Auburn 2025 signees earning accolades at Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practice

Five new Tigers earned themselves spots on the On3 ‘Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game Top Performers’ list this week.

Auburn finished 2025 National Signing Day with the No. 6 ranked recruiting class in the nation according to most outlets, and some of those top ranked recruits are already making themselves well known. Five in particular, edge rusher Jared Smith, quarterback Deuce Knight, linebacker Jakaleb Faulk, and defensive lineman Malik Autry and Antonio Coleman, earned themselves spots on the On3 ‘Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game Top Performers’ list this week.

The list, which was made by On3 analyst Charles Power, highlighted the top 10 high school prospects that have made an impact through the practices leading up to the All-Star game on December 14. Smith, who was widely considered as a top 3 edge rusher in the 2025 cycle, was the highest ranked Tiger on the list, ranking in the No. 2 spot behind only Colorado signee Carde Smith. Deuce Knight also ranked in the top five, taking the No. 5 spot. Faulk (6), Autry (7), and Coleman (10), rounded out the rankings, giving Auburn spots in half of the 10-man list.

While Hugh Freeze is likely to bring in a transfer portal quarterback to compete with the aforementioned Knight, it is a major possibility all five future Tigers on this list receive a heavy snap share once they touch down on the Plains next season. With plenty of spots opening on the roster and the sizable talent influx set to reinforce Auburn’s roster next year, the Tigers are likely to have a much different look next season.

Standout individual performances by top ranked recruits like these could help propel players like Smith, Autry, Knight, Coleman, and Faulk up the depth chart as next fall approaches.

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Auburn football to host former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold

Hugh Freeze looks to make a splash with the former five-star quarterback.

Former Gatorade Player of the Year and five-star quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is in the transfer portal, and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is getting a chance to persuade him to join the Auburn Tigers.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], formerly of the Oklahoma Sooners, is scheduled to visit Auburn on Friday according to Steve Wiltfong of On3. The Tigers are in a stiff competition with Mississippi State in the race to win his transfer.

Arnold began the season as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, where he passed 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns with three interceptions while rushing for 444 additional yards. However, he struggled to keep his starting job throughout the season and was in constant competition with Michael Hawkins Jr.

John Williams of Sooners Wire broke down what went wrong for Arnold during his time at Oklahoma:

The 2024 season didn’t go as planned for the Oklahoma Sooners on the offensive side of the ball. Injuries at wide receiver and along the offensive line and the relative inexperience and talent deficiency that came with that put a damper on what had a chance to be a good offense for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Arnold, was left to try to pick up the pieces of the offense. It was a rough season for the former Gatorade National Player of the Year, who struggled with turnovers and, at times, indecision as a passer. Arnold was benched in the first half of the loss to Tennessee after three turnovers in the first half.

He regained the starting job after a solid performance against South Carolina in relief of Michael Hawkins Jr., but could never put it together as a passer given the circumstances.

Arnold’s debut season saw him pass for over 200 yards twice and rush for over 100 yards in the Sooners’ win over Alabama. Arnold is one of two “starter-worthy” quarterbacks set to visit this week, joining Duke’s Maalik Murphy. Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels is projected to transfer to Auburn, but the Tigers hope to bring in a quarterback who is ready to start immediately and become a role model in the development of freshmen quarterbacks [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag].

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Former Auburn QB Hank Brown to visit Big Ten program

The former Auburn QB will look to find another starting opportunity at a fellow Power Four program.

Former Auburn quarterback [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] is looking for a new home and could find a suitor in the Big Ten.

According to a report by Pete Nakos of On3, Brown will visit Iowa on Thursday, his first known visit of the window.

Brown entered the transfer portal this week after spending two seasons on the Plains. He played in one game as a true freshman, completing seven passes for 132 yards in Auburn’s Music City Bowl loss to Maryland. He saw action in three games as a redshirt freshman in 2024, earning two starts. He excelled in his first start against New Mexico by passing for four touchdowns. However, he was removed from his start against Arkansas one week later after throwing three interceptions in the first half.

Brown signed with Auburn as a three-start quarterback from the 2024 recruiting cycle. Originally committed to play for Hugh Freeze at Liberty, Brown followed Freeze to Auburn by committing to the program one day before signing with the Tigers on Dec. 21, 2022. His Auburn career ends with 403 passing yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Brown joins [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] as an Auburn quarterback currently looking for a new home in the transfer portal. [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] returns to the unit, while [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] is set to join the program as a true freshman ahead of next season. Freeze will look to add two quarterbacks from the transfer portal in this window to fill the void left behind by Brown and Geriner.

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Auburn named a potential landing spot for former USC quarterback Miller Moss

ESPN’s Max Olson believes Auburn has weapons that will allow Moss to succeed.

Auburn football has two young quarterbacks with bright futures in [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. However, following the departure of two-year starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], Auburn will need a “bridge year” to allow both quarterbacks to another season to develop.

Because of this, it is expected that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will look to fill the void by using the transfer portal. Several key names have declared their intention to enter the portal, including Washington State’s [autotag]John Mateer[/autotag] and Oklahoma’s [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. Ahead of the portal’s official opening on Dec. 9, ESPN’s Max Olson feels that one portal addition could fit in well at Auburn.

Olson suggests Auburn would be a great fit for former USC quarterback [autotag]Miller Moss[/autotag]. Moss, who has one season of eligibility remaining, passed for over 2,500 yards as a junior in Los Angeles last season and could find success by throwing to Auburn’s many targets at wide receiver.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze knows he needs to go get a transfer QB who can take the Tigers to the next level in 2025. Auburn has a ton of promising young talent to build around, especially at wide receiver, with standout true freshmen Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons and Perry Thompson. Their presence makes Auburn an appealing destination for QBs like Moss, who have one year left and are looking to put up big numbers next season.

