Auburn leads, but McKinzy open

Birmingham (Ala.) Woodlawn strongside defensive end Cassanova McKinzy has been to Auburn for quite a few games, and each time he left impressed with what he witnessed there.

"Man, it's wild," McKinzy told Rivals.com. "It's somewhere I want to be. As a football player, if you step on the field and can't produce there, you don't need to be playing."

McKinzy's affection for Auburn's atmosphere is one reason the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder said he currently has the Tigers on top of several other programs that, like Auburn, have offered. His offer list includes Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Clemson, Florida State, Kansas and UAB.

"I love the environment," McKinzy said. "I feel like I'm at home and everybody loves me. They just make me fit in."

Despite his fondness of the Tigers, McKinzy wants to make one thing clear about his recruitment. It, he insisted, is far from over.

"I'm not an Auburn lock," McKinzy said. "A whole bunch of people say that. I grew up an Auburn fan, and I've been there more than to any other school - of course I'm going to like Auburn. But I told myself I was going to give other schools a chance."

Florida State and Clemson, which McKinzy said are second and third, respectively, in his pecking order, are two programs he intends to check out in person soon for the first time. He will visit Clemson in two weeks, then make a trip to Tallahassee, Fla., the next. Admittedly, he has much to learn about each program.

"I don't know too much about [FSU]," McKinzy said. "But I hear good stuff."

Regarding Clemson, he said, "It's kind of funny, I just like the all-orange uniforms."

Thus far, McKinzy has visited both Auburn and Alabama for junior days.

"I haven't had time to go to any other schools," McKinzy said.

Who is recruiting him the hardest?

"Probably Auburn," McKinzy said. "But Alabama is coming on kind of hard now."

According to McKinzy, one factor will weigh heavily in his decision as he searches for a school.

"I'm just going where I can get on the field fastest," he said.