auburn recruiting – Syndication Server

Hugh Freeze visits nation’s No. 10 EDGE

Freeze is keeping tabs on a priority EDGE as the 2026 recruiting cycle heats up.

One of the nation’s top EDGE rushers from the 2026 recruiting cycle received a special visit from Auburn’s head coach this week.

Auburn football head coach Hugh Freeze visited Jaquez Wilkes this week. Wilkes is a four-star EDGE from the 2026 cycle and a high priority for Freeze and the Auburn coaching staff.

Wilkes burst onto the scene as a two-way star at nearby Wadley High School as an eighth grader in 2021. Since then, he has succeeded as an EDGE rusher and a running back for the Bulldogs. In Wadley’s AHSAA Class 1A state championship win over Maplesville in December, Wilkes rushed for 312 yards and five scores on offense while recording a team-leading 10 tackles with two tackles for loss and an interception on defense.

Auburn currently leads the running to land Wilkes. According to On3’s recruiting prediction machine, Auburn has a 53.2% chance to land Wilkes, with Georgia and Tennessee close behind. Wilkes is the No. 10 EDGE from the 2026 cycle and is the No. 6 overall prospect from Alabama according to 247Sports.

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State champion QB plans to visit Auburn this weekend

Travis Burgess, a state-championship-winning quarterback, is set to visit Auburn this weekend.

Auburn football will host several key 2026 recruits as part of “junior day” on the Plains this weekend. Among those will be a state-champion quarterback from the Peach State.

[autotag]Travis Burgess[/autotag], a three-star quarterback from Loganville, Georgia, will visit Auburn this weekend for its junior day festivities. Burgess recently led the Grayson High School Rams to the GHSA Class 6A state championship over Colorado signee [autotag]Julian Lewis[/autotag] and the Carrollton Trojans.

In a recent interview with Steve Wiltfong of On3, Burgess explained what he is excited to experience this weekend in Auburn.

“Being able to get on campus and get a personal relationship with Coach Freeze and (Kent) Austin,” Burgess said in a recent interview with On3. “Experience what it would be like to play for the Tigers with the coaching staff, the current players, and other top athletes visiting as well. Also just see how the community is and if it’s a fit for me on a day-to-day basis.”

Although a member of the 2026 class, Burgess has yet to receive a full evaluation by key organizations such as On3 and 247Sports. However, the 6-5 signal caller is a three-star-rated quarterback by ESPN and Rivals. By Rivals’ rankings, he is the No. 14 quarterback in the nation from the 2026 class.

He holds offers from Auburn, Pittsburgh, Boston College, and Arizona State, with Auburn holding the early advantage with an 83% chance to sign him according to On3’s recruiting prediction machine.

Four-star safety lists Auburn among top schools ahead of commitment date

Auburn remains in the hunt to land the nation’s No. 23 safety from the 2026 cycle.

Auburn football remains in the mix to land a top-25 safety from the 2026 recruiting cycle ahead of his commitment date.

[autotag]Jaydin Broadnax[/autotag], a four-star safety from West Boca Raton High School in Florida, tells On3’s Chad Simmons that he will announce his commitment within the next two months and Auburn is one of the programs high on his radar. Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse, and USF join Auburn in the race to land Broadnax’s signature.

Broadnax has developed a strong relationship with Auburn cornerback’s coach Wesley McGriff, which has boosted Auburn to the top of his list. However, Broadnax has not visited Auburn. That will change this weekend when Hugh Freeze hosts the talented defensive back.

Broadnax shares with Simmons the factors he will look for on his upcoming visit to the Plains.

“I have never been there, so I just want to meet the people,” Broadnax said in a recent interview with On3. “Buildings are nice, but they can’t talk, so at Auburn, I want to know the people and see how genuine they are. I know I like coach Crime and that it is a great school, so seeing who the people are will be big.”

Broadnax logged 38 tackles for the FHSAA Class 6A state champion West Boca Raton Bulls in 2024. He registered a season-high seven solo tackles in West Boca Raton’s state championship win over Osceola High School in December. He also broke up 12 passes and intercepted one pass.

Broadnax is a 6-3, 185-pound safety that ranks No. 43 among Florida recruits in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Florida has a slight edge to land Broadnax according to On3’s recruiting prediction machine, with Auburn close by in second place. Could a positive recruiting trip to the Plains shift projections?

Many eyes set upon Auburn’s ‘interesting’ QB situation as offseason approaches

The Athletic’s Antonio Morales says that Auburn’s QB room overhaul will be interesting to watch play out.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s decision to not pursue a transfer quarterback following the 2023 season quickly haunted him. This offseason, he is learning from his miscalculation by overhauling the Tigers’ entire quarterback room ahead of the 2025 season.

