New prediction: South Florida DL to the Auburn Tigers

Auburn picked up two major commitments on the day of Big Cat Weekend. The event is over, but the good buzz and news that the day created is not over.

Dimitry Nicolas, a 6-foot-3 260 pound 3-star defensive lineman from Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace, attended Auburn for Big Cat Weekend. Although he did not talk to reporters, it seems as though he enjoyed himself.

Now, it seems much more likely than not that Nicolas will be a Tiger. I have put in an On3 RPM prediction for Auburn to land Nicolas with 60 percent confidence.

Nicolas, a 6-foot-3 260 pound interior defensive lineman, is the No. 573 overall player, the No. 56 defensive lineman, and the No. 75 player in the state of Florida according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

More on Nicolas

Nicolas is a name that seemingly came out of nowhere. As things normally go in recruiting, there is usually a lot going on behind the scenes. It sometimes takes a planned visit to get it out in the open. That is the case with Nicolas, who Auburn has liked for some time. Nicolas is wanted by Auburn and that is not necessarily new. In fact, our intel suggests the interest in Nicolas from Auburn’s staff skyrocketed after his Big Cat visit.

Nicolas would more than likely fit in as the nose guard or interior technique player, which gives him higher value to the staff. As of right now, there aren’t many nose-like players on the Tigers’ board. Nicolas is becoming more of a priority because he is a good fit for a position of need.

Two strengths

— Nicolas is a strong leg driver without using great hands. He wins his reps against his opponent with excellent power and very little technique at times. The coachable things will come, the power cannot be taught. He is a tough assignment when in a single man block situation.

— While he is not all that twitchy, he is a high-effort player. Nicolas often runs down plays and does things a typical interior defensive lineman will not do. He moves pretty well for his size. He has room to add good weight to his frame and that is a plus.

One area for improvement

— Most of Nicolas’ game at this point relies on power. That will not be so easy on the next level. From a technical standpoint, he has a ways to go to be SEC ready. Physically, he is good enough to play SEC football early on. Nicolas is not a versatile defensive lineman. He is designated as an interior guy, which is not a bad thing.

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