AU Adding much-needed depth on defense

Contributed Auburn Villager Linebacker Cassanova McKinzy was the first recruit from the class of 2012 to pledge his commitment to the Tigers. He didn’t waver throughout the recruiting process and inked with Auburn Feb. 1.

By the late afternoon on Feb. 1, also known as National Signing Day, the Auburn Tigers received signed Letters of Intent from seven defensive players. One of them is already taking classes on the Plains.

Considering the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball in 2011 were so young—just two of the 11 starters in the final game of the season were seniors—there wasn't much need for immediate replacement in 2012.

However, the talent of the defensive signees who are now Tigers is undeniable. Of the seven defensive players who signed with Auburn, Rivals list four as four-stars.

Head coach Gene Chizik said the goal was to bring in signees who are the best fit for Auburn, and he believes that goal was met on signing day.

"We feel great about the quality of the class," Chizik said. "We feel like we targeted needs that we had on our football team, and we addressed those needs, and we feel very fortunate that we're able to land some of these top recruits."

Defensive linemen

Just two defensive linemen inked with the Tigers on Feb. 1. From the 2011 roster, Auburn did not lose any linemen to graduation, therefore the need for newcomers was not great.

Three-star defensive end Gimel President hails from Mount Pleasant, S.C. and is considered the state's No. 14 overall recruit by Rivals. He recorded 77 tackles, including 24 tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 11 pass breakups as a senior.

The other signee is defensive tackle Tyler Nero, a four-star from Atmore.

Nero is listed by Rivals as the state's No. 10 overall prospect and nation's No. 22 defensive tackle. As a senior at Escambia County High School, Nero registered 69 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, one sack, 17 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Linebackers

The Tigers lost just one starting linebacker to graduation: middle linebacker Eltoro Freeman.

Auburn added two four-star linebackers to help pick up where he left off.

Cassanova McKinzy quickly became a fan-favorite in this year's signing class because of his die-hard Auburn attitude. McKinzy wasn't shy about talking about his distaste for other schools, particularly Alabama.

McKinzy is considered the state's No. 9 recruit and country's No. 19 outside linebacker by Rivals. He recorded an astounding 113 tackles, including 21 tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham.

Javiere Mitchell, despite having just three years of football experience under his belt, was listed as a four-star linebacker by Rivals.

Hailing from Leeds, Ala., Mitchell is rated as the No. 12 overall recruit from Alabama by Rivals. As a senior at Leeds, Mitchell was No. 4 on the Birmingham News' list of Alabama's 2012 Super Seniors and was named to the 3A Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State Team as a junior and a senior.

Secondary

The Tigers will return the majority of their secondary this year with just Neiko Thorpe being lost to graduation.

Auburn picked up three defensive backs on signing day to add to its numbers.

Joshua Holsey, a four-star cornerback form Fairburn, Ga., is the highest rated defensive back of the trio.

He is listed as the nation's No. 15 cornerback and the 13th-ranked prospect from the state of Georgia. He committed to Auburn in May and stayed true to his verbal statement. Holsey accounted for 73 tackles, five picks (two returned for scores), and two forced fumbles. On offense, Holsey registered 15 carries for 265 yards and three touchdowns along with 32 catches for 656 yards and seven touchdowns.

T.J. Davis, a three-star from Tallahassee, Fla., is considered the 29th-ranked cornerback in the country and 49th player from the Sunshine State.

Davis was named to the First-Team of the Orlando Sentinel's All-Florida Team as a senior. He recorded 40 tackles, three picks and two blocked punts that year. He also has experience on offense, where he registered two rushes for 26 yards and a catch for 13 yards.

Jonathan Jones, a Carrollton, Ga., native, is rated as a three-star by Rivals. The site also considers him the 40th cornerback in the nation and 40th overall recruit from Georgia.

Jones recorded 32 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble while also racking up 209 rushing yards and a score on 20 carries. An exceptional track athlete, Jones is the 110-meter high hurdles national champion, clocking a time of 13.72. He has also registered a 10.6 100-meter dash.