There is still hope that Florida will be able to flip five-star defensive lineman [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] from the Auburn Tigers, but it’s going to take some in-season success to get over the finish line.
Autry committed to Auburn in February 2023, but he’s kept his recruitment open and Florida has played host to him often. Most recently, Autry was in town for an official visit in June, and he plans to return for Florida’s season opener against Miami, according to Swamp247.
“Florida has just been consistent,” Autry said in the early part of the summer. “I’ve been there probably six times … Every time I go down there, they communicate a lot. I talked to all of them all the time. They’re probably the school that communicates with me the most out of all the staffs.”
Completing the flip will not be easy, though. Auburn has the home-state advantage with Autry, and he plans on being on campus often throughout the season. If the Tigers can win meaningful games in front of him, they have little to fear.
There’s also the Ohio State Buckeyes to worry about if you’re Florida. The Buckeyes have emerged as perhaps the stronger candidate to flip Autry with familiar talented already under commitment. He was in Columbus over the summer for an official visit, and there’s a chance he will make it to the Michigan game at the end of the season.
Florida faces the toughest schedule in the country this year, so things could change quickly for Autry if the Gators string together a couple of impressive wins. However, a four or five-win season probably won’t inspire him to ditch an almost two-year commitment.
Recruiting Summary
Autry is a consensus four-star recruit who has earned a fifth star from 247Sports. The On3 industry ranking puts him at No. 75 overall and No. 7 among defensive linemen in the class of 2025, while the 247Sports composite has him at Nos. 104 and 13, respectively.
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