice 6’6”, 245 lbs, Calhoun HS, Calhoun, GA
WR Marquis McClain, 6’2”, 207 lbs, Crestview HS, Crestview, FL
WR Elijah Stove, 6’0”, 174 lbs, Niceville HS, Niceville, FL
Photo credit: al.com; No. 2 Marlon Character.