Emaree Winston discusses his visit to Auburn.
Alabama—Emaree Winston, a four-star tight end committed to Texas, has not visited Auburn since he camped with the Tigers in eighth grade. This weekend, he returned to the Plains for an official visit to see Hugh Freeze’s program and departed with a strong impression of all he witnessed. While Winston remains dedicated to the Longhorns, he admits Auburn made a pitch and he will return.
“Considering that I hadn’t talked to them and just starting talking to them when coach Ben (Aigamaua) came to my spring practice, I had shut my recruitment down,” Winston stated. “They (Auburn) assisted themselves tremendously. We’d never talked. We now communicate every day. Every morning, I wake up to a Bible scripture. My mother loves it, and so do I. That matters a lot because, at the end of the day, God comes first, and he is prioritizing that.
“Coach Ben is my dog.” There just isn’t much to say about him. Simply put, great energy. I enjoy how he coaches and speaks to his guys. “We have a wonderful friendship.
Winston said the visit went well since he was able to spend time with the coaches, tour the school, and learn more about the program. After seeing what the Tigers did last season with Rivaldo Fairweather, he noticed a strong emphasis on involving tight ends in the system.
“Really the development of the tight ends,” Winston stated. “Coach Ben showed me how to use them and 13 (Fairweather). He certainly stands out on the team. Essentially the same stuff I do.
“When I first made my decision, it was to develop the tight ends. They didn’t utilize them for a few years, and it’s two hours away from my residence.
Winston, who traveled to Auburn with his mother, father, and sisters, said being near to home may play a role in his decision as Auburn continues to make moves.
“It didn’t at first,” he said when asked if distance was an issue. “Now I see a location that is utilizing the tight ends. My mother, father, and sisters would come to every game, whether I was in Texas or here.
Auburn also benefits from the fact that Ryan Ghea has already committed. Ghea, Winston’s close friend and someone who would be in the same room, is making an impact as Winston becomes more familiar with the Tigers.
“I met Ryan my ninth grade year at the Georgia camp and we’ve been close ever since then,” Winston stated. “We communicate virtually daily. He pledged to Auburn, and I committed to Texas; nonetheless, he still wanted me to come to Auburn. “We have a wonderful friendship.