Auburn’s newest quarterback situation has earned a spot within The Athletic’s 10 most interesting quarterback situations list. Antonio Morales of The Athletic is interested in seeing how Freeze and the Tigers adjust to additions [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Ashton Daniels[/autotag], and if Auburn’s inconsistencies at the position continue.

Neither is a sure bet to hit, but Auburn does have solid talent at receiver, which should help whoever starts at quarterback. Both are run threats, which is beneficial for Freeze’s offense, too. Having those two also means that four-star signee and top-50 prospect Deuce Knight doesn’t have to play right away. The Tigers flipped Knight from Notre Dame and held off a late Ole Miss push. His development will be something to monitor.

Although Daniels is the more experienced quarterback of the two, Arnold appears to be the guy to beat heading into spring practice. Arnold, the former five-star recruit and Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, passed for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns for Oklahoma in 2024. He eclipsed the 200-yard mark in passing twice last season, and rushed for 131 yards in the Sooners’ win over Alabama in November.

Auburn also added former South Carolina quarterback [autotag]Tanner Bailey[/autotag] to its room following the transfer of [autotag]Walker Whit[/autotag]e to Baylor. Auburn’s three transfer additions are being used to buy time for the development of true freshman [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag], who is seen as “the future” of the offense.

The winning quarterback will be tasked with producing at a higher rate than last season’s starter, Payton Thorne, who passed for 2,713 yards and 21 scores in 2024. Thorne ended the year by completing 62.8% of his passes and reaching a career-best quarterback rating of 150.8.

Auburn extends offer to 2026 Tennessee commit

Auburn is the latest to offer the talented defensive lineman from Hoover High School.

Auburn football is the latest SEC program to extend an offer to a talented defensive lineman from Hoover High School.

[autotag]Tyson Bacon[/autotag], a three-star defensive lineman and Tennessee commitment, shared this week that he has received an offer from Auburn. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn Tigers are one of four programs to offer the talented defensive lineman since the calendar flipped to 2025.

Tennessee has recruited Bacon the hardest and longest, with efforts dating back to Nov. 18, 2023, when he made his first official visit to Knoxville. Because of this, Bacon has rewarded Josh Heupel’s program by giving him his pledge.

Still, that has not stopped several of the SEC’s top programs, including Auburn, from trying to flip his commitment. Ole Miss, Alabama, Missouri, and West Virginia join Auburn in trying to sway him away from Rocky Top.

Bacon logged 44 tackles as an 11th grader at Hoover High School in 2024 with six tackles for loss, a sack, and 11 quarterback hurries. His efforts helped lead Hoover to a semi-final appearance in the AHSAA Class 7A playoffs. He is the No. 17 recruit from Alabama for the 2026 cycle and is the No. 52 overall defensive lineman according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

Several programs are working to flip 2026 Auburn commit

Many programs are looking to snag one of Auburn’s most loyal commitments.

Auburn football landed its first commitment of the 2026 recruiting cycle on New Year’s Day in 2024 when three-start wide receiver [autotag]Denairius Gray[/autotag] announced his pledge to [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Tigers.

Now, several schools are looking to change his mind as the 2026 recruiting cycle heats up.

In a recent interview with On3’s Chad Simmons, Gray opened up about his recruitment and the programs that have recently extended offers to him. Programs such as Clemson, NC State, Florida, and Florida State are pushing the hardest to flip him from his Auburn commitment.

Although he is being heavily pursued, Gray says that his commitment to Auburn is firm and that he plans to visit during the weekend of Jan. 25. What would solidify his signature in December? Auburn’s quarterback play this season.

My big thing this next season is to see how things go at quarterback,” Gray said in a recent interview with On3. “That is what I will be watching with Auburn, but my commitment is still good.”

Gray is one of Auburn’s six 2026 recruiting class, which ranks No. 6 in the nation in 247Sports’ recruiting rankings. He is a three-star wide receiver from Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Florida, where former Tiger Shaun Shivers currently serves as an assistant coach. He is the No. 74 wide receiver of the 2026 class and is the No. 57 player from Florida.

Four-star Texas A&M commit schedules visit to Auburn

In true Hugh Freeze fashion, Auburn will look to “flip” a recruit from a fellow SEC program.

Auburn football was once considered a potential landing spot for four-star tight end [autotag]Xavier Tiller[/autotag] before he ultimately chose the Texas A&M Aggies.

