Earlier in the month, Gene Chizik, when discussing Auburn’s area of focus on the recruiting trail, called the state of Alabama the “the No. 1 priority.”

For this weekend, at least, Chizik and the rest of his staff will have an opportunity to gauge how beneficial option No. 2 is.

Auburn will host about 11 prospective recruits this weekend, according to AuburnSports.com.

This weekend marks the last round of official on-campus visits before Wednesday’s National Signing Day.

All but one of this weekend’s visitors — Leroy quarterback Clint Moseley — played their last organized football outside of Alabama. Moseley is already committed to the Tigers. He joins junior-college transfer defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who is already signed, as the only visiting players to be locks for 2009.

“If we have relationships somewhere that takes us to a player that might not be the traditional recruiting grounds that Auburn’s been accustomed to going to, then we would,” Chizik said Jan. 9, his last announced meeting with the media. “But it’s real simple. You start in this state first and then you work your way out.”

This weekend’s class is highlighted, yet again, by a number of players not even considered to be on Auburn’s radar while Tommy Tuberville was still in charge. 

“It’s a new staff, there are certain positions right now on our football team that we’re very thin at,” Chizik said. “We have to recruit difference-makers at certain positions.”

Here are the rest of the expected visitors, according to AuburnSports.com:

- David Oku, RB, 4-star — Midwest City (Okla.): Committed to Tennessee, but has continued to make visits to other schools. High on pretty much every big school’s radar.

- Aubrey Phillips, OL, 4-star — Olive Branch (Miss.): Also committed to Tennessee, but it’s of the “soft” variety. His teammate, safety Daren Bates, committed to Auburn on Thursday.

- Johnnie Farms, OL, 4-star — Perry (Ga.): Committed to North Carolina, but has shown heavy interest in Auburn throughout the recruiting process.

- Taikwon Paige, DB, 4-star — Milledgeville (Ga.) Military College: Uncommitted and showing heavy interest in Auburn, though he does not have an official offer from the Tigers. UAB is also high on his list.

- Corey Gaines, DT, 4-star — Tallahassee (Fla.): Uncommitted and the beneficiary of a number of offers from big schools, including Auburn.

- Clint Moseley, QB, 3-star — Leroy: Committed to Auburn. Alabama’s Mr. Football will likely redshirt next year.

- Nick Fairley, DT, 3-star — Wesson (Miss.) Copiah-Lincoln C.C. (formerly a Mobile product): Signed with Auburn, but was unable to enroll for winter semester.

- Greg King, LB, 3-star — Memphis (Tenn.): Uncommitted with offers from a number of schools, including Auburn.

- Daren Bates, S, 2-star — Olive Branch (Miss.): Committed to Auburn Thursday, bringing the total up to 24.

- Mike Eargle, ATH, 0-star — Scranton (Pa.) Lackawanna C.C.: Uncommitted and without an offer at the moment

- Charlie Knipper, DS, 0-star — Whitefish Bay (Wisc.): Uncommitted with no offers. Considered one of the top deep snappers on the market.

| 737-2561