With 110 days until Auburn’s season opener against Mercer, I have decided to go back to writing about the Tigers in what will hopefully be a daily blog. Starting we will discuss the “New Tigers” that are heading to the loveliest village on the plains. This series will start with our lowest-rated high school recruit and work the way up the rankings; transfer players will have a separate segment.
Let’s look at our lowest rated commit without further ado, though the ranking is deceptive, Alex McPherson from Fort Payne, AL.
Record Setter:
Alex McPherson is the #1 rated kicker coming out of high school. The most common narrative we will likely hear beaten in the ground is that he is Cinccinati Bengals Kicker, Evan McPherson’s, younger brother. However, Alex is worthy of forging his path on the plains. The young Tiger set both the Alabama High School record for the longest field goal made (61 yards) and the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game record with a 58-yarder.
Measurables:
Checking in at 5’10” and 155 lbs. he is a little smaller than the Carlson brothers we have watched at Auburn over the last decade or so. His older brother though is 5’11” and 194 lbs. so that shouldn’t play too much of a factor.
Versatility from a Kicker?
Something interesting with Alex is that he was also rated in the top 10 nationally as a punter. This dual-threat skillset had to make him that much more appealing for an Auburn team that has had tremendous success on special teams in recent years. With both Anders Carlson and Oscar Chapman entering their final years this could be one of our biggest pick-ups when it is all said and done.
Playing time?
Realistically, Alex McPherson could be a day one starter at almost any division 1 school across America. Though he didn’t arrive in the spring semester it is likely he will get some reps early if Anders Carlson isn’t yet 100% heading into game one against Mercer. It is possible Auburn could allow McPherson to play in four games and redshirt this season before fully taking the reigns.
It can’t be overstated how big of a pickup this was for Auburn. McPherson could have very easily gone to his brother’s alma mater in Florida or one of the other schools he visited (Georgia and Texas A&M). Expectations will be high but Alex should be capable of continuing the dominance and success Auburn has had at the kicker position.
Im in Zeek. Love the site and great job on the wirte ups.
Awesome job Zeek! Who knew you were a sports writer? Subscribed