Outside of Auburn’s targets, Moss fits the mold by having starting experience and one season of eligibility. Moss took over the starting quarterback role for Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams this season, where he passed for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in nine games played. However, following a tough stretch of games that included a loss to Washington, where he threw three interceptions, USC head coach Lincoln Riley pulled Moss in favor of Jayden Maiava for the final three games.

Moss is looking for a home he deems a “better fit.”

“There comes a point where there’s a time to move on to new opportunities,” Moss said in an interview with ESPN. “And I’m hoping to better myself as a person and a player.”

In four seasons at USC, Moss has completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns with just ten interceptions. The winter transfer portal window officially opens on Monday, Dec. 9, and will close on Dec. 28.

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Deuce Knight tabbed most athletic quarterback in 2025 class by On3

Auburn’s newest quarterback has an elite combination of 6-foot-4 size and 4.53 second 40-yard speed.

The newest Auburn Tigers quarterback, five-star incoming freshman Deuce Knight, is already starting to earn some accolades.

On3 Sports recently released its ‘2025 Quarterback Superlatives’ list which outlines some of the best high school prospects in the country. Knight was given the ‘Most Athletic’ tag by columnist Charles Power, an accolade that makes sense given the Mississippi native’s rare combination of 6-foot-4 size and 4.53 second 40-yard speed.

Athleticism was never a knock for on the consensus top 6 quarterback in the 2025 class. A tri-sport athlete who also played basketball and won multiple state championships in the long jump in high school, Knight has not been shy when it comes to the comparisons between himself and former Auburn great Cam Newton during the recruitment process. The 18-year-old went as far as to say he models his game off of Newton’s, who was also his favorite player growing up, during his interview with the media on National Signing Day.

Now done with high school football and focused on winning the quarterback competition on the Plains next season, Knight will hope to channel his elite physical tools into becoming one of the best all-around quarterbacks in college football. While he is the likely favorite to start games for Hugh Freeze next season with the current roster, the Tigers seem certain to bring in a veteran transfer portal player to compete for the starting job alongside Knight and 2025 sophomore Walker White.

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‘This is a good day for us.’ Hugh Freeze recaps 2025 Early Signing Day

Freeze is excited for his 2025 recruiting haul to get to campus so he can continue to build a successful program.

Auburn football remains in “rebuild mode” after a 5-7 season in 2024.

However, after the success of the 2025 recruiting cycle, this chapter in Auburn’s football history appears to be nearing its end.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn coaching staff secured the No. 6 recruiting class for the 2025 cycle on Wednesday when it signed 25 recruits. Freeze shared his thoughts on the class following the busy day, declaring Auburn’s 2025 class to be a sign of great things to come.

“I’m really excited; this is a good day for us,” Freeze said Wednesday. “Today is one of those days where the first emotion you probably feel is relief and excitement is the next one. It looks like we’ll finish with another Top 10 class, one of the tops in the SEC; I’ve been very clear since my arrival that I thought it would take three Top 10 classes in a row to get to where it’s apples to apples. Let’s get these guys here and continue to change our roster.”

Freeze and the staff took a step forward on Wednesday by signing the No. 6 class, two spots higher than the 2024 haul which included key players such as [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag]. Freeze is pleased with the players he signed but understands that development is the next step toward success.

“Now, it’s our job to develop and create a culture with those young men,” Freeze said. “Our vision here is very clear and I think today is a sign that good players see it, their families see it and it’s a validation that we’re on the right track.”

The Auburn Tigers added 25 players to its 2025 roster on Wednesday, headlined by five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], five-star DL [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], and five-star QB [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. For a full rundown of Auburn’s 2025 signees, click here.

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Auburn target Na’eem Offord signs with Oregon

Auburn lost to Oregon in the attempt to flip Alabama’s top recruit from Ohio State on Wednesday.

Five-star cornerback and consensus top 12 overall recruit [autotag]Na’eem Offord[/autotag] chose to play his college football at Oregon on Wednesday.

The No. 2 cornerback in the 2025 class, Offord had been committed to Ohio State since February of this year before flipping to Oregon on Early Signing Day. While Offord was never strongly predicted to flip to Auburn, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff made a last-minute push for his talents, leading many experts to believe the Tigers stood a solid chance of earning his commitment.

Auburn’s inability to land Offord brought a disappointing end to what was a very productive National Signing Day. Although the Tigers were unable to land the star cornerback from Birmingham, Alabama, Freeze and his staff did manage to bring five-star targets [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] to the Plains. The Tigers 2025 class also has nine four-star prospects currently signed as well, including Offord’s high school teammate, defensive lineman [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag].

The eyes of the Tigers staff will now be fully on four-star cornerback [autotag]Donovan Starr[/autotag], who committed to the program in June but has teased a possible flip to Alabama or Vanderbilt. The No. 1 prospect from the state of Tennessee, a commitment from Starr could move the Tigers back into the top 5 overall class rankings before National Signing Day comes to a close.

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Five-star quarterback Deuce Knight signs with Auburn over Ole Miss

Auburn signs the five-star QB from Mississippi despite late flip attempt by Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels.

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels worked tirelessly to flip Auburn commit [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] in the days leading up to the early signing period. However, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will get the last laugh at the end of the day.

Knight, a five-star quarterback from Lucedale, Mississippi, flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Auburn in October. On Wednesday, he honored his commitment to the Tigers by signing during the first day of the early signing period, spurning Kiffin and his home-state Ole Miss Rebels.

Knight visited Ole Miss several times