derick smith – Syndication Server

Four star EDGE lists Auburn among top schools ahead of commitment date

Auburn is one of nine schools Cam Brooks is considering for his commitment.

Four-star edge rusher Cam Brooks has reportedly narrowed his list of possible collegiate destinations to nine. Auburn is one of those schools.

A native of Thomasville, Georgia, Brooks is a top 95 ranked recruit in the 2026 cycle according to On3. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound pass rusher will choose either Auburn, Cal, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, Florida State, Clemson, or Miami in the coming months.

If Brooks were to commit to the Tigers, he would continue a growing trend of highly talented defensive lineman finding their way to the Plains. Along with standout star Keldric Faulk, Auburn is expected to get large contributions from incoming freshman [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] as soon as 2025. With Brooks’s ranking only climbing entering his final season of high school football, he could very well be the next impact defender Hugh Freeze brings along to join his program.

Until then, Brooks will finish out his High School football career with Thomas County Central High School, where he helped the Yellow Jackets finish 11-2 a season ago. Brooks led his squad with 4 sacks in 2023, while also registering 6.5 tackles for loss. 10.5 of his 15 total tackles on the season took place in the opposing backfield, showing the kind of win-rate dominance that can translate to a Power 4 college football conference like the SEC.

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Former Tiger Camden Brown commits to Georgia Southern

Brown finished his Tiger career with 26 receptions, 289 receiving yards, and three touchdowns

One of the longest-tenured Tigers on Auburn’s offesnse will be departing for another school next season. Junior wide receiver [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag] announced he would be taking his talents to Georgia Southern on Wednesday.

A contributor on the Auburn offense since 2022, Brown finished his Tiger career with 26 receptions, 289 receiving yards, and a trio of scores. Unfortunately most of that production came in his first two seasons on the Plains, as Brown had just 7 receptions for 61 yards in 2024 playing behind Auburn’s abundance of other talented pass catchers.

With most of those pass catchers set to return as the top options in 2025, Brown will travel a state over to play at Georgia Southern, where the senior will likely have his biggest role of his college career. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound big body receiver has all the physical tools and big-game experience to thrive in the Sun Belt, especially for a team that could be a piece or two away from winning the conference next season.

As for Auburn, Brown’s departure further cements incoming sophomores [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] as the top two options for either [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag], or [autotag]Ashton Daniels[/autotag] next season. Second-year receivers [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag] are also candidates to see a larger role in 2025, while freshman [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] could also push for a starting spot as soon as he touches down on the Plains.

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Brotherly love: Auburn inks brothers Derick, Erick Smith to 2025 class

The pair from Selma will bring plenty of talent to Auburn’s receiver room.

When receiving gifts, it is always better to get them in pairs.

Auburn secured two gifts on Wednesday in the form of brothers Derick and Erick Smith, as the pair from Selma signed with Hugh Freeze’s program.

[autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] committed to Auburn’s program after a successful stay at Big Cat Weekend, joining the Tigers’ 2025 haul in July after previously pledging to Alabama. The four-star receiver is the No. 5 receiver from the 2025 cycle and is the No. 9 player from Alabama.

[autotag]Erick Smith[/autotag] brings quite a presence to Auburn’s receiver room as well by standing at 6-6 and weighing 190 pounds. He did not receive as much attention from recruiting sites as he is only tabbed a three-star. However, he made an impact this season at Southside by recording 116 receiving yards per game and is sure to be a force in Auburn’s receiving game over the next several seasons.

Derick and Erick are two of three wide receiver commits who are expected to sign with Auburn this week. At the time of this post, three-star wide receiver commit Sam Turner has not signed.

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Three Auburn commits listed on MaxPreps All-American Preseason Team

Safety Anquon Fegans, running back Alvin Henderson and safety/wide receiver Derick Smith made the cut.

As back-to-school advertisements air on television, the high school football season, specifically at schools below the Mason-Dixon line, is ready to begin.

With the start of “Friday Night Lights”, MaxPreps released its All-American Preseason High School Football Team. Three high-profile Auburn Tiger commits, safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] (First Team), running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] (Second Team), and safety/wide receiver [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] (Second Team) made the cut.

Fegans, who committed to Auburn last month, received the nod on the first team after MaxPreps named his to the All-American team as a junior. The No. 5 safety in the 2025 class is looking to build on a fantastic junior season in which he picked off opposing quarterbacks 5 times while racking up 50 tackles. Health permitting, the Alabaster, AL native should make an impact on the Plains as soon as he lands on campus next summer.

Four-star running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] is the only “full time” offensive Auburn commit to receive Preseason All-American honors. A consensus top 20 back in the 2025 class, Henderson originally chose Penn State before flipping his commitment to Auburn in June. Like Fegans, Henderson has an equal chance to make an immediate impact as a Tiger next season with current Auburn running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] entering his senior season in 2024.

