Auburn won the long and winding battle for four-star athlete Mark-Antony Richards and the victory is one worth celebrating. The South Florida star was the state’s second-highest ranked uncommitted prospect headed into signing day and ended up spurning two in-state programs to choose the Tigers. Add in the fact that Richards’ brother played at Miami, and the Auburn’s victory seems even more impressive. Below, Rivals.com has a look at how Richards’ decision helps the Tigers and hurts the programs that swung and missed.
HOW IT HELPS AUBURN: This is no small steal for Auburn, especially when you consider the fact that, rightly or wrongly, Gus Malzahn’s job security seems to always become a talking point in the offseason. That matters not at this juncture, however, as the Auburn head coach was able to forge an incredibly strong bond with Richards. Make no mistake, the four-star athlete’s relationship with Auburn’s head coach is what sealed this deal, and that fact speaks to Malzahn’s prowess as a recruiter. Extracting Richards, a priority target for both Miami and Florida, from the Sunshine State was no easy task. As a prospect, Richards is about as versatile as they come. He played multiple positions throughout his high school career, but prefers running back. That’s presumably where he’ll line up at Auburn.
HOW IT HURTS FLORIDA AND MIAMI: Richards left his official visit to Miami with some doubts about the hometown school. So while the Hurricanes led his recruitment for a solid chunk of time, things fell apart down the stretch. Obviously, the sudden coaching change didn’t help things either. Regardless of the factors at work, though, losing this battle isn’t a great look for UM. And while Florida certainly had a shot as well, it’s not as much of a crushing loss for the Gators, which didn’t become a major player until later in the process. Both programs have capable running backs on their current rosters, but losing a battle you once thought you had won is never pleasant. There will certainly be some mourning in Coral Gables.
