auburn recruiting – Page 13 – Syndication Server

Four-star safety eyeing a visit to Auburn

Auburn hopes to schedule a visit with four-star S Tariq Hayer before his July commitment date

Auburn is in the mix to land a four-star defensive back from Maryland and hopes to schedule an official visit before his scheduled commitment date in July.

[autotag]Tariq Hayer[/autotag], a four-star safety from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has locked in four official visits and hopes Auburn will be his fifth according to a report by Chad Simmons of On3. Hayer will visit Cincinnati in May and stop by Maryland, Michigan State, and Rutgers in June before his tentative commitment date of July 4.

Hayer mentioned to Simmons in a recent interview that Auburn and the other four schools he plans to visit have recruited him heavily.

“I really don’t have a top school,” Hayer said. “They are all on top. Each school recruits me hard, but Rutgers is probably recruiting me the heaviest. They check in every day, but all five schools are coming hard.”

Hayer is a four-star rated safety by all four major recruiting outlets. He is the No. 2 overall recruit from Washington, DC, and is a top-20 safety according to On3, 247Sports, and ESPN. According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Maryland has an edge with a 29.7% forecast, followed by Penn State and Cincinnati. Zero Crystal Ball predictions have been filed in favor of Hayer by 247Sports writers.

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Four-star OT Broderick Shull locks in Auburn official visit

Auburn is the favorite to land Shull. Can they close the deal during his official visit to campus?

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn football coaching staff have found success this recruiting cycle by landing four offensive linemen to its 2025 haul. They are in a great position to land its fifth and could close the deal next month.

[autotag]Broderick Shull[/autotag], a four-star offensive tackle from Bixby, Oklahoma, has locked in three official visits this Summer, with Auburn getting the first one during the weekend of May 31. Texas Tech and Texas A&M are next in line, with Kansas State, Nebraska, and Illinois in the mix to grab his fourth visit.

Auburn getting Shull’s first official visit is important, as the Tigers are considered the front-runner. Earlier this month, Steve Wiltfong of On3 logged a prediction in favor of Auburn with 60% confidence. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Auburn an 89.6% chance to land Shull, with Kansas State currently in second place with a 2.7% chance. Shull has zero Crystal Ball predictions from 247Sports currently.

Shull paid a visit to the Plains in March and tells On3 that several aspects of the trip to Auburn stood out to him.

“It blew me away. The facilities are one of the top in the country, and the coaches are really good. Other than that, I just got a really good feeling there. They have that southern vibe like in Georgia and Alabama, with the trees and it’s near water. It’s just beautiful down there. The towns around that give that hometown, small town kind of vibe, too. I got a really good feeling from the fans and the campus.”

Shull stands 6-5, 275, and is a four-star rated OT by On3, ESPN, and Rivals.

Four-star RB Alvin Henderson chooses Penn State over Auburn

A late push by Penn State erased Auburn’s chances of landing the talented in-state running back on Thursday.

Penn State made a late push in [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag]’s recruitment in an effort to steal him away from the state of Alabama, and it worked.

Henderson, a four-star running back from Elba High School in Elba, Alabama, chose Penn State on Thursday over Auburn, Florida State, Oregon, and Miami. Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the newly hired offensive coordinator [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] worked to maintain their relationship with Henderson following the departure of former running backs coach [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag]. The effort worked for a while but was not enough to close the deal.

Henderson was expected to commit on April 4, but the announcement date was altered by a week thanks to a late visit to State College. In a recent interview with Tom Loy of 247Sports, Henderson cited that Penn State has recruited him the hardest despite him not mentioning their involvement in his recruitment until the final stages. In their recruiting pitch, Penn State tells Henderson he can be the next great star.

The thing about Penn State is that they consider me as a dude that can come in and be the next Nick Singleton or Kaytron Allen. They are going to leave this year and they consider me the dude that can replace them. Their development at the running back position over the past few years, it’s real. They believe in what coach (James) Franklin has done. They want me to jump on the train and carry the torch that the running backs have started over the years.

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class is still strong despite Henderson’s decision to commit to Penn State. The Tigers rank No. 8 in 247Sports’ rankings thanks to the commitments of [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Devin Williams[/autotag]. Auburn’s class added a talented offensive lineman earlier this week in [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], and are in prime position to land four-star linebacker [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag] and three-star cornerback [autotag]Dante Core[/autotag].

Auburn in tight battle with USC for four-star safety Anquon Fegans

USC remains the favorite to sign the talented DB from Thompson High School, but Auburn is gaining ground quickly.

The Thompson Warriors have become the state of Alabama’s powerhouse by winning four of the last five Class 7A state championships. Safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] has been a major reason why.

Fegans, a four-star safety, has recorded 176 tackles in three seasons as a varsity player for the Warriors, with five tackles for loss and 18 interceptions. He is one of the most sought-after recruits for the 2025 cycle, and it is easy to see why Auburn is working to keep him within the state’s borders.

Auburn is trending upward in Fegans’ recruitment, and one recruiting expert is ready to throw in his prediction. Cole Pinkston of Auburn Live has logged an “expert pick” for Auburn to land Fegans, joining Jeffrey Lee in doing so.

Fegans visited Auburn last month, where he spent time with defensive backs coaches [autotag]Charles Kelly[/autotag] and [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag]. Fegans also mentioned to On3 that defensive backs [autotag]Antonio Kite[/autotag] and former Thompson teammate [autotag]Kaleb Harris[/autotag] are joining Auburn’s coaches in his recruiting efforts.

USC remains the favorite to land Fegans with a 50.1% forecast from On3, but Auburn is next at 41.8%. Fegans is a four-star safety according to all four major recruiting outlets. By On3’s standards, Fegans is the nation’s No. 4 safety for the 2025 cycle and is the No. 3 overall recruit from the state of Alabama.

New RPM Prediction: In-state 4-star DB to Auburn (On3+) @AuburnLiveOn3

Count me in on this prediction.. Liking what I am hearing here. https://t.co/p9oqsfHjJX

— Cole Pinkston (@ColePinkston) April 9, 2024

Recent Alabama commit enjoys recent visit to Auburn

Four-star LB Duke Johnson was in Auburn recently in an effort to build a bond with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.

[autotag]Duke Johnson[/autotag] committed to Alabama on March 20. However, his recent pledge to Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide did not stop him from paying a visit to Auburn over the weekend.

Johnson, a four-star linebacker from Dodge County High School in Eastman, Georgia, visited Auburn over the weekend to watch a spring practice sessions as well as meet with the new hires on the defensive side of the ball. He tells Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover that he is working to build a bond with new defensive coordinator, DJ Durkin.

The bond is starting to set in as Johnson enjoys the energy that Durkin possesses.

“I love Coach Durkin,” Johnson said in an interview with 247Sports. “He’s just excited, got a good vibe, good coaching staff he brought in. The DBs coaches, LBs coaches. He said I’d be playing like the dime linebacker, so I’d be playing in space like I do in high school.”

The message sent by Durkin and the coaching staff is simple, they want Johnson to continue visiting as much as possible in an effort to learn the defense in the event of a possible flip. Although committed to Alabama, Johnson says that his recruitment remains wide open.

Auburn has nine commitments to its 2025 class, which ranks No. 8 in 247Sports composite rankings. The class lacks a linebacker, which would be a great spot for Johnson to fill. Johnson is the No. 5 linebacker for the 2025 cycle, and is the No. 9 recruit from the state of Georgia.

Check out Johnson’s junior season highlights by clicking here.

Four-star RB Alvin Henderson sets commitment date

Will Auburn land one of Alabama’s top recruits from the 2025 class?

As four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] inches closer to his commitment date, Auburn is beginning to create separation between themselves and Florida State.

Henderson visited the Plains earlier this week, where he revealed his commitment date to Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover. The Elba native will choose between Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Oregon, and Penn State on April 5 during a ceremony at his high school.

In an interview with Clemente, Henderson says that relationships will be an important factor with his decision. He also mentions his level of comfort within Auburn.

“If it was Auburn it’d just be the relationship and obviously you know, I feel at home here,” Henderson said. “Even the resources off the field if I was to come here and if I was successful or not successful, once I graduated I’d always be able to come back here and feel welcome.”

What are Auburn’s chances of landing Henderson? The Tigers currently hold two crystal ball predictions from 247Sports, including one from Zach Blostein of Noles247. Auburn also has an 88.4% chance to earn Henderson’s commitment according to On3. Alabama is next in line with a 3.7% forecast, followed by Florida State and Miami.

Four-star WR Travis Smith schedules summer official visit to Auburn

Auburn is making a push to land the nation’s No. 11 wide receiver from the 2025 class.

Four-star wide receiver [autotag]Travis Smith[/autotag] recently put Auburn in his top eight schools and Auburn is looking to climb up the ladder.

Smith tells Tom Loy of 247Sports that he has scheduled two visits to Auburn, including his official visit. Smith will be in town next weekend and will return for his official visit on June 7.

After revealing his top eight schools, Smith told Chad Simmons of On3 that he is interested in Auburn due to Hugh Freeze’s ability to develop wide receivers, citing DK Metcalf and AJ Brown during Freeze’s time at Ole Miss. Now that he has visited Auburn several times, he has grown to love several aspects of the program, campus, and the city.

“It’s a great town, I love the town feeling. Great people there as well,” Smith said in a recent interview with 247Sports. “I went to a restaurant and guys caught up with relationships — we were talking — and those Auburn people really have a special place in my heart right now.”

Smith is the No. 11 wide receiver for the 2025 cycle according to 247Sports, and is the No. 25 prospect from the talent-rich state of Georgia. Georgia is currently the team to beat for Smith currently, as they have received two crystal ball predictions in their favor.

Top247 WR Travis Smith Jr. has locked in his Auburn official visit, he tells @TomLoy247.

The Westlake (Ga.) product is also expected in Auburn soon this spring (VIP): https://t.co/SITMFelMSQ pic.twitter.com/e3uunTJOT6

— Christian Clemente (@CClemente247) March 23, 2024

Auburn offers 2026 LB Jaquez Wilkes

Auburn is the early favorite to land Wilkes, a four-star LB from nearby Wadley, Alabama.

Auburn football has recently reached out to one of the top players from the 2026 recruiting cycle.

[autotag]Jaquez Wilkes[/autotag], a four-star linebacker from nearby Wadley, Alabama, received an offer from Auburn last week. He has now collected 10 offers, with seven of those coming from SEC schools.

He has been a frequent visitor to the Plains, most recently visiting over the weekend. He tells Jason Caldwell of 247Sports that he is excited to receive an offer from the program that is 45 miles away from his hometown. He has also developed a relationship with linebackers coach [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], who wants to keep Wilkes “in the state.”

The 6-4, 218-pound linebacker has not received a ranking from 247Sports or ESPN yet but is considered a four-star linebacker by On3 and Rivals. He recorded 104 tackles last season for Wadley High School, but is a great runner as well. Offensively, he gained 1,792 yards and scored 22 touchdowns as a running back.

In addition to Auburn, Wilkes has landed offers from Penn State, LSU, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Auburn is the early favorite to land Wilkes according to On3, with a forecast of 77.8%.

Blessed to receive an 🅾️ffer from @AuburnFootball @CoachHughFreeze @CoachA_AU @DexPreps @GrindLab @JohnGarcia_Jr @ChadSimmons_ @Jdsmith31Smith pic.twitter.com/L3Air6x5AV

— Jaquez Wilkes (@Jaquez_Wilkes6) March 21, 2024

2025 OL Tai Buster commits to Auburn

Hugh Freeze and the Tigers beat out Florida and Penn State for the three-star OL.

Auburn football has added size to its top-10 2025 recruiting class.

[autotag]Tai Buster[/autotag], a three-star OL from Kannapolis, North Carolina, announced his commitment to Auburn on Friday. He chose the Tigers over Florida, Penn State, and Rutgers.

Buster was one of several top targets to visit campus last week. While on campus… he watched practice, toured campus and facilities, and met with several coaches. He tells Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live that he “feels at home” in Auburn and that he likes the energy and tempo of Auburn’s practices.

Offensive coach Jake Thornton played a key role in landing Buster, as he was college teammates with Buster’s high school offensive line coach at Western Carolina.

“They have the same philosophy,” Buster said of Thornton. “They want me to be the best football player that I can be. Coach (Kaleb) Spry is one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever had. I really appreciate him and everything he’s done for me. I feel like Coach Thornton will be the same way.”

Buster is a 6-5, 260-pound offensive lineman from Brown High School in Kannapolis, North Carolina. He is rated as a three-star from On3 and Rivals, but has not received a ranking from 247Sports or ESPN at the time of this post. He is the third offensive lineman to commit to Auburn’s 2025 signing class, joining [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag] and [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag].

@AuburnFootball #committed pic.twitter.com/7kCMTesh0e

— Tai Buster (@Taibuster71) March 22, 2024

Four star ATH Kaiden Prothro lands Auburn offer

One of the top athletes from the 2026 cycle has added an Auburn to his long list of offers.

[autotag]Kaiden Prothro[/autotag] has been a popular name in the recruiting world since last October.

He earned his first offer from Florida State on Oct. 15, 2023. Since then, he has fielded offers from a plethora of Power Five programs such as Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, and Alabama. As of Tuesday, he can add Auburn to that list.

Prothro, a four-star tight end from Bowdon High School in Bowdon, Georgia, shared Tuesday that he has received an offer from the Auburn Tigers. The offer from Auburn is one of five that he has received this month according to 247Sports.

Prothro plays wide receiver for Bowdon but may play tight end in college. He stands 6-6, 210 pounds and has hauled in 43 passes for 1047 yards and 17 touchdowns in two seasons of varsity action. Last season, he was a key peuce to Bowdon’s state championship team by catching 33 passes for 831 yards and 13 touchdowns. In the state championship win over Manchester, he caught a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Prothro is a four-star recruit according to On3 and Rivals, he has yet to receive a ranking by 247Sports and ESPN. He is the No. 2 tight end in the country according to On3 for the 2026 cycle and is the No. 4 overall recruit from Georgia.

#AGTG Blessed to receive an Offer from @AuburnFootball !! Thank you @DerrickDnix @therealkwat @CoachDavisWR !! @bowdonrecruits @Coachkdantzler @Rbcoachdgraham @RecruitGeorgia @NwGaFootball @RustyMansell_ @247recruiting @On3Recruits @GradickSports pic.twitter.com/Uo0hBiL2qE

— Kaiden Prothro (@ProthroKaiden) March 19, 2024