Four-star athlete Derick Smith joins Henderson on the All-American Second Team just two weeks after flipping his commitment from rival Alabama to the Tigers. The talented two-way star will likely line up as a wide receiver once he makes his way to the Plains next summer but will continue to receive reps on both sides of the ball during his senior season at Southside High School in Selma, Alabama.

Besides the trio of highly-ranked Auburn commits, a few other Tiger targets received spots on MaxPreps Preseason Teams. 2025 recruits [autotag]Na’eem Offord[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Babalola[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag], as well as 2026 linebacker [autotag]Tyler Atkinson[/autotag] were also featured on the All-American teams.

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Alabama offers twin brother of former Tide commit, 2025 ATH Derick Smith

The Alabama coaching staff is doing its due diligence in the recruitment of 2025 athlete Derick Smith. On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide offered his twin brother.

Two days after his twin brother — Derick Smith flipped from the Alabama Crimson Tide to the Auburn Tigers, 2025 wide receiver Erick Smith has landed an offer from the Crimson Tide.

The two Smith brothers play for Southside-Selma High School in Selma, Alabama. Erick plays wide receiver wheras his brother, Derick, plays both wide receiver and safety.

On Monday, Derick made the decision to flip to the Tigers. The move was somewhat of a surprise to outsiders but recruiting insiders were aware of the potential flip several days prior.

Alabama will continue to recruit the twin brothers. Erick is currently uncommitted. He has offers from Alabama A&M, Appalachian State, and North Alabama. He is listed at 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds. During his junior season, he reeled in 39 receptions for 1,333 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Crimson Tide will work to get him and his brother on campus during the season. It will not be an easy task to do as Auburn will likely strive to do the same. However, I would expect both to be on Alabama’s campus prior to making a final decision on where they will continue their college career.

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Alabama@freddierch8 @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @cjmoody88 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/yNt5ikzaEm

— Erick Smith (@ErickSm62) July 31, 2024

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its efforts on the recruiting trail.

Recruiting expert expects Auburn to flip three-star WR from ACC program

Could Auburn flip another playmaker before signing day?

Auburn football has been on a roll lately by flipping talented playmakers such as [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag] from rival Alabama.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff want to make the most of their luck by trying to flip another 2025 recruit, this time from an ACC program.

[autotag]Sam Turner[/autotag], a three-star wide receiver from Southwest DeKalb High School in Metro Atlanta, was a guest during Big Cat Weekend last weekend on Auburn’s campus. The Georgia Tech pledge had a great visit to the Plains, which is giving a recruiting expert the sense that Auburn may sign him to its 2025 haul. Cole Pinkston of Auburn Live has submitted a prediction in favor of Auburn landing Turner with 60% confidence.

Turner said that Auburn made a positive move during Big Cat Weekend, with the atmosphere of campus and the program sticking out. He is also a fan of the coaching staff’s priority of faith and their passing scheme.

“It’s a big deal,” Turner said in an interview with On3. “I like the faith part and they’re going to throw the ball. You’ve probably got five receiver guys as coaches from the OC (Derrick Nix) to the head coach, the head guy (Marcus Davis), the assistant receiver coach was the OC at Jackson State (Maurice Harris). There’s a lot of like-minded guys on the offensive staff.”

Following Pinkston’s prediction drop, Auburn now has an 87.5% chance to land Turner according to On3. He plans to announce his final decision on August 8.

Four-Star ATH Derick Smith flips from Alabama to Auburn

Smith had been committed to the Crimson Tide since March of this year

2025 four-star athlete [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Alabama to Auburn on Monday. A consensus top 50 recruit in the 2025 class, Smith had been committed to the Crimson Tide since March of this year. His decision to change his commitment comes just a day after the conclusion of ‘Big Cat Weekend’.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete has spent time at both wide receiver and free safety during his high school career at Southside in Selma, AL. While most of his highlights have come on offense, Auburn’s current roster makeup seemingly has bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball. Whether Smith ends up playing receiver, safety, or both, on the Plains remains to be seen.

Auburn’s consensus top 10 2025 recruiting class continues to make strides towards the top 5 following a very successful ‘Big Cat Weekend’ from Hugh Freeze and his staff. The commitment of Smith gives the Tigers another incoming top 100 recruit to add to the roster in 2025.

That class could gain another star recruit as soon as Monday afternoon as four-star safety target [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] is set to announce his commitment soon. If Fegans were to join Smith on the Plains, it may push Smith towards playing more receiver right away.

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A look at four ‘flip’ candidates ahead of Big Cat Weekend

Will Auburn end the weekend by flipping these four talented recruits?

