Top Auburn RB commitments in the Rivals.com era

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

Florida running back Devan Barrett, ranked as the No. 71 player in the 2017 Rivals100 Presented by Under Armour, is obviously a huge commitment for the Auburn Tigers. But where does he stand in Rivals.com history when it comes to AU running back commitments? It’s an interesting group for sure.

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The skinny: The long-time Auburn lean trimmed his top schools down to the Tigers, Arkansas and Tennessee before making his commitment in November of his senior season. On that day, he pulled no surprises as he did commit to Auburn and stayed firm with his word through National Signing Day. Dyer topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark twice with the Tigers, but decided to transfer after he was suspended for the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl for a violation of team rules. Initially ending up at Arkansas State, that move only last a couple of months as he was dismissed from the program after an arrest during the spring. After not playing anywhere in 2012, Dyer made his move to Louisville, where he rushed for 714 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons before being suspended for the 2014 Belk Bowl due to academic ineligibility. He went undrafted in 2015 and had an unsuccessful attempt with the Oakland Raiders before seeing time with Toronto and currently Saskatchewan in the CFL.

Farrell’s take: If only Dyer could have gotten out of his own way, he would have had an amazing college career and been an NFL success, but he derailed his career after a very good start. He was a bowling ball of a runner with deceptive speed and was very hard to tackle because he ran with such natural leverage. His thick legs were constantly churning and he was a guy who got stronger as he got more carries. It’s a shame to see such a promising start end with little to show for it – simply unreached potential.

The skinny: Thomas took long looks at USC, Oregon, Florida and LSU but, in the end, his decision came down to Auburn and Alabama. With Gus Malzahn and his staff making Thomas a priority from the start and developing a close relationship with him and his family, Thomas committed to Auburn during a visit to campus in early August. He never wavered over the next six months leading up to National Signing Day and signed with the Tigers. Thomas experienced limited success during his two seasons with the Tigers, which eventually led to his transfer this spring. He has found a new home at FCS Jacksonville State, where he is likely to become a major part of the Gamecocks' offense this fall.

Farrell’s take: Roc, as he was known, had it all and then some to be a star at the college level but has clearly fallen short of expectations. Injuries played a part in this but also what appears to be a bit of impatience on his part and perhaps a lack of love for a new role. Auburn was set to work him in at running back and also as a receiver before he transferred. He had amazing hands for a running back during camps but was also a dynamic runner with vision and great feet in high school. Maybe he’ll find stardom at a lower level of football, but it’s a shame to see him leave with a lot of promise left in his legs and hands.

Editor’s Note: Enrique Davis was No. 30 nationally in 2007 when he signed with Auburn and became a five-star when he went off to prep school, Since he signed and played with Ole Miss after flipping from Auburn he’s not included on this list.

The skinny: Tate committed to the Tigers during the summer leading up to his senior season, but still took an official visit to Maryland in September and then debated taking additional visits to Florida and Penn State. However, by the time November rolled around, he re-confirmed his commitment to the Tigers and signed on National Signing Day. After three productive seasons at Auburn, Tate burst onto the scene during the 2009 season with 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns. This led to him being selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by Houston, where he spent four seasons. He spent the 2014 season with Cleveland, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, but was never able to make an impact at any of the stops. He is currently an unsigned free-agent.

Farrell’s take: I liked Tate a lot, more than many others in the industry even though he came from a small school and was a relative unknown until after his junior season. He was a physical runner with sneaky feet and he bounced off tackles well and he has a work ethic and drive that is hard to quantify. He had a great career at Auburn and a solid NFL career, so he lived up to this ranking in a big way.

The skinny: There wasn’t a great deal of drama in Johnson’s recruiting process, as he committed to the Tigers during the spring after his junior season. While he contemplated taking official visits to Alabama and Florida State, they never materialized and he signed with Auburn on National Signing Day. After seeing limited playing time as a true freshman last fall, Johnson is expected to be a bigger part of the offense in 2016. Look for Auburn to use Johnson’s versatility to get him on the field more, even if Jovon Robinson is the likely lead back.

Farrell’s take: Johnson was and is a terrific athlete as evidenced by playing defensive back during Under Armour All-America week and that versatility and athleticism will make him a dangerous weapon at Auburn. He can play receiver, running back and a hybrid combo position of both and I think he has a big impact this coming season even if he isn’t the workhorse.

The skinny: Barrett had a hectic spring, as the offers continued to pile up. He named a top 10 of Auburn, Tennessee, North Carolina, USC, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Miami, Florida State and Notre Dame in June and followed that up with visits to Auburn, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida State. With these four pulling away from the pack, Barrett committed to the Tigers on July 28.

Farrell’s take: Barrett takes a lot of inside handoffs and does a great job of finding gaps with his vision and avoiding tackles with his feet. He has a nice jump cut, has good balance and can bounce things outside to make big plays. He’s more of a slasher than Auburn is used to recently at running back and that’s a good thing. He can catch the ball out of the backfield.

Farrell’s take: Robinson is a beast who became a five-star after he developed in the JUCO ranks and should have a breakout season this year. Mason was clearly under-ranked and had one of the best single seasons in SEC history with 1,800-plus yards. Bray turned out to be more of a receiving threat and special teams guy, while Ford has been solid at defensive back and also on special teams. Martin, a Baylor signee who was released and just decided on Auburn, has speed to burn. Aycock was dismissed and busted out for Auburn. All in all, this is an athletic group of backs who became stars like Mason (and possibly Robinson or Martin) or found a home at another position aside from Aycock.