Following the firing of head coach Gus Malzahn, many worried some incoming recruits would back out of their pledge to the Auburn Tigers and join other programs. Thankfully, one standout prospect from the state of Texas chose to stick around and play for Bryan Harsin.
Atascocita High School tight end Landen King, a three-star recruit from Humble, Texas, committed to Auburn on June 15. He originally committed to the Texas Longhorns, but found an ideal home on The Plains following his de-commitment last spring.
There's no doubt King is a big-time addition to Auburn's 2021 football recruiting class.
3-Star TE Landen King Commits to Auburn
Welcome to The Plains, @Landen_King3!
A matchup nightmare, we're excited to get this dynamic tight end out of the Lone Star State. pic.twitter.com/Jdps799fLA
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) December 16, 2020
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Ranked as the No. 29 tight end in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite, Landen King is definitely a big pickup for Auburn, Harsin, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
King, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound force, fielded offers from Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Kansas, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, SMU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, and Washington, among others.
He was the third recruit from the Lone Star State to commit to Auburn for 2021, joining a pair of North Shore four-star teammates in dual-threat quarterback Dematrius Davis and offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts, who has since committed to Alabama.
TE Landen King Highlights
As a junior in 2019, Landen King caught 53 passes for 853 yards and nine touchdowns, according to The Montgomery Advertiser. He caught 39 passes for 471 yards and five touchdowns as a senior.
He can line up on the line of scrimmage, in the slot, or outside like a traditional wide receiver. He is not known as a blocker, but he is more than willing to help out in that aspect of the game.
Considering his 6-foot-5 frame, King is certainly a versatile option for future Auburn offenses. If he plays up to his potential in college, NFL teams will start to take notice, too.
King is already on campus and participating in spring practices.
having the time of my life ??#WDE? pic.twitter.com/YwhS2lnZzQ
— Landen King (@Landen_King3) March 21, 2021
King's versatility will be key at the NCAA college football level and putting on more weight could potentially make him a big-time playmaker for the Auburn Tigers for years to come.
This post was originally published on June 15, 2020, but has been updated.