Guests are beginning to arrive on Auburn’s campus for the biggest recruiting event of the season, Big Cat Weekend.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his coaching staff will welcome several uncommitted recruits and even more talented 2026 targets. However, its toughest recruiting effort will be spent on four players committed to playing college football elsewhere.

A total of 22 known recruits from the 2025 cycle will be present during Big Cat Weekend, with four committed to fellow Power Four programs. According to Auburn Undercover’s running list of Big Cat visitors, four-star athlete [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] (Alabama), four-star EDGE [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag] (Ohio State), three-star RB [autotag]Daune Morris[/autotag] (USC), and three-star WR [autotag]Sam Turner[/autotag] (Georgia Tech) will all participate in this weekend’s activities.

Smith pledged to Alabama in March, and still appears to be leaning towards the Crimson Tide. However, Steve Wiltfong of On3 places Smith at the top of Auburn’s flip wish list. The Selma native is being recruited by Auburn to play wide receiver and in the secondary according to Wiltfong. The possibilities are endless with Smith, as he enters the weekend as the No. 2 athlete in the nation according to 247Sports.

Grady has flipped his commitment from Georgia to Ohio State this calendar year, but his recruitment is not quite finished. Auburn has already landed a commitment from one of Grady’s high school teammates from Enterprise High School, four-star safety [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag]. Winters will also attend Big Cat Weekend and could work some magic in order to shift Grady’s pledge to the Tigers.

Morris is a three-star running back from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and is pledged to USC. However, a few programs including Auburn, Ole Miss, and Tennessee are also candidates to flip him. Can Auburn get the upper-hand and sway Morris to stay closer to home?

The final candidate is Dekalb County, Georgia native Sam Turner. Turner earned an Auburn offer in June and is quickly shooting up the recruiting board for Auburn. Turner, a Georgia Tech commit, says that he is building a relationship with Auburn wide receivers coach [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] and that his recruitment is not over.

Auburn’s coaching staff will need to bring their best efforts in order to steal these talented prospects away from their respective commitments. The great news for Auburn is that 12 of their commitments will also be on campus this weekend working as extra recruiters.

Alabama commit Derick Smith enjoys recent Auburn visit

Smith plans to return to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend in July.

Auburn football wrapped up another exciting recruiting weekend by hosting several commits and pledges to other programs.

Last weekend’s guest list included [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag], a four-star athlete from Southside High School in Selma. He and fellow Alabama commit [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag] flocked to the Plains, where they enjoyed their time on their arch-rivals’ campus.

Smith is projected to play wide receiver at Alabama but would have free range to choose his position at Auburn. This is why developing relationships with both wide receivers coach [autotag]Marcus Davis[/autotag] and safeties coach [autotag]Charles Kelly[/autotag] is important for Smith’s unique situation.

Smith says that Kelly’s success at Alabama from 2019-22 has piqued his interest in Auburn

“What (Kelly) did with defensive backs at Bama, he got 40-something DBs and safeties drafted,” Smith said in a recent interview with Auburn Live. “I feel like I could do the same. Coach Kelly is going to keep it real. He’s going to make sure I’m good.”

How high are Auburn’s chances of flipping Smith from Alabama? It all comes down to Auburn’s success on the field in 2024. If Auburn shows signs of improvement from its 6-7 campaign in 2023, Smith will have a tough decision to make in December.

Auburn will have another chance to sway Smith this summer, as he plans to attend Big Cat Weekend in July.

Auburn football adds four-star LB to official visitor list

Auburn’s important recruiting weekend just became more interesting.

Auburn football’s important recruiting weekend just became more interesting.

This weekend’s list of visitors includes Alabama commits [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag], as well as priority wide receiver [autotag]Travis Smith Jr.[/autotag] [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] was surprised Thursday as four-star linebacker [autotag]Christian Jones[/autotag] changed gears by scheduling his official visit to Auburn instead of his previous plans of visiting USC.

This weekend’s visit to Auburn will be the first for Jones, as he has not been a major blip on Auburn’s radar to this point. However, his relationship with newly hired defensive coordinator [autotag]DJ Durkin[/autotag] has carried over from his time at Texas A&M. He looks forward to growing the bond this weekend on the Plains.

“Continuing to build a relationship with Coach Durkin because he recruited me when he was at A&M,” Jones said in a recent interview with On3’s Steve Wiltfong. “And I liked the way he coaches and his defensive structure.”

Nebraska is the team to beat currently for Jones according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine. The Cornhuskers have two crystal ball predictions from 247Sports in favor of landing the Omaha product as well.

Jones is the top recruit from Nebraska according to 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. The four-star linebacker ranks as high as No. 7 at his position in the 2025 class, and is the nation’s No. 58 overall recruit according to Rivals.