Darius Philon commits to AU!

[RunInRed 18,112]

Vigor DT Darius Philon has committed to Auburn. He is the Tigers' seventh commitment in the 2012 class, third in last six days.

@AuburnRivals

Duke Philon, DT

Prichard, AL

6'2 / 260+ / 4.78

Offers:

Auburn, Kentucky, Memphis, Mississippi State, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas Tech and Western Kentucky, among others.

247Sports 3*

Rivals

Scout 3*

2010: Philon finished his junior season with 89 tackles. He reports a bench of 285-pounds, squat 405 and has a 26-inch vertical jump.

Philon plans to major in business management and reports a 3.0 core GPA and a 20 ACT.

Philon: "I have good hands. I have good technique too. I come off the ball well and have quick feet too.

"I want better speed and power. I’m working on my footwork too."

http://auburn.scout.com/a.z?s=6&p=8&c=1&nid=4793446

Philon is a kid with a high motor that has grown a lot lately, up to 6'3, 260 plus.

@JHokanson

Highlights:

[metafour 4,976]

Pretty aggressive take this early.

[RunInRed 18,112]

Pretty aggressive take this early.

Interesting. I didn't realize he had a firm offer nor was that high on our boards. Coaches must like some thing, especially considering he grew up an AU find (probably ours to lose). Heaven knows our staff deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluations.

[Team Captain 0]

Wonder how many DTs we will take this year? I'm guessing 2-3 (depending on Blackmons status). Justin Shanks, Nick James, and Tyler Nero still out there (I consider Goldman a long shot).

Pretty aggressive take this early.

Interesting. I didn't realize he had a firm offer nor was that high on our boards. Coaches must like some thing, especially considering he grew up an AU find (probably ours to lose). Heaven knows our staff deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluations.

[Team Captain 0]

Wonder how many DTs we will take this year? I'm guessing 2-3 (depending on Blackmons status). Justin Shanks, Nick James, and Tyler Nero still out there (I consider Goldman a long shot).

Pretty aggressive take this early.

Interesting. I didn't realize he had a firm offer nor was that high on our boards. Coaches must like some thing, especially considering he grew up an AU find (probably ours to lose). Heaven knows our staff deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluations.

Almost forgot......Welcome aboard Darius!

[Tigermike 3,657]

Welcome to the family Darius.

War Eagle

[RunInRed 18,112]

Wonder how many DTs we will take this year? I'm guessing 2-3 (depending on Blackmons status). Justin Shanks, Nick James, and Tyler Nero still out there (I consider Goldman a long shot).

I would imagine we'd take 3-4 with Bullard, Hooker, Nero and Shanks being the likely candidates to fill the remaining spots.

Jonathan Bullard, DT

Shelby, NC

6'4 / 255

Others(10+): Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, among others.

K'Hadree Hooker, DT

Deep Run, North Carolina

6'2 / 280

Offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.

Tyler Nero, DT

Atmore, AL

6'3 / 275

Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Illinois and South Alabama, among others.

Justin Shanks, DT

Prattville, AL

6'3 / 300

Offers (15+): Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Miami (Fl.), South Alabama, Southern Miss, Tennessee, UAB and Vanderbilt, among others.

[Mikey 16,781]

Wonder how many DTs we will take this year? I'm guessing 2-3 (depending on Blackmons status). Justin Shanks, Nick James, and Tyler Nero still out there (I consider Goldman a long shot).

I would imagine we'd take 3-4 with Bullard, Hooker, Nero and Shanks being the likely candidates to fill the remaining spots.

Jonathan Bullard, DT

Shelby, NC

6'4 / 255

Others(10+): Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, among others.

K'Hadree Hooker, DT

Deep Run, North Carolina

6'2 / 280

Offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.

Tyler Nero, DT

Atmore, AL

6'3 / 275

Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Illinois and South Alabama, among others.

Justin Shanks, DT

Prattville, AL

6'2 / 256

Offers (15+): Alabama, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Miami (Fl.), South Alabama, Southern Miss, Tennessee, UAB and Vanderbilt, among others.

I've also seen Shanks listed at 6'4", 295. That's a lot of difference from what scout shows here. Anyway, Shanks is supposed to be one of the top DT's in the country.

Philon seems like the same type player as S. Marks, which is great. Welcome to the Auburn family, Darius Philon!

[aubiescottie 1]

Pretty aggressive take this early.

Interesting. I didn't realize he had a firm offer nor was that high on our boards. Coaches must like some thing, especially considering he grew up an AU find (probably ours to lose). Heaven knows our staff deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to evaluations.

Something to be said for getting someone on the board who just wants to be at Auburn. Now he can recruit for us.

[RunInRed 18,112]

I've also seen Shanks listed at 6'4", 295. That's a lot of difference from what scout shows here. Anyway, Shanks is supposed to be one of the top DT's in the country.

I've updated - I think those were old measurables.

247Sports - 6'2 / 295

Rivals - 6'3 / 306

Scout - 6'4 / 294

[Mikey 16,781]

Has anybody seen a comment from Shanks about his impressions at BC111? This is one in-state guy that we really need. UAT has had a strangle-hold on Prattville. There have been a bunch in recent years from P-ville that Auburn recruited very hard and all ended up in Tuskaloser. Shanks would be a great one to break that trend with.

