Tag: auburn recruiting

2026 Auburn High running back Omar Mabson earns Auburn offer

Hugh Freeze jumped at the early chance to offer this up-and-coming local product.

After enjoying a breakout season in 2023, Auburn High School running back Omar Mabson has become a hot name on the recruiting trail.

The 2026 running back has fielded several offers this month from programs such as North Alabama, USF, UAB, and Missouri. The latest program to offer is the most notable as they are the hometown team. Auburn offensive coordinator/running backs coach [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] recently visited Mabson and offered him a scholarship.

Of course, the “local factor” is important, but the swiftness of the offer could be a difference-maker in the long run. As a 10th grader during the 2023 season, Mabson led the “baby Tigers” in rushing with 1,283 yards and 16 touchdowns. He reached those numbers by competing in Class 7A, the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s highest classification. He rushed for over 100 yards in nine games last season, including twice over eventual state champion, Central-Phenix City.

In a recent interview with Auburn Undercover ($), Auburn High head coach Keith Etheridge says that Mabson can play running back or receiver, and is working every day to improve.

“(Mabson) came to me at the end of the year and said ‘coach, what do I need to work on?’ I said to work on the breakaway speed and you go from a group of five kid to a power four kid,” Etheridge said. “He was running in the 4.5’s and comes back and gets on the laser and runs a sub 4.4. I make him run it again and he runs it again. He’s really put the work in. He eats, breathes and sleeps it.”

Due to his age, Mabson has not received a rating yet from 247Sports. There are six former Auburn High players on Auburn’s 2024 roster including safety [autotag]Griffin Speaks[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Bradyn Joiner[/autotag], and A-Day hero [autotag]Towns McGough[/autotag]. Hugh Freeze appears to be working to build a strong relationship with Auburn High in an effort to strengthen the recruiting pipeline with the hometown high school.

Auburn lands commitment from LB Tyler Lockhart

Auburn football had some late night action on Monday, as linebacker Tyler Lockhart announced his commitment to the program.

Auburn football has been doing work on the recruiting trail, pursuing many of the nation’s top players every single day. The Tigers continued to perform some magic in the late hours of Monday night, landing a surprise commitment.

Winona Secondary School (Miss.) linebacker [autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag] announced his pledge to the program, surprising many who have been following his recruiting journey.

Lockhart was heavily favored to join his brother at Mississippi State but chose Auburn over the Bulldogs, Ole Miss, and Alabama. He visited the Plains just over a month ago on March 30.

The 6-4, 195-pound product is ranked the No. 146 player in the nation and the No. 16 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. In the state of Mississippi, he is placed at No. 6 according to the On3 industry ranking.

Lockhart is set to join a highly-touted defensive recruiting class that the Tigers have picked up for the 2025 cycle. He joins defensive linemen, [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], edge rusher [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Devin Williams[/autotag].

The Auburn 2025 class now ranks No. 9 nationally and No. 4 in the conference, getting back up to double-digit commitments with Lockhart’s decision.

Auburn adds four-star LB Tyler Lockhart to its 2025 haul

Auburn snagged one of Mississippi’s top 2025 recruits late Monday night.

Auburn fans were disappointed to learn of three-star tight end [autotag]Hollis Davidson[/autotag]’s decision to back off his pledge to the Tigers Monday afternoon. However, their dismay was short-lived as Auburn picked up a commitment from a four-star linebacker in the late hours of the day.

In a surprising move, four-star linebacker [autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag] announced his commitment to Auburn as Tiger fans were preparing to go to bed. According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Mississippi native was forecasted to stay in-state by committing to Mississippi State. However, he elected to go in another direction by joining Auburn’s 2025 haul.

Lockhart’s decision to commit to Auburn comes after a March visit to campus. In an interview with Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, Lockhart said that he enjoyed the energy of an Auburn practice, and believed that he would be a great fit in Auburn’s linebacker room. He also says that he has built a strong relationship with defensive coordinator [autotag]DJ Durkin[/autotag] and looks forward to getting to know head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

With his commitment, Lockhart becomes the fourth-highest-ranked commitment to join Auburn’s 2025 class which currently stands at 10 members. He is a four-star rated linebacker by all four major recruiting sources and ranks as high as No. 10 at his position by ESPN. The Winona, Mississippi product is a top-10 recruit from the state and ranks as high as No. 4 for the 2025 class.

Auburn football offers four-star RB Carsyn Baker

The 2026 running back rushed for 303 yards and three scores for a loaded Langston Hughes (Ga.) squad in 2023.

Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia has become a factory for premier football talent. Players such as Ohio State QB Air Noland, UCF safety Jakob Gude, and Auburn safety [autotag]Terrance Love[/autotag] all played for Langston Hughes before making their way into the Power Five ranks.

