It will sting Auburn plenty that five-star linebacker Rashaan Evans chose to sign with Alabama Wednesday. Evans was the No. 15 player in the country, the biggest target on the Tigers' board, an Auburn native, the son of two Auburn graduates and had been largely expected to sign with Gus Malzahn's team for weeks. (The 247 Sports Crystal Ball had been overwhelmingly in favor of the Tigers.)
Despite all of that, after whispers that Alabama had made a massive push down the stretch, Evans' decision didn't come as a total shock ... unless, maybe, you're Auburn's webmaster. The following profile appeared on Auburn's site -- complete with highlight video -- as the state held its breath for Evans' announcement:
Like whoever was responsible for the above appearing on Auburn's site -- it's since been deleted -- it appeared Evans' mother may not have been entirely thrilled with her son's decision:
Auburn SID Kirk Sampson offered an explanation:
Auburn Athletics did not prematurely post a bio of a recruit. Bios are pre-built and hidden by code in anticipation of signing day.
— Kirk Sampson (@AuburnSID) February 5, 2014
That may be the case ... but it also seems like the code-hiding could still be a bit more airtight.
So it's bad, but not all bad for Auburn; top-100 guard Braden Smith signed with the Tigers over TCU earlier in the morning.
UDPATE: Auburn also had company, as it turned out: via GatorBait.net reporter Thomas Goldkamp, LSU published-then-deleted a bio for five-star cornerback Adoree' Jackson before he chose USC:
Uh, LSU has a bio for Adoree' Jackson up ... http://t.co/8Pgh59kkzO pic.twitter.com/Hv3cfhoTNi
— Thomas Goldkamp (@Goldkamp247) February 5, 2014