Five-star DE Marlon Davidson commits to Auburn

AUBURN — According to the Twitter account of Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, a big “BOOM” was heard from the Greenville, Ala., area Friday afternoon.

Greenville High School defensive end Marlon Davidson, a five-star prospect, verbally committed to Auburn Friday afternoon at a media conference at his high school. Davidson chose the Tigers over Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Michigan.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder is now the highest ranked committed prospect on Auburn’s projected 2016 recruiting class, which now ranks No. 16 according to 247Sports.com. Davidson is the third defensive lineman to verbally commit to Auburn, joining three-star recruits Tashawn Manning and Daquan Newkirk.

After Davidson’s commitment, Malzahn sent out a message on Twitter that said the following: “Boom!!!!! War Eagle!!!”

Davidson is rated the 24th player in the country according to 247sports.com and the second best defensive lineman.

"It's so much tradition, so much family," Davidson said after making his announcement.

Davidson continues Auburn streak of having five-star commitments from each of the last five years of recruiting classes: Carl Lawson and Montravius Adams (2013), Roc Thomas and Tre’ Williams (2014) and Byron Cowart (2015).

Davidson, who has also played locally at Carver High School in Montgomery, is the brother of former Auburn defensive lineman Ken Carter. Carter is now on the Auburn football staff in the player development department after being a part of two Auburn teams that competed in the national championship game.

"He's very athletic for his size," Carver head coach Billy Gresham said. "He's 6-4, 270, but he moves like a linebacker. He moves very well. He's very agile. The one thing he does is he plays with a low center of gravity. Plays with a lot of leverage all the time and that's what really allows him to beat blockers. He plays hard every single play. He don't ever take any plays off and that's very rare for a guy his size."

Davidson told 247Sports.com that his commitment to Auburn was proceeded by the relationship that was built between him and two members of the Tigers staff – defensive line coach Rodney Garner and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

“(Muschamp) told me I’d fit in right away,” Davidson said to 247Sports.com. “He said I’d come in and play and get my groove on, and just go ahead and finish everything and just go on and be a freshman All-American and do everything that I want to do.”

Davidson did say he would take official visits to Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Florida State, which leaves it open if he’ll change where he eventually signs with in February.

"I hope they do (recruit me) because of the fact that it's not over," Davidson said. "It's not the end of my decision. It's just the beginning. The only thing they've got to do is recruit me. I want to be recruited."

Davidson said he plans on graduating high school early and being an early enrollee in order to be ready for spring practices.