We're still thin at the position and top of the line DT's are perhaps the hardest players to find of any position. One important reason so many schools have gone to the 3-4 defense is that it's much easier to find four LB's than it is to find 2 DT's.

[RunInRed 18,112]

Has anybody seen a comment from Shanks about his impressions at BC111? This is one in-state guy that we really need. UAT has had a strangle-hold on Prattville. There have been a bunch in recent years from P-ville that Auburn recruited very hard and all ended up in Tuskaloser. Shanks would be a great one to break that trend with.

We're still thin at the position and top of the line DT's are perhaps the hardest players to find of any position. One important reason so many schools have gone to the 3-4 defense is that it's much easier to find four LB's than it is to find 2 DT's.

He told AuburnSports.com he's getting comfortable with Pelton, that he plans to return for camp this summer and he won't probably announce until close to Signing Day. Long way to go but most seem to feel we're in decent shape with Shanks.

[Mikey 16,781]

He told AuburnSports.com he's getting comfortable with Pelton, that he plans to return for camp this summer and he won't probably announce until close to Signing Day. Long way to go but most seem to feel we're in decent shape with Shanks.

Ok, thanks. Shanks is a rather quiet recruit, hard to see where he ever says much. Glad we're still in the hunt.

[quietfan 233]

Another Sen'Derrick?! ...Wouldn't mind at all, thank you!

Darius Philon commits to Auburn, bringing comparisons to Sen'Derrick Marks

Charles Goldberg

AUBURN -- Vigor High School's Darius Philon committed to play football at Auburn on Monday, and his high school coach Kerry Stevenson said the defensive lineman's style of play should look familiar to fans in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Stevenson said Philon resembles Sen'Derrick Marks, another Vigor defensive lineman who played for Auburn.

"Except, right now, he's definitely stronger than Sen'Derrick was at this point, and he's probably a little more explosive off the ball, too," Stevenson said.

Marks went on to become an NFL second-round pick. Philon still has his senior high school season to go. But the 6-foot-2, 260-pounder from Prichard is coming off a good junior year when he had 93 tackles, including nine sacks and 20 tackles for a loss. He also had offers from Kentucky, Mississippi State, Texas Tech and Southern Miss, among others.

Philon missed Auburn's Big Cat Weekend last week because of a previously scheduled trip with his uncle to Texas, but that didn't stop him from becoming the Tigers' seventh commitment for the 2012 signing class. It came after a whirlwind courtship.

Stevenson said Auburn didn't really focus on Philon until Vigor's spring game two weeks ago.

"It happened fast," Stevenson said. "They saw Darius and liked him.

"They wanted him to come up for Big Cat, but he couldn't, so he went up there early."

Stevenson said Philon met with defensive line coach Mike Pelton.

"He came back and said he was somebody he'd like to play for," Stevenson said.

Off the field, Stevenson said Philon has the grades and the ACT score to qualify. On the field, Stevenson said Philon has "a big motor who is explosive and has a nose for the football."

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/05/darius_philon_commits_to_aubur.html#incart_hbx

[RunInRed 18,112]

A lot of folks who scout / follow this stuff regularly are really high on Philon's upside.

[Mikey 16,781]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if we aren't thinking of him as a DE. Size and description wise, he's almost a carbon copy of Nosa Eguae. Glad we got there 'firstist with the mostest" on this guy.

[Duder 241]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if we aren't thinking of him as a DE. Size and description wise, he's almost a carbon copy of Nosa Eguae. Glad we got there 'firstist with the mostest" on this guy.

Agreed. Hooker, Nero and Shanks have better size for an SEC DT. He could probably safely move to end if necessary. Although, with his frame, he could easily add some bulk and stay inside. It probably all depends on the number of DTs we end up with.

[RunInRed 18,112]

[Tigermike 3,657]

Maybe Darius Philon can get teammate JaMichael Winston on the AU train.

[WarTiger 4,011]

why is the thread titled Duke Philon when his name is Darius?

[RunInRed 18,112]

He goes by Duke.

Another note: Absolute standout at bama's camp. BOL reported he earned an offer. Too little too late.

[Ryan Sanders 123]

He goes by Duke.

Another note: Absolute standout at bama's camp. BOL reported he earned an offer. Too little too late.

$a$an has had a history of $teal$ng recruits. It is too early for me to feel good about any of the commitments. But, the way our guys are recruiting, I don't think the coaches will have a hard time keeping everyone on board.

[McWeagle 4]

He goes by Duke.

Another note: Absolute standout at bama's camp. BOL reported he earned an offer. Too little too late.

$a$an has had a history of $teal$ng recruits. It is too early for me to feel good about any of the commitments. But, the way our guys are recruiting, I don't think the coaches will have a hard time keeping everyone on board.

Stay tuned:

Have an update on Vigor (Ala.) DL Darius Philon up soon. Been some talk about him wavering in commitment to Auburn, some interesting quotes.

@JHokanson

[McWeagle 4]

Stay tuned:

Have an update on Vigor (Ala.) DL Darius Philon up soon. Been some talk about him wavering in commitment to Auburn, some interesting quotes.

@JHokanson

Article is up, but is premium content, unsurprisingly. If anybody cares to share their insight...

[RunInRed 18,112]

Sounds like his recruitment isn't over to me. But the real story is that once again, our coaches are out in front of other staffs scouting talent. Philon and Hutcherson just to name a few.