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Marlon Davidson to play at Auburn

ESPN 300 defensive end Marlon Davidson made a verbal commitment to Auburn on Friday, on the eve of the Tigers' 2015 opener against Louisville.

Davidson, the 37th-ranked player in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2016, chose Auburn over Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Clemson.

Davidson announced his decision at a ceremony held at Greenville (Alabama) High School, where he transferred to live with relatives after his mother, Cynthia Carter, died from a blood clot in her brain on Feb. 23.

Davidson, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound end, totaled 69 tackles and seven sacks as a junior at Carver High School in Montgomery, Alabama, last season. He started his career at Greenville before initially transferring to Carver in July 2014.

Davidson's older brother, Kenneth Carter, is a former Auburn player and current member of the Tigers' football support staff.

Landing the Under Armour All-American is a significant boost to a program that has focused its recruiting efforts on the defensive line since former Florida coach Will Muschamp took over as defensive coordinator in the offseason. The Tigers signed Byron Cowart -- the No. 1 player in the country -- in February, and added another pass-rusher in ESPN No. 46 Jeffery Holland.

In addition to Davidson, Auburn has 2016 defensive line commitments from four-star DE Daquan Newkirk and three-star DT Tashawn Manning. The Tigers now have 13 commitments, five of which are ranked in the ESPN 300.