Today in minor recruiting arrests: The early headliner of Auburn's 2013 recruiting class, Muscle Shoals, Ala., defensive tackle Dee Liner, has reportedly been arrested for criminal trespassing – his second offense in less than two weeks.
According to WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Liner (not to be confused with early nineties house/dance group Deee-Lite) was arrested around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning after being spotted jumping a fence at a public pool along with several other people. The initial charge, burglary, was quickly reduced to criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor; no court date has been set. The threat of a felony count having been narrowly avoided, Auburn fans will now take solace in the image of a 6-foot-3, 270-pound lineman hopping a fence as more proof of his freakish athleticism.
A previous (and previously unreported) incident may prove more serious. On July 1, Liner was arrested following an altercation with a female officer who had pulled over his mother in Muscle Shoals. According to a police report, Liner pulled up in a second car during the traffic stop and began "screaming, cursing and throwing objects" at the officer, allegedly yelling "Let my f------ mother go. You're not going to tell me what to do." He's set to appear on Aug. 23 on two misdemeanor charges from that incident, for disorderly conduct and obstructing government operations.
Liner, committed to Auburn since June 2011, is considered a five-star prospect by virtually every major recruiting site, several of which rate him as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the entire 2013 class. He reinforced his commitment in April, following an unofficial visit to Alabama, assuring Tiger fans that "there wasn't nothing serious about the trip to Tuscaloosa" and promising "I'm 100 percent with Auburn, no matter what." We should know soon if the feeling is reciprocated.
Per NCAA rules, Auburn is not allowed to comment on the arrest, or publicly acknowledge the existence of a potential recruit in any fashion. Neither Liner nor the school of his choice is bound to anything until he's allowed to sign an official letter of intent next February.
