Auburn Flips Bama Commitment, Signs No. 5 ILB Robert Woodyard

Auburn jumped 16 spots in the Rivals.com rankings on Wednesday from No. 30 to No. 14, based largely on the signing of one player - No. 5 inside linebacker Robert Woodyard of Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama.

The fact that Woodyard was committed to Alabama from June of 2020 makes it that much sweeter.

"It was just a feel for me," Woodyard said Wednesday. "I think I'm the best fit for Auburn."

Woodyard (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) is the No. 9 prospect in the state of Alabama and No. 168 overall prospect nationally.

"The University of Alabama, I want to thank them also for recruiting me," he said. "I think the whole Alabama family - a huge thanks to them."

First-year Auburn coach Bryan Harsin on Wednesday also added signee four-star wide receiver Camden Brown of St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Alabama's class was not exactly harmed by the loss of Woodyard, though. It actually rose from No. 2 at the beginning of the day to No. 1, replacing Georgia, because of the signee additions of No. 5 wide receiver Shazz Preston of St. James High in St. James, Louisiana, and No. 1 defensive tackle Khurtis Perry of Pike Road High in Montgomery, Alabama.

Preston chose Alabama over LSU, while Perry picked Alabama over Auburn.