Four-star DL JaReylan McCoy includes Auburn in top 12

Auburn is in the hunt for a top defensive lineman from the 2026 class.

Auburn football’s 2026 recruiting efforts are off to a hot start as they are in the mix to land several notable recruits.

Among those is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]JaReylan McCoy[/autotag], who included Auburn in his top 12 last week. Several programs joining Auburn in McCoy’s top list are Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, and Tennessee.

McCoy is a four-star defensive lineman from Tupelo, Mississippi, and is considered to be a top-10 player at his position according to rankings from three recruiting outlets, ranking as high as No. 3. In a recent interview with Chad Simmons of On3, McCoy shared why Auburn, as well as the remaining 11 programs, remain in the hunt.

“These schools have been consistent with the conversation and just getting to know my family instead of making it all about football,” McCoy said. “Another thing is the schooling and how they have some good programs that can help me in the long run.”

At the time of this post, Ole Miss is the frontrunner according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 67.2% forecast. LSU, USC, and Mississippi State are next in line.

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Experts remain confident in Auburn’s chances to land 2025 CB Blake Woodby

Woodby is one of many uncommitted recruits on the Big Cat Weekend guest list.

Auburn coaches will get the chance to seal deals this weekend by hosting several key uncommitted recruits for Big Cat Weekend which kicks off Friday.

Four-star cornerback [autotag]Blake Woodby[/autotag] is one of those uncommitted prospects who will flock to the Plains this weekend. Woodby has been high on Auburn’s radar for months, and vice versa. Could Auburn finally close the deal and add Woodby to its 2025 haul? Recruiting experts remain confident in the Tigers’ chances.

Steve Wiltfong of On3 shared his thoughts on Auburn’s chances of landing key recruits including Woodby. Wiltfong logged an expert prediction for Auburn to land Woodby in May and reports this week that he is sticking with his claim.

Since Wiltfong logged his prediction, three other On3 writers have predicted Woodby to commit to Auburn. On3 gives Auburn an 81.4% chance to snag Woodby heading into the weekend.

Following a June visit to Auburn, Woodby told Jeffrey Lee of On3 that he finds comfort on the Plains.

“I feel more and more comfortable at Auburn,” Woodby said. “And they make it easy. It feels like home. It feels like family. Everybody knows everybody. I know everybody from my official visit, from the equipment people to the offensive staff to the defensive staff to the special teams staff. I know everybody and everybody knows me. They are all invested in me and me in them.”

The former Ohio State pledge is the No. 17 cornerback from the 2025 class according to On3, and is the No. 3 recruit from Maryland. His high school teammate, three-star LB [autotag]Bryce Deas[/autotag], committed to Auburn on June 11, and will more than likely accompany Woodby for Big Cat Weekend.

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Former Auburn 2025 commit joins long list of Big Cat Weekend visitors

Auburn will get another chance to land a solid 2025 linebacker during the most important recruiting weekend of the year.

This weekend, Auburn will roll out the red carpet for its most crucial targets for Big Cat Weekend.

This weekend, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff will host several notable recruits. Among those names are those who have already committed and those who are pledged elsewhere. There will also be a special case for one recruit: trying to win him back.

[autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag], a four-star linebacker from Winona, Mississippi, is scheduled to return to the Plains this weekend after backing off his pledge to Auburn last month.

Lockhart has not joined another recruiting class since de-committing from Auburn, but it is heavily speculated that he is heading to Mississippi State to join his brother, 2024 signee TJ Lockhart. On3 has given the Bulldogs a 93.7% chance to land Lockhart while three 247Sports recruiting experts have given Mississippi State a crystal ball in favor of Lockhart.

Lockhart becomes the next target for Auburn to sway this weekend. Four-star safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] and four-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], both from Thompson High School in Alabaster, will announce their commitments shortly after Big Cat Weekend. Could Lockhart join them by reaffirming his pledge?

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Where does Auburn stand with LB JaMichael Garrett ahead of his commitment date?

The 2026 product is almost ready to announce his commitment. Is Auburn in position to close the deal?

Commitment date is looming for 2026 linebacker [autotag]JaMichael Garrett[/autotag], and Auburn is in a comfortable spot to land him.

In a recent interview with Chad Simmons of On3, Garrett says that he will announce his commitment “in the next two weeks or so.” Where does Auburn stand with Garrett ahead of his decision date? On3 is heavily leaning towards Auburn by giving them a 97.3% chance to earn his commitment while 247Sports has logged two crystal ball predictions in favor of the Tigers.

Garrett tells On3 that his relationships with defensive coordinator [autotag]DJ Durkin[/autotag], EDGE coach [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] are strong and he feels that they can push him to be great. For the program as a whole, Garrett says that Auburn reminds him of his high school program.

“The brotherhood at Auburn is different from anyone in the nation. It is like my high school team and everyone is close,” Garrett said. “It just feels good when I am there. Then the networking is great too. It is a great school to go to get set up for after football.”

LSU is the team to beat for Garrett’s commitment, but Auburn is the early favorite to land him. Garrett will have a busy week by visiting the Bayou on July 25 before making his way to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend beginning Friday. Much like 2025 safety Anquon Fegans, Garrett could commit to Auburn following a successful weekend visit.

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Big Cat Weekend will be crucial for Auburn’s pursuit of Anquon Fegans

Auburn is the favorite to land the four-star safety from Alabaster. Will a successful Big Cat Weekend seal the deal for Hugh Freeze and company?

Auburn target [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] will announce his college destination on July 29, and the Tigers will have one final opportunity ahead of Fegans’ commitment date to secure his signature.

The weekend before Fegans’ announcement, he will visit two schools, LSU and Auburn. LSU will host Fegans on Friday, July 26, and will check out Auburn one day later. The good news for Auburn in this scenario is that Fegans will arrive on campus during the height of Big Cat Weekend. Not only will Auburn’s coaches work to recruit Fegans, but the staff will also have aid in the form of [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], and several other pledges to Auburn’s 2025 class.

In an interview with On3’s Steve Wiltfong, Anquon’s father Antwon says that the relationship he and his son have with one Auburn assistant is quite special.

“The relationship me and Coach (Charles) Kelly got is probably the best relationship I have with any coach,” Anquon’s father said. “The relationship he has with (Anquon).”

As decision day nears, Fegans is projected to commit to Auburn. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Auburn an 80.8% chance to earn Fegans’ commitment. Auburn also owns four crystal ball projections from recruiting experts at 247Sports. Fegans is ranked as a four-star safety by every major recruiting outlet, and ranks as high as No. 2 nationally at his position.

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2026 EDGE Anthony Jones schedules Auburn visit

Alabama’s top 2026 recruit will be on campus during a critical recruiting weekend.

Auburn football is looking to get a head start in its 2026 recruiting efforts, and one of its top targets has scheduled a visit during a critical weekend.

[autotag]Anthony Jones[/autotag], a five-star EDGE from Mobile, will be on campus during Auburn’s annual Big Cat Weekend beginning July 27 according to a report by On3’s Chad Simmons.

Auburn has been high on Jones’ list as he has visited the Plains four times this calendar year. He is intrigued by Auburn’s culture, the proximity of Auburn’s campus to his hometown, and his fit within the Tigers’ defense. He has also built a strong relationship with EDGE coach [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], which whom he has held a strong bond since the early days of his recruitment.

“Oh, I love him, he’s a great coach,” Jones said of Aldridge in a recent interview with Auburn Live. “We get along well. I can see myself playing for him, too. He’s really saying I am a top priority for the 2026 class. He just wants to get me back on campus and stuff.”

Jones is the top recruit from Alabama from the 2026 cycle according to every major recruiting outlet, and is the No. 1 EDGE prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals. Auburn is the program to beat for Jones according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine with a 32.5% forecast, with LSU, Alabama, and Georgia next in line.

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Five-star 2026 QB Ryder Lyons schedules Auburn visit

Auburn is looking to add a talented quarterback from the 2026 cycle, and Lyons appears to be a stellar candidate.

Auburn football’s 2026 recruiting efforts are off to a great start as the class currently sits at No. 12 in 247Sports top 25 rankings. To keep the momentum going, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is looking to sign a talented quarterback in the cycle and has one set in his sights.

[autotag]Ryder Lyons[/autotag], a five-star quarterback from Folsom, California, has scheduled a visit to Auburn for July 29, one day after Auburn wraps up its annual Big Cat Weekend and three days before the recruiting dead period according to Christian Clemente of 247Sports.

Lyons may be entering his 11th grade season this fall, but he has already caught the attention of several power programs. According to 247Sports, Lyons has racked up offers from programs such as Oregon, USC, Alabama, Colorado, and Florida.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins says that Lyons possesses a quick release and has a rare ability to excel as a passer and a runner.

At the SoCal Elite 11 Camp (3/17/24), he showed off one of the quickest releases in the camp, the ability to make throws from in and out of the pocket and was accurate to all three levels of the field. His 36″ vertical jump was 2nd highest in the camp and he combines rare physical tools with an advanced feel for the position as well.

Lyons is the No. 2 quarterback for the 2026 class and is the No. 2 overall recruit from California.

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Auburn target Jared Smith sets commitment date

Alabama’s No. 2 prospect from the 2025 class will announce his commitment a few days after visiting Auburn for Big Cat Weekend.

The Auburn coaching staff has done a wonderful job this recruiting cycle by securing the commitment of their home state’s top talent. Auburn’s commitment list includes four of Alabama’s top-10 recruits from the 2025 cycle and six commits overall from the state’s top-40 players.

In Vegas, it is hard to walk away from the table when your luck is good, which is why Auburn is continuing to make a push to land more of the state’s best prospects.

[autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], the state’s No. 2 recruit from the 2025 cycle from Thompson High School in Alabaster, announced this week that he will announce his commitment on Aug. 3, ahead of the high school football season. Auburn remains in contention to land his commitment, alongside South Carolina, Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida State, and USC.

Smith took a brief visit to the Plains ahead of the recruiting dead period, where he ran into 2025 Auburn commit [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag]. Smith told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover that Crawford is recruiting Smith just as hard as the Auburn coaching staff.

“It was a huge opportunity for me to get down here today just to get a feel for the players who might come to Auburn,” Smith said in an interview with 247Sports. “Jourdin Crawford was here, and just talking with him about how this place could change with just a few people that could commit.”

According to On3, the battle for Smith is between Auburn and South Carolina. The good news for Auburn is that Smith will commit just after visiting Auburn for Big Cat Weekend. Last season, five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] flipped his pledge from Alabama to Auburn during the weekend event, could a potential commitment from Smith be the most notable headline from this year’s Big Cat Weekend?

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Auburn among top four schools remaining in pursuit of Walter Mathis Jr.

Mathis says that Auburn continues to make him a ‘priority’ ahead of his commitment date.

It is always a great sign when your favorite program remains in the hunt to land a talented recruit ahead of his scheduled commitment date.

That is the case for Auburn football, as the Tigers remain in pursuit of [autotag]Walter Mathis[/autotag], a three-star DL from Calvary Day School in Savannah, Georgia. Mathis is weeks away from his commitment, and he tells Chad Simmons of On3 that Auburn, along with Miami, Clemson, and LSU, are the top schools making him feel “like a priority.”

After taking an official visit to the Plains in June, he told On3 that he enjoyed the community atmosphere that Auburn exhibits.

“I like the vibe at Auburn and the feeling around the area,” Mathis said in an interview with On3. “When I went up there, it was a really quiet place. It is a great place to be. Everything there is knit together. It’s one big community.”

Heading into the final stages of his recruitment, it appears that it will be a battle between LSU and Miami. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Bayou Bengals an 87.3% chance to land Mathis while Anna Adams of 247Sports has submitted a crystal ball in favor of the Hurricanes.

Mathis plans to commit either at the end of July or in early August according to On3, which gives Auburn a few weeks to make one last push in order to land his signature.

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Auburn appears to be ‘out of contention’ for four-star WR Travis Smith

The longtime Auburn target will announce his commitment this week. Can Auburn make one final push?

Auburn football was near the top of four-star wide receiver [autotag]Travis Smith[/autotag]’s list for quite some time. However, the Tigers now look to be out of the running.

In a recent interview with Chad Simmons of On3, the wide receiver from Atlanta shared that he will choose between three schools on Saturday, July 13. The bad news for Auburn is that Smith is no longer considering them.

“Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee are the schools in contention and I am still working to make the final decision between those three,” Smith said in an interview with On3. “All three have a lot I like, and I feel I can be successful at each, so I still have a lot to figure out in the next few days.”

Smith says he will go with his gut on Saturday when selecting a college home between Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. Georgia looks to be the team to beat for Smith according to experts from On3 and 247Sports. However, Tennessee has a small chance to win the race for Smith according to Dawgs247 staff writer Ben Wolk.

Smith says that relationships with the coaching staff and track record of sending players to the NFL stands out the most when he thinks of Georgia.

“I have special relationships with Kirby Smart and (wide receivers coach) James Coley,” Smith said. “I have extensive relationships with many people at Georgia and their track record with offensive production, yards per game and getting guys drafted has always stood out.”

Smith is a four-star rated wide receiver according to all major recruiting outlets. He is the No. 10 wide receiver from the 2025 class according to On3 and is the No. 8 overall recruit from Georgia. Auburn’s next chance of signing a wide receiver to its 2025 class is four-star wide receiver [autotag]Daylyn Upshaw[/autotag], who has a 35% chance to commit to Auburn according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine.

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