Consensus four-star cornerback Stephen Roberts flipped his commitment from Alabama to Auburn on Thursday. Roberts, who is from Opelika High School in Alabama, had been committed to play for the Crimson Tide since late April.
4-star Stephen Roberts flips commitment from Alabama to Auburn
The Tigers added another blue chip prospect to what was already a strong 2014 class.
Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Roberts made a bunch of unofficial visits to Auburn after that commitment, including three in October alone, according to 247Sports’ recruiting timeline. He most recently was in town for the Tigers’ miraculous win over Georgia. The added familiarity with Auburn’s new coaching staff and the opportunity for early playing time were reasons for the change of heart, according to Roberts’ high school coach, Brian Blackmon:
“[Roberts] and I talked about it and I asked him where this was coming from and if he was sure this was the decision he wanted to make. He said he thought he had a chance to play early, it was close to home, and he had built a relationship with Coach Harbison and some of the other Auburn coaches.”
Roberts, who is 6’0 and weighs 177 pounds, also has a teammate committed to play for Auburn. Roberts is regarded as the 174th-best overall prospect in the 2014 class, the No. 14 player at his position as well as the seventh-best player in Alabama, per 247Sports.
It’s been a rough week on the recruiting front for the Crimson Tide, who also lost four-star offensive lineman Viane Talamaivao on Tuesday.
