Gus Malzahn and the Auburn Tigers are in hot pursuit of three-star outside linebacker Thomas Johnston. Johnston, from Spanish Fort (Ala.) High, racked up 675 career tackles, which is an Alabama High School Football record.
During his recruitment, Malzahn asked if Johnston would be interested in flipping to H-back.
“At first, I wanted nothing to do with it,” Johnston told AU.com. “Then, I looked into it.”
The key to Malzahn’s pitch was to have Johnston (6 feet 2, 215 pounds) observe current Auburn H-back Chandler Cox (6-1, 235). He has played 25 games for Auburn and scored the Tigers’ opening points against Oklahoma in the 2017 Sugar Bowl.