Auburn Loses Lead for 4-Star OT

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Despite initially holding a lead for Chicago Mount Carmel four-star tackle Claude Mpouma, the No. 14 tackle in the On3 Industry, the Auburn Tigers now find themselves trailing after his recent official visit with the Florida Gators.

After leaving his visit on Sunday, Mpouma said the Gators had overtaken Auburn as his top school.

"I just feel comfortable over here," he said. "I feel like I'm home. That's probably a big thing for me."

The switch came after a strong visit with the Tigers a week prior, after which he said Auburn's staff had treated him like a priority.

"It was great," Mpouma said at the time. "I had an amazing time down there. It was pretty fun...They just told me they feel like I'm a priority for them, and they really want me to come and be a part of Auburn."

Although Mpouma did not go into much detail about Florida passing Auburn, he did give a brief explanation into the Gators' plans for developing him.

Mpouma is a rarity in the recruiting world as a high-rated prospect with minimal experience. His first year playing football was his junior season last year. Despite the inexperience, Mpouma has shot up the recruiting rankings with many teams around the country willing to take a chance.

"I'm looking for a program who's going to help me and take the time to teach me the game," he said. "They said they're going to help me with that, and I believe that."

Mpouma will visit Nebraska this weekend with plans to announce his decision sometime in early July.

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