Auburn gets commitment from Atlanta linebacker

AUBURN — When Auburn starts the 2008 football season Aug. 30 against Louisiana-Monroe, the Tigers will have three seniors and a junior on their two-deep depth chart at linebacker.

That’s an excellent sign for the ’08 defense. But finding future replacements for those veterans is a top priority in Auburn’s recruiting efforts.

Those efforts paid off in a big way Monday, when Atlanta linebacker Jonathan Atchison announced his plans to sign with Auburn in February.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Atchison is considered one of the South’s top linebacker prospects. He chose AU over scholarship offers from Alabama, West Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Maryland and several others.

As a junior, Atchison had 110 tackles and 12 sacks for Atlanta’s Douglass High.