Sting Factor: Trenton Simpson's decommitment from Auburn
When a major program loses a key recruit, Rivals.com takes a look at how big of a blow it is to the respective school, analyzing it from a local, regional, and national level. To quantify the “sting” of each decommitment, we assign a score from 1-10, with one being no big deal and 10 being a catastrophic hit.
THE SITUATION
Rivals100 linebacker Trenton Simpson had surprised some when he committed to Auburn back in June. North Carolina, Georgia, and a few other had been serious contenders for the Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek star but an official visit to Auburn really sealed the deal. His comfort level with the coaching staff and a clear path to early playing time were some of the biggest reasons for his commitment but that relationship slowly deteriorated over the last few months.
After a few “secret” visits to North Carolina, Auburn couldn’t reverse the momentum and Simpson announced his decommitment on Sunday night.
Simpson has already taken one official visit to Auburn so he has four more left. People close to Simpson say he intends to take all of his remaining official visits, with three of those four going to North Carolina, LSU and Georgia.
LOCAL REACTION
Anytime a school loses a commitment from a Rivals100 recruit, a top-10 linebacker, it stings. For Auburn, though, it stings even more as this is the third Rivals100, top-10 outside linebacker to decommit. Yes, three of the top six outside linebackers have now committed and de-committed from Auburn: Quandarrius Robinson (No. 3), Simpson (5) and Demouy Kennedy (6).
Even after losing the trio, Auburn could still save face at the position. The Tigers have been the presumed favorite for the No. 4 outside linebacker, Phillip Webb, although the buzz has dwindled a bit since the summer. Auburn also is heavily in the mix for Desmond Tisdol, the No. 20 inside linebacker.
With Wesley Steiner and Cam Riley both committed, should Auburn land one or both of Webb and Tisdol, it would still be an impressive linebacker class. – Jeffrey Lee, AuburnSports.com
Sting factor: 9
REGIONAL REACTION
Simpson is the third linebacker to decommit from Auburn in this cycle, which is definitely cause for concern, and he was the second-highest rated prospect in this Auburn recruiting class. These two facts would hurt any recruiting class substantially. Simpson loved the atmosphere at Auburn and had a good relationship with the staff but there is a sense his relationship with coaches at other schools may be stronger and he may trust them more.
A potential five-star and phenomenal athlete is a big loss for any recruiting class and Auburn is no exception. – Adam Friedman, Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
Sting factor: 9
NATIONAL REACTION
I’d give it an 8. He’s a super talented linebacker and a great get out of North Carolina so it hurts the class to lose a kid like that. – Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell
Sting factor- 8
WHAT'S NEXT?
Simpson hasn’t scheduled additional visits yet but he is planning on going to LSU, Georgia and North Carolina for official visits before finishing out his recruitment. There could be some twists and turns before all is said and done but it’s more likely that North Carolina doesn’t miss out on Simpson again.