BIG CAT makes 'huge impact' on DT

AUBURN | Auburn is now a contender for the No. 4 defensive tackle.

Aubrey Solomon, who is ranked No. 81 in the Rivals100, visited Auburn for BIG CAT on Saturday and left without many doubts.

“Auburn is up there definitely,” Solomon, from Lee County, Ga., said. “They definitely showed me they are a contender.”

Solomon previously listed Alabama, Georgia and Clemson as his top three schools. Auburn, before BIG CAT, was a secondary option.

Not anymore.

“The visit made a huge impact on me,” Solomon said. “My mom had fun; my brother had fun and my cousin had fun. It was really a good experience. We did a lot of family-fun activities, and what stuck out to me the most were the coaches just being themselves.

“The coaches didn’t have a script. They weren’t reading from anything. They were truly just being themselves out there.”

One coach Solomon kept an eye on was Rodney Garner. Auburn’s defensive line coach has been recruiting Solomon for three years.

“Since I was a freshman,” Solomon said. “Coach Garner was one of the first coaches that started coming at me hard. He’s still coming at me hard. I know the love is still there.”

Solomon plans to show renewed interest in Auburn. He plans to return to the Plains at least two more times before Signing Day.

“At least two or three more times, most definitely,” Solomon said. “This visit went pretty well. My mom’s connections with all of the coaches were great. My mom isn’t a big people’s person so her interacting with the coaches was a new sight for me.”

Solomon, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 285 pounds, plans to announce his commitment Oct. 24 during senior night at Lee County.