It would be fair to say that Langston Hughes’ football program will continue to produce top-notch talent in the future, which is why Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and running backs coach [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] is working to lock down one of Hughes’ future pieces.

[autotag]Carsyn Baker[/autotag], a class of 2026 three-star running back from Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia, announced Monday that he has received an offer from Auburn. Auburn is the latest SEC program to extend an offer to the talented running back joining South Carolina and Ole Miss.

Despite Langston Hughes having a loaded offensive unit in 2023, Baker managed to contribute to their success. He appeared in nine games last season where he rushed for 303 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. He rushed for 100 yards on five touches in Langston Hughes’ 56-9 win over Paulding County on Nov. 9.

Baker is a 6-0, 195-pound running back who is rated as a three-star back by On3 and 247Sports. However, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, he is a four-star that is the No. 21 overall running back in the nation. Ole Miss and South Carolina are the top schools to watch currently, but expect Auburn to join the mix now that an offer has been extended.

Auburn receives prediction to land three-star OL from Georgia

Auburn football’s 2025 haul is impressive, and the commitment of Jacobe Ward could enhance it greatly.

Auburn’s top-10 2025 recruiting class is filled with several talented offensive linemen. However, the Tigers have a chance to enhance its haul by adding a three-star lineman from Savannah, Georgia.

Auburn is looking to close the deal on several offensive linemen including [autotag]Jacobe Ward[/autotag], a 6-4, 305-pound OL from Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag], offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag], and staff are close to making it happen according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine. Auburn Live writers Jeffrey Lee and Cole Pinkston have submitted predictions in favor of Auburn landing Ward, which pushes its forecast to 98.2%.

In March, Ward told Lee that Auburn was his top choice by saying that Auburn provides a “great fit” for him due to Auburn’s practice intensity and his relationship with Thornton.

“The relationships I have with all of the coaches, they just keep it real with me, especially Coach (Jake) Thornton. He’s such a good guy,” Ward said. “He told me that I could possibly be a day one starter here and that’s something I like to hear.”

Auburn has four offensive linemen committed for its 2025 class: [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag], [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag], and [autotag]Tai Buster[/autotag]. In addition to Ward, Auburn is also in a great spot to land four-star OT [autotag]Broderick Shull[/autotag] as On3 gives the Tigers a 92.0% chance to secure Shull’s pledge.

South Carolina and Alabama are the other programs in the hunt to land Ward. However, both programs have less than a 1% chance to earn his commitment according to On3.

Four-star USC commit plans official visit to Auburn

Auburn will look to flip four-star EDGE Isaiah Gibson from USC during his summer visit.

It is no secret that Auburn is pursuing 2025 five-star quarterback and USC commit [autotag]Julian Lewis[/autotag]. However, he is far from the only Trojan commit that Auburn has in its sights.

[autotag]Isaiah Gibson[/autotag], a four-star EDGE from Warner Robins, Georgia, has been a USC commit since March but is not ready to shut down his recruitment. He has planned several official visits this summer, with Auburn getting the nod for June 10.

Gibson tells Chad Simmons of On3 that he is still firmly committed to USC ahead of his official visits but he will allow five SEC programs to sway him. He also says that his relationships with defensive line back [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag] and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] are keeping Auburn in the running.

“Coach Aldridge came from Liberty to Auburn. At first he coached inside linebackers, and he switched to d-line. I had a relationship with him when he coached inside linebackers, so it just carried on to him being a defensive ends coach,” Gibson said in an interview with On3. “I also have a good relationship with coach Freeze. The motiviation that he gives his players — that’s why I feel like Auburn will be really good this year. When I went to Auburn. . . you could tell the whole defensive side of the team had a lot of energy.”

Georgia will get Gibson’s first official visit on May 31, followed by South Carolina (June 7), Auburn (June 10), and Florida (June 14), Ohio State (June 18), and Oklahoma (June 21).

The nation’s No. 2 OL locks in an official visit to Auburn

Auburn is in the mix to land one of the top offensive linemen from the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Auburn football has splashed in the 2025 recruiting cycle, especially for the offensive line group.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his coaching staff have reeled in four offensive line commitments, but the sights are still set on reeling in strong talent for the future. The next lineman on Auburn’s board is a four-star from metro Atlanta.

[autotag]Josh Petty[/autotag], a four-star OL from Fellowship Christian School in Roswell, Georgia, has released his official visit dates for the summer with Auburn getting a spot on June 4. If Auburn could seal the deal and land his commitment, he would be Auburn’s top offensive lineman commit of the cycle. Petty is a top-10 national offensive lineman by all four major recruiting outlets, with his highest ranking coming from 247Sports which ranks him No. 2 among 2024 offensive linemen.