However, Auburn remains in the running to land his signature. So much so that Tiller has scheduled an official visit to Auburn later this month.

In a recent interview with On3’s Chad Simmons, Tiller said he has scheduled official visits to three programs: Auburn, Florida, and Florida State. His tour begins on Jan. 18 with a trip to Florida State and concludes on Feb. 1 with a visit to Florida. Sandwiched in between is his Auburn visit, which will take place on Jan. 25.

Tiller is a 6-4, 212-pound tight end from Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia. He logged 25 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns as an 11th grader in 2024, which was a huge factor in Langston Hughes’ GHSA 5A state title run. He is the No. 4 tight end in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, and is the No. 13 overall recruit from Georgia.

Tiller committed to Texas A&M in November and says he is still a firm Aggies pledge despite his decision to take more visits. Can Auburn change his mind during his upcoming visit?

Five-star QB, Auburn target Jared Curtis reveals top six schools

Does Auburn still have a chance to land the No. 1 QB from the 2026 class

Auburn football remains in the hunt to land the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class.

[autotag]Jared Curtis[/autotag], a five-star quarterback from Nashville, Tennessee, recently revealed the programs he will focus on for the remainder of his recruitment. Auburn joins Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, South Carolina, and Ohio State in making Curtis’ top six.

Curtis backed off his pledge to Georgia last October, and Auburn has been high on Curtis’ radar ever since. He visited Auburn on Nov. 2 for their home game against Vanderbilt, and Auburn quarterbacks coach Kent Austin visited Curtis at his home earlier this month.

According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Curtis is the nation’s No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 overall recruit from Tennessee for the 2026 class. Last season at Nashville Christian, Curtis passed for 2,830 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading the Eagles to the TSSAA Division II-A state championship.

According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Ohio State is the team to beat for Curtis with a 50.3% chance of landing him. Georgia and Oregon are next in line.

Superstar JUCO guard schedules visit to Auburn

Auburn has its sights set on Abdul Bashir, who is averaging 28.1 points per game in 16 games for Casper College this season.

Sharp-shooting guard Abdul Bashir is reportedly gearing up to visit Auburn next month according to On3 Sports. The freshman, who currently plays his college ball for Casper College in Wyoming, is averaging 28.1 points per game in 16 games so far this season.

Although he is listed as a point guard, Bashir has the size and tools to play almost anywhere on the floor. His athletic build and three-level scoring ability make him an intriguing transfer portal option, especially considering head coach Bruce Pearl’s willingness to bring in lower-level high ceiling standouts like [autotag]Chad Baker-Mazara[/autotag] and [autotag]Chaney Johnson[/autotag].

The success enjoyed by the aforementioned pair, along with Auburn’s glaring need to add pieces to what will be a depleted roster next season, make Bashir a near perfect fit to join the Tigers. As it currently stands, the talented JUCO guard has plenty of offers from Division 1 schools, with Arizona State, Texas A&M, and Kansas State the most glaring favorites.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bruce Pearl and his staff extend an offer of their own to Bashir when he visits Auburn in early February. If we were to accept, he’d instantly improve a 2025 class that currently ranks No. 15 in the country behind the trio of [autotag]Sebastian Williams-Adams[/autotag], [autotag]Kaden Magwood[/autotag], and [autotag]Simon Walker[/autotag].

In 33 career games with Casper College, Bashir is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He has also connected on just over 45% of his 3-point attempts.

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Auburn signee named Navy All-American Bowl Player of the Year

One of Auburn’s top 2025 picks has earned a prestigious accolade.

One of Auburn football’s top 2025 signees has earned a valuable accolade.

During last week’s Navy All-American Bowl festivities, four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] was named Player of the Year ahead of Saturday’s high school all-star game in San Antonio, Texas.

Henderson earned the honor after a spectacular 2024 season that saw him rush for 3,620 yards and 61 touchdowns. He rushed for over 100 yards in 13 of Elba High School’s 14 games this season and averaged 258.6 yards per game on the ground. He was one of two Elba players to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in 2024, joining quarterback Cayden Adkins.

Henderson ended his high school career with several individual state records. He holds the AHSAA record in points scored in a game (60), points scored in a season (408), and most touchdowns in a season (69) to name a few.

Auburn flipped Henderson from Penn State last June, and he officially signed with Auburn during early signing day last December. He is the No. 12 running back of the 2025 class and is the No. 9 recruit from Alabama.

He joins several key players such as five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], four-star QB [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag], and four-star cornerback [autotag]Blake Woodby[/autotag] in Auburn’s 2025 recruiting haul, which ranks No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports.