Tag: Carde Smith

Former Auburn commit receives offer from Nebraska

Carde Smith is a 6-foot-5 offensive tackle from Williamson High School out of Mobile, Alabama decommitted from the Tigers on Thursday afternoon.

A former commit of the Auburn Tigers has announced a scholarship offer from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Carde Smith is a 6-foot-5 offensive tackle from Williamson High School out of Mobile, Alabama decommitted from the Tigers on Thursday afternoon.

Dear Auburn Nation, After days of deep thought and prayer, I have decided to decommit from Auburn University. This was a very hard decision for me and my family. I would like to thank the entire Auburn coaching staff for the time, effort, and energy that they put into recruiting me. Please respect my decision.

While Smith had been committed to the Tigers since April, his decommittment is not seen as a surprise. The offensive tackle holds 28 offers and just last weekend had taken a visit to the USC Trojans.

While Nebrsaka’s offer is recent, it is unknown if Smith will schedule an official visit, but the class of 2025 Huskers are working to schedule something with the prospect.

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2025 OT Carde Smith decommits from Auburn

Alabama’s No. 15 recruit from the 2025 cycle is re-opening his recruitment after committing to Auburn in April.

One of Auburn’s top pledges has re-opened his recruitment.

[autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], a four-star OT from Mobile, shared to X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday that he has backed off his pledge to Auburn and will look to sign elsewhere this cycle.

Smith joined Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class on April 10, choosing the Tigers over Florida State and Mississippi State. At the time, he was the third offensive lineman to commit to Auburn’s haul after striking a relationship with offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag]. Since then, he has earned offers from Tulane, Colorado, and USC. He officially visited USC over the weekend before announcing his decision to resign from his commitment to Auburn.

With Smith’s de-commitment, Auburn now sits at No. 8 in 247Sports’ 2025 recruiting rankings, down four spots from last week when four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Penn State to Auburn. The Tigers have four offensive line commits so far, headlined by four-star OT [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag].

 

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Auburn offensive line strengthened with commitment from four-star Broderick Shull

Broderick Shull kicks off the weekend by becoming Auburn’s 13th commitment of the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Auburn added to its 2025 recruiting class Friday by reeling in a big fish for its upcoming offensive line haul.

Four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Broderick Shull[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Tigers and head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] on Friday following his recent official visit last weekend.

Shull, a native of Bixby, Oklahoma, made the trip to the Plains for the second time following his first visit in the spring, one which he was very impressed by. Auburn won the race for him over many schools, including SEC foe Texas A&M.

The 6-5, 275-pound offensive tackle is ranked as the No. 149 player in the nation and the No. 13 player at his position according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 3 player in the state of Oklahoma.

Shull is the fifth offensive lineman and the highest rated overall offensive player in the Tigers’ 2025 class. On the offensive line, he joins [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag], [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Tai Buster[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag].

His recruitment was primarily led by offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag], who has had a great amount of success with the 2025 class.

Shull makes it back-to-back days that Auburn has landed a commitment, with four-star cornerback Donovan Starr committing to the Plains on Thursday.

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Auburn target Anquon Fegans down to four schools

Auburn remains in the race to land the four-star safety ahead of his July commitment.

Auburn football continues to make pushes on the recruiting trail, trying to land some of the nation’s top high school players for the future of the sport on the Plains. With many official visits having taken place last weekend, the Tigers are putting things into full motion more than ever.

One major hope that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has is to land four-star safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag], who announced Auburn as being part of his top four on Wednesday.

The Tigers are competing with Clemson, LSU and Georgia to land the sensation out of Thompson High School in Alabama. He has recorded 176 tackles and 18 interceptions in his three seasons with the powerhouse.

Fegans visited Auburn in March and received a prediction from Cole Pinkston at Auburn Live to land on the Plains in April. Now, after more extensive visits around the country, the safety has narrowed down his choices ahead of his July 29 commitment.

The current showings in the On3 recruiting prediction machine shows the Tigers as a heavy favorite to land the Thompson star. The On3 industry ranking shows Fegans as the No. 55 player in the country and the No. 5 safety. He is also the No. 4 prospect in the state of Alabama.

Auburn’s 2025 class is currently ranked 10th in the nation. If it landed Fegans, he would be the highest rated recruit for the program in this cycle. He could potentially join the Tigers’ numerous four-star commits in [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag], [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag], [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag], [autotag]Devin Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag].

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Auburn shoots to the top of five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham’s list

The momentum built from last season’s WR haul has carried over into the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Auburn football is making big strides to try and land highly talented recruits from across the country, hosting many on official visits as of late. Head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is attempting to turn around a program that has struggled in recent years, and he seems to have high school prospects on board with his plan for the future.

One of those prospects who is optimistic about the experience is five-star wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Cunningham[/autotag], who made his fifth total visit to the Plains last weekend.

The Choctaw County High School (Mississippi) product seemed to have another overall positive experience in his time on campus. He has been heavily pursued by the Tigers, which seems to be currently paying off.

“I told them yesterday they stand No. 1,” Cunningham said in an interview with Auburn Live. “Just the culture and how they treat me like family. It’s great people and I want to be around great people. It’s just a vibe here. It’s just great being here. I told them I don’t want to leave.”

Wide receivers coach [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] and offensive coordinator [autotag]Derrick Nix[/autotag] have been developing relationships with Cunningham throughout the process, which has played a big factor in how the Mississippi native feels towards the program.

The 6-3, 185-pound product is being heavily recruited by other schools in the SEC and has lined up official visits to Florida, Tennessee and Alabama over the next three weeks.

Cunningham is currently ranked as the No. 15 player in the nation and the No. 2 wide receiver in the 2025 class according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi.

A commitment by Cunningham would make him Auburn’s highest rated recruit in the 2025 cycle. As of now, he would join [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag], [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Ryan Ghea[/autotag], [autotag]Tai Buster[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag] on the offensive side of the ball in this class, along with others who made their official visits this weekend, as well.

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Tavaris Dice, Malik Autry headline Auburn’s top 10 recruiting class

Auburn has landed several talented recruits and has filled several needs early in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

The 2025 recruiting cycle is still in its early stages, and Auburn is off to a great start by landing several talented athletes.

Ahead of the calendar flipping to June, Auburn owns a top-10 class according to rankings from 247Sports and On3. Auburn’s top pledge, defensive lineman [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], recently received a fifth-star from 247Sports. Not only has Auburn added talented recruits to its class, but they have filled several needs along both the offensive and defensive lines. Auburn’s early strategy has impressed ESPN’s Craig Haubert.

Haubert recently broke down ESPN’s top recruiting classes for the 2025 session and is pleased with Auburn’s haul on both lines. The Tigers have earned commitments from three of the best defensive linemen from the class in Autry, [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag], and [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], which plays a big role in its No. 8 ranking.

Auburn has three in-state ESPN 300 defensive linemen on the board: Crawford, Jakaleb Faulk and Malik Autry. Crawford is a stout 300-pounder who stands out because he moves quite well for his size. Faulk is an edge player with length, quickness and the ability to redirect. Autry is another 300-pounder who is a big, aggressive presence in the trenches.

Auburn will lose several offensive linemen next season including transfer Dillon Wade. Hugh Freeze and staff are in great position to rebuild thanks to the pledges from four-star’s [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag] and [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag].

The Tigers also added several big men to their offensive line unit, including Dice and in-state ESPN 300 prospect Carde Smith. Both are physically impressive offensive linemen with good flexibility and power.

Auburn’s No. 8 ranking in ESPN’s 2025 recruiting rankings is fourth-highest among SEC programs, trailing LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma. Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Georgia round out the top-15 as May comes to an end.

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Auburn OT target Andrew Babalola expected to visit this weekend

In the midst of a hectic recruiting period for Auburn, offensive tackle Andrew Babalola is expected to officially visit this weekend

The Auburn Tigers are in the midst of a busy recruiting cycle as the summer begins for many players around the nation, as a number of prospects are preparing to make official visits to interested universities.

Amongst many players who are set to visit soon, the Tigers are ready for the arrival of offensive tackle [autotag]Andrew Babalola[/autotag], who is expected to officially visit the Plains this weekend.

The five-star product out of Blue Valley Northwest High School (Kansas) is in a tight recruiting battle currently, being pursued by programs such as Kansas State, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Babalola is highly rated by many outlets across the nation. The six-foot-five, 295-pound big man is rated the No. 15 player and No. 3 offensive tackle in the 2025 class according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 1 prospect in the state of Kansas.

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 9 in the country. A commitment by Babalola would be a strong addition to an already hefty offensive line class that includes [autotag]Tavaris Dice[/autotag], [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Tai Buster[/autotag] and [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag].

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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.

Auburn football landed four-star Carde Smith because ‘It feels like home’

Carde Smith breaks down why he committed to Auburn football this week.

Carde Smith committed to Auburn over the weekend, giving the SEC program another strong verbal in their impressive 2024 recruiting class.

A four-star offensive lineman from Williamson (Mobile, Alabama), Smith checks in as the No. 216 player in the nation according to 247Sports. ESPN ranks him among the top 30 offensive tackles in the class of 2024 and as part of their ESPN 300.

Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State and Tennessee were among the offers for Smith, who is a solidly built 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds.

Asked this week by USA TODAY High School Sports why he decided to stay in-state and picked Auburn, Smith’s answer was simple.

“Auburn feels like home,” Smith said.

“Me and coach Thornton (offensive line coach Jake Thornton) have a real good relationship. I have been on Auburn’s trail since June of last year and they have everything I want and more.”

Williamson is an agile and fluid mover at his size. He pulls well and gets downfield in his run-blocking. His movement shows athleticism that is unique given his frame.

There is no stiffness in his blocking and he bends well.

Finishing blocks and playing to the whistle, he relies on his natural strength at the high school level but has some nice tools to work with and develop at a Power Five program.

Auburn’s proximity and connection with him during his recruitment paid off in the end and helped guide his decision this week.

“Going to the games and having a relationship with them since last summer and building connections with the coaches and players,” Smith said about how Auburn came to feel like home.

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].

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