In a recent interview with On3’s Chad Simmons, Petty shared that he wants to feel like a priority at his college destination.

“Who makes me feel like a priority will separate one school for me,” Petty said. “You can tell if a school wants you on how they talk to you and I will go where I am cared about. It is about the little things for me now. These visits will show me a lot about the people and the education. Those things mean a lot to my future.”

Petty will visit Georgia Tech and Clemson before his stop in Auburn. He will also stop by Tennessee, Stanford, Oregon, and Florida State during June.

Houston Texans draft Marcus Harris with 7th round pick

Harris joins Justin Rogers in finding a new home in Texas.

Not only will Auburn have two representatives in Seattle next season in [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ James[/autotag], but two more former Tigers will also have two former players heading to the Lone Star State.

Former defensive lineman [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] was taken in the 7th round at No. 244 overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Just three picks later, the Houston Texans used their 7th-round pick on fellow lineman [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag].

Harris was the No. 247 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft, and the fifth former Tiger taken on day three of the event. Harris becomes the first Auburn player to be selected by Houston since the Texans chose [autotag]Jay Prosch[/autotag] with the No. 211 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Harris is just the third former Tiger to be drafted by the Houston Texans, joining Prosch and [autotag]Ben Tate[/autotag] (2010).

NFL.com says that Harris will make up for his lack of size (6-2, 286) by being explosive and with great instincts.

Harris punches above his weight class in the strength department, utilizing upper-body power and lower-body balance to fight the good fight. He’ll get moved around by bigger bodies, but he’s relentless and has the athleticism to find his way back into plays.

Nehemiah Pritchett began the day by being drafted in the 5th round by the Seattle Seahawks. DJ James followed suit in the 6th round. Jaylin Simpson was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 5th round while Justin Rogers was taken in the 7th round by the Dallas Cowboys.

Auburn reaches out to former South Alabama linebacker Khalil Jacobs

Jacobs made 56 tackles with eight for loss last season at South Alabama.

One of South Alabama’s top defensive players entered the transfer portal on Friday, and Auburn was quick to reach out.

After dipping into the transfer portal in January, South Alabama linebacker [autotag]Khalil Jacobs[/autotag] entered the portal for the second time this week and has quickly garnered the attention of several top programs including Auburn. He tells Pete Nakos of On3 that Alabama, Duke, Indiana, Missouri, NC State, and Tulane have contacted him in addition to Auburn.

Jacobs finished fifth in tackles last season on South Alabama’s defense with 56 tackles, he also ranked second in sacks (3.0), and third in tackles for loss (8.5).

Jacobs could provide Auburn with another pass rush weapon, as he graded 74.9 in pass rush last season according to Pro Football Focus, which was second-highest among South Alabama defenders. He created 17 total quarterback pressures last season with nine hurries and five quarterback hits.

Auburn has enjoyed success by landing three key defensive players from the transfer portal. Former Indiana DL [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag], former Arkansas State EDGE [autotag]Keyron Crawford[/autotag], and former Texas A&M DL [autotag]Isaiah Raikes[/autotag] all joined Auburn’s roster last week.

Four-star EDGE plans to officially visit Auburn this summer

CJ May is high on Auburn’s recruiting board. Can Hugh Freeze secure May’s commitment this summer?

He is only heading into his second season as Auburn’s head football coach, but we have learned early on that [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is fond of the small town of Highland Home, Alabama.

Freeze flipped Highland Home native [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] from Florida State during his first recruiting effort, and currently has Keldric’s brother, [autotag]JaKaleb Faulk[/autotag], in his 2025 haul. Could 2025 recruit [autotag]CJ May[/autotag] be the next Highland Home prospect to join Auburn’s roster?

May chose Notre Dame over Auburn last September, but backed off his pledge in February. Since then, he has visited several schools including Auburn, Washington, and Ole Miss. In a recent interview with On3, May shared that his dream is to compete with the Faulk brothers again on the Plains.

“I’ve got family there, one of my 2025 linebackers, (Auburn commit) JaKaleb Faulk, that’s my second cousin, current (Auburn) player right now Keldric Faulk is also my cousin. We’re all a tight family. It’s family, going into college football, the opportunity to play with them, that’s major. It’d be a dream, all three of us, they call it the ‘Highland Home Trifecta.’”

May has not set a date for his Auburn visit, nor has he set a commitment date. He tells Philip Dukes of On3 that he will reveal his top schools after taking his official visits, and will not rush his decision to commit to a program.

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