THE LIST: FAU 2017 Commitments
BOCA RATON – The first major recruiting weekend of the Lane Kiffin era yielded at least three new commitments – two of whom should provide help in the trenches.
East Mississippi Community College defensive end Tim Bonner and Fort Lauderdale-Cardinal Gibbons defensive back Diashun Moss both pledged to the Owls. So did Jefferson Davis (Ala.) offensive lineman Preston Mixon.
Bonner, a former Ole Miss commit, will follow former Rebels coach Chris Kiffin to Boca Raton. Chris is the new FAU defensive coordinator.
A 6-foot-5, 225-pound pass rusher, Bonner recorded 37 tackles, including 5.5 sacks, this season at East Mississippi.
The Alabama native signed with Louisville out of high school before transferring to East Mississippi. Kentucky and Mississippi St. also pursued Bonner out of high school.
Moss held offers from the likes of FIU, Marshall, Temple and Ball St.
Let’s make history 🔴🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/ZCtIiXywzl
— Diashun 〽️oss (@DiashunM) January 16, 2017
Mixon is a 6-foot-4, 295-pound versatile offensive lineman who can play all three offensive line positions. He held offers from Georgia St. and Cincinnati.
He told OwlAccess.com: “I liked the coaching staff & players the most. I feel like the program is heading down a great path because of the staff and I feel myself being able to grow and develop into an amazing OL with the players.”
FAU also lost a commitment over the weekend. Madison County (Ga.) quarterback Jack Walker announced his decision via Twitter, writing “After talking it over with my family, I have decided to decommit from Florida Atlantic University.”
Early in the week Walker told OwlAccess.com that he was considering decommitting because he had yet to hear from head coach Lane Kiffin, who has now been the Owls’ coach for more than one month.
Former FAU offensive coordinator Travis Trickett, now with Georgia St., continued to recruit Walker, making the Panthers a likely destination.
The weekend’s comings and goings leave FAU with 12 commitments, including junior college quarterback De’Andre Johnson, who is enrolled at Florida Atlantic for this semester. Johnson and Bonner were teammates this season at East Mississippi.
Bonner and Moss are the first two purely Kiffin recruits to commit to FAU. Johnson had visited and FAU and planned to sign with the Owls prior to Kiffin’s hiring.
Former FAU coach Charlie Partridge, prior to his firing, said the Owls plan to sign about 18 players this period.
National Signing Day is Feb. 1, leaving the Owls two more recruiting weekends.
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