As Ameer Abdullah's stock rises, his love for Auburn stays firm

by Brooks Webb, Senior Writer, AuburnEagle.com

Ameer Abdullah (Homewood HS/ Homewood, AL) was lightly recruited going into the summer months. After taking MVP honors at two Nike Camps at LSU and Alabama, and racking up a third MVP award at the Arians Pro Football Academy Combine in Hoover last week, that has changed rather quickly.

“My recruiting has gone up much quicker than I thought it would. It’s pretty cool, I’ve gotten a lot of interest from big schools like West Virginia, Miami, LSU and Georgia. I’ve been surprised how the camps have helped out as much as they have,” Abdullah said.

It’s a great honor to win three separate MVP awards at prestigious camps like he has, but Abdullah isn’t shocked by his performance. “I don’t really look at it like it’s surprising. I work hard all the time, and I wouldn’t have any of it any other way. I’m going to continue to work hard and keep it up and everything else will come,” he said. As of now, his Top 3 would be Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and Southern Miss, but Abdullah hopes to pick up even more high profile offers soon.

With the results and work ethic he has shown thus far, it’s bound to happen. “The coaches at the camps look for consistency through the whole thing. It’s not just the 40 yard dash or vertical jump or one on one drills. You’ve got to be good in every event.” And it’s clear that’s just what Abdullah has done.

After amassing over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Patriots last season, you would think Abdullah wouldn’t be under the radar like he is. However, at 5-foot-9, 170-pounds, some teams may be reluctant to offer him because of his size.

One offer Abdullah is anxiously awaiting though is one from his favorite school, the Auburn Tigers. “I don’t have an offer yet, and they haven’t told one way or the other. I stay in touch with Coach Thigpen a lot. He likes me at defensive back over running back. They want to see me get more reps there, and if he likes what he sees, then it may work out with them,” said Abdullah.

Auburn isn’t a new found love for Abdullah, and to play at Auburn, he’d gladly play defense. “I get that question a lot about changing to the other side of the ball. I’ve been an Auburn fan for as long as I can remember. I love it, I come to all the home games, and it’s just my dream school. Defensive back or running back wouldn’t matter to me,” he added. Would an Auburn offer mean an immediate commitment? “I’d talk to my parents about it, but I’d pretty much have my mind made up. They sent me the stuff about the facility upgrades last week, and they just have a good deal going there. They’re making big strides in every aspect of the program.”

Abdullah has done the best thing possible to stay on the Auburn staff’s mind by keeping in touch, and they’ve made quite an impact on him. “I love how well you can get along with the coaches. On a personal level, they just want to get to know you better. On and off the field, they are interested and show how much they care about more than just football,” Abullah said.

With Abdullah’s recent success, there’s no doubt he’s making a name for himself and making it hard for coaches to not offer him. If Auburn shows more interest in Abdullah and extends an offer his way, then you can almost bank on him suiting up for the Tigers in 2011.