Tag: auburn recruiting

Four-star DL Andrew Maddox: ‘I love Auburn’

Auburn continues to impress four-star defensive lineman Andrew Maddox.

Four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Andre Maddox[/autotag] was recently back in Auburn for another visit and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Co. continue to impress the  Hattiesburg, Mississippi, product.

“They’re at my top five,” Maddox told On3’s Cole Pinkston. “I love Auburn, it is a great place to be. Every time I have gone up there I have enjoyed it. The people up there have been great to me, my family too. I am appreciative of everybody that’s up there. They’re in my top five. I have enjoyed everything about it.”

It was his third trip to the Plains after he came to watch Auburn play Mississippi State and Alabama last season.

Maddox is the No. 65 overall player and No. 5 defensive lineman in the On3 industry ranking. The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder is also the No. 3 player from Mississippi.

Defensive line coach [autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag] has already landed several top targets along the defensive line in Antonio Coleman, Jourdin Crawford, Malik Autry and Kalen Edwards and the Tigers would love to add the talented Maddox to the class.

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Fresh off a visit to Auburn, 4-star OL Dontrell Glover decommits from Alabama

Four-star offensive lineman Dontrell Glover has decommitted from Alabama after he visited Auburn over the weekend.

Another Auburn target is back on the open market.

Four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Dontrell Glover[/autotag] decommitted from Alabama on Tuesday. Glover had been committed to the Crimson Tide since April 13, 2023, but has reopened his recruitment after Nick Sabam retired.

Glover visited the Auburn on Saturday and enjoyed his time on the Plains.

“Today, it was great. I felt more of the environment,” Glover told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “I came to the basketball game and it was good vibes. It showed that the University loves their school, the students, the staff, it was a good time being down here.”

While offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] is leading Auburn’s push for the Fairburn, Georgia product, safety Terrance Love played his high school football with Glover and gives Auburn another important connection.

Glover is the No. 169 overall player and No. 10 interior offenisve linemen in the 247Sports composite ranking. He is also the No. 24 player from Georgia.

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USC commit Julian Lewis reclassifies to 2025, Auburn remains in the hunt

Could Lewis join Auburn’s top-five 2025 haul?

One of the best high school recruits in the nation has announced the decision to reclassify from the 2026 cycle to 2025.

[autotag]Julian Lewis[/autotag], a five-star quarterback from Carrollton High School in Carrollton, Georgia, revealed Tuesday that he will graduate one year early, and will now be a part of the 2025 class. He is now the No. 2 overall quarterback for the class behind LSU commit Bryce Underwood.

Lewis has been a pledge to Lincoln Riley and USC since August, but Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports reports that Auburn remains in the hunt to potentially land Lewis during the upcoming cycle. Alongside Auburn, Lewis is also considering Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, and Indiana in addition to USC.

The Georgia High School Association, which is the organization that Carrollton High School is a part of, recently voted to allow its student-athletes to sign NIL deals last October, and Lewis has become the poster child. Shortly after the NIL bill was passed, Lewis signed a NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards which is reportedly worth six-figures. He also has a deal with Jaxxon, which is a jewelry brand. According to On3’s NIL Valutation, Lewis has an annual NIL value of $476,000.

Auburn’s 2025 haul currently ranks No. 4 in the nation according to 247Sports. The class is headlined by five four-star recruits including [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]JaKaleb Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag].

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Auburn needs to ‘take the throne’ in order to land five-star WR Ryan Williams

The Tigers’ top target ahead of February signing day says that five teams have an equal shot at landing his commitment.

Now that the early signing period is behind us, Auburn’s top priority to round out its 2024 class is five-star wide receiver [autotag]Ryan Williams[/autotag].

Williams is the missing piece to complete the “Freeze Five” and it appears that Auburn will need to continue working around the clock to earn the signature of the Saraland product. Williams, who was once committed to Alabama, tells Chad Simmons of On3 that five schools are in the mix, and that one program will need to separate themselves in order to land his signature on Feb. 9.

“Everything is neck and neck. I need someone to excel and take the throne,” Williams said in a recent interview with On3. “That’s really what I’m looking for. It’s an even playing field, so everybody is pretty much right there right now.”

Alabama is still in the mix despite backing off his pledge last week. Alongside the Crimson Tide and Tigers, Williams is considering LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M. He previously scheduled official visits to Alabama, Texas, and Auburn, but recently visited College Station and is expected to visit Baton Rouge as well.

Auburn has heavily recruited Williams despite his commitment to Alabama, which is why Auburn is still in the mix.

“Every time (Auburn gets) an opportunity to hit the road or see recruits, I’m the first one they see,” Williams said. “So that definitely makes a difference.”

Williams is the No. 2 recruit for the class of 2024, and is the nations No. 4 receiver according to 247Sports composite rankings. He is expected to take an official visit to Auburn during the weekend of Feb. 3.

[lawrence-related id=77229,77224,75736]

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Auburn adds former Texas safety Jerrin Thompson from transfer portal

Thompson recorded 105 tackles and five interceptions in four seasons with the Longhorns.

Auburn head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] needs to replenish his defensive backfield, and is on the right track to doing so by adding an experienced safety from the transfer portal.

Former Texas safety [autotag]Jerrin Thompson[/autotag] paid a visit to Auburn over the weekend, and ended the trip by pledging his commitment to Freeze and the Tigers.

Thompson has been a vital part to the Longhorns’ secondary over the last four seasons, and he has played in 48 games since arriving to Austin in 2020. In four seasons, he has recorded 105 total tackles and has picked off five passes. He has recorded at least 14 tackles in every season that he has played, and made a career-high 83 stops in 2022. Last season, he made just 38 tackles, but pulled in a career-high three interceptions. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.

In his most recent game, Thompson made three tackles in Texas’ 37-31 loss to Washington in the Sugar Bowl, which was a College Football Playoff semi-final game. In the Longhorns’ 34-24 win over Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 9, he made four stops and recorded and interception.

Thompson ranks No. 9 in Texas’ defensive grades from Pro Football Focus with a 73.1. His strong suit is pass coverage, which he graded out at 77.1, third-highest among Longhorn defenders. Opposing receivers hauled in 58.1% of passes when guarded by Thompson, or 18-of-31. He would also break up five passes.

The Tigers will lose plenty of experience from its defensive backfield in the likes of [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag]. The defense does however return [autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag], [autotag]Caleb Wooden[/autotag], and [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag]. Adding Thompson to complement Wooden at safety will be a great addition.

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Five-star SG Meleek Thomas has ‘great experience’ visiting Auburn

Auburn is firmly in the mix for five-star shooting guard Meleek Thomas.

Five-star shooting guard [autotag]Meleek Thomas[/autotag], one of the top players in the 2025 recruiting class, made his first visit to the Plains this weekend and it made quite an impression on him.

“This visit went very well,” he told On3’s Jeffrey Lee. “It was everything I expected it to be and more. I wanted to get on campus and get a feel for everything, the team, the coaches, the atmosphere, the area … everything I could potentially be in. And it was a great experience.”

Thomas was able to watch Auburn beat LSU for their ninth-straight win and got to see what the atmosphere is like inside Neville Arena.

“The atmosphere was live,” he said. “The fans were together. They were all loud and had high energy. It was a great crowd.”

Thomas is the No. 7 overall player and No. 2 shooting guard in the On3 Industry ranking. The Pittsburgh native is also the No. 1 player from Pennsylvania.

While it was his first visit to Auburn, Thomas has heard plenty about the Tigers from his AAU teammates and Auburn signees [autotag]Tahaad Pettiford[/autotag] and [autotag]Jahki Howard[/autotag].

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2025 four-star QB TJ Lateef puts Auburn in his top seven schools

Four-star quarterback TJ Lateef is down to Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Ole Miss, Arizona, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

[autotag]TJ Lateef[/autotag] is one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle and on Saturday he announced his final seven schools and the Auburn Tigers made the cut.

They are battling Colorado, Florida State, Ole Miss, Arizona, Georgia, and Texas A&M for the four-star prospect. From Orange, California, he has not visited Auburn yet but he is hoping to visit the Plains “as soon as possible,” he told On3’s Chad Simmons.

“I really like Auburn and what they’re doing, their recruiting class,” he added. “I feel like [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has something going on underneath his sleeve and I just want to be a part of that.”

Lateef is the No. 228 overall player and No. 17 quarterback in the On3 industry ranking. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is also the No. 21 player from California.

He had a strong junior season for Orange Lutheran, completing 63% (152-241) of his passes for 1,965 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 230 yards and five touchdowns.

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Auburn is one of 4-star wide receiver Derick Smith’s top schools

Auburn is a major contender for four-star, in-state wide receiver Derick Smith.

Auburn and wide receivers coach [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] signed one of the best wide receiver classes in the country in the 2024 recruiting cycle and he is now turning his efforts to the 2025 class.

One of Auburn’s top targets is four-star [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag], who is from Selma, Alabama, and has already taken several visits to the Plains. He returned on Saturday and once again came away impressed.

“It was fun, it was good. I just love the atmosphere here,” Smith told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “It gets better and better every time I come. I loved it, I’m not gonna lie. The fanbase, how the fanbase watched. I love the atmosphere out here.”

Smith is the No. 68 overall player and No. 8 wide receiver in the 247Sports composite ranking. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder is also the No. 6 player from Alabama.

While teams all across the country have offered him, the in-state Tigers are standing out. With Smith saying they are “top two for sure.”

He is coming off a great junior season for Southside High School. He caught 46 passes for 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 1,036 yards and nine touchdowns.

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Auburn offers 4-star tight end Nick Townsend

Auburn is looking for a second tight end to pair with Ryan Ghea in the 2025 recruiting class.

Auburn’s tight end coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] has already landed three-star tight end [autotag]Ryan Ghea[/autotag] in the 2025 recruiting cycle but he is not done.

The Tigers are trying to add some youth to the room after not signing a high school prospect in either of the past two classes and are looking to land multiple tight ends.

A new target emerged Friday night when he extended an offer to four-star prospect [autotag]Nick Townsend[/autotag]. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is from Houston, Texas, and has over 20 offers already, including ones from Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama and more.

Townsend is the No. 140 overall player and No. 4 athlete in the 247Sports composite ranking. He is also the No. 25 player from Texas.

Playing on both sides of the ball, Townsend had a great junior season for Dekaney High School. On offense, he caught 18 passes for 431 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns on six carries. He was just as impressive on defense, making 76 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks and recovering three fumbles.

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Four-star shooting guard Jayden Johnson schedules visit to Auburn

Auburn will host Jayden Johson, one of the top prospects in the 2026 cycle, next month when they take on the Kentucky Wildcats.

It is early in the process, but [autotag]Jayden Johnson[/autotag] has emerged as one of the best prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. The Auburn Tigers are one of several schools talking to the talented shooting guard and will get to host him on an important visit next month.

The 6-foot-5, 175-pounder will take an unofficial visit to the Plains on Feb. 17. The trip will be his first ever to Auburn and will give him a chance to watch [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] and Co. take on the Kentucky Wildcats inside Neville Arena.

Johnsons in the No. 36 overall player and No. 10 shooting guard in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Louisville, Kentucky product is also the No. 1 player from the Bluegrass State in the 2026 cycle.

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