Bicknell strikes again

AUBURN | Junior college signees, graduate transfers, traditional transfers, position changes — Auburn has plugged holes on its offensive line by whatever means necessary over the past half dozen seasons.

It was out of necessity with the Tigers unable to sign more than three high school offensive linemen in a class since 2015, signing 13 total over those five classes. During that same five-year period, it’s three top rivals averaged four or more high school offensive line signees per class: Alabama (20), Georgia (23) and LSU (20).

In eight years under Malzahn, the Tigers have brought in four JUCO signees, three graduate transfers, two traditional transfers and made three position changes to bolster the offensive line.

But that’s changing in a big way under Jack Bicknell Jr. Auburn’s first-year offensive line coach has already secured commitments from four high school offensive linemen after adding four-star offensive guard Jaeden Roberts from North Shore in Houston, Texas to the 2021 class Wednesday.

Roberts spoke glowingly about Bicknell in an interview with Rivals recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman.

“We're very honest with each other -- no smoke -- and he's straight-up honest and he's given me his word that he will bring me to my peak if I come to Auburn,” Roberts told Rivals. “Every coach says that they will, but he is really genuine and honest about it. Some people say that you have to go on your instincts and I've been around a lot of coaches and I can tell that based on his characteristics and how they speak to me and my parents and how they overall treat me that it's home up there.”

Roberts is listed as 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds by Rivals, which emphasizes another trend under Bicknell. Auburn’s three other offensive line commits are all listed as 6-foot-7 or taller: J’Marion Gooch (6-8, 340), Caleb Johnson (6-7, 290) and Garner Langlo (6-7, 280).

Auburn hasn’t signed four offensive linemen 6-foot-5 or taller since the 2012 class.

Bicknell is also stretching out Auburn's recruiting footprint for offensive linemen in this class. Roberts is from Texas, Gooch from Tennessee, and both Johnson and Langlo from central Florida. It's reminiscent of that 2012 class, which included offensive linemen from Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, Florida, Georgia and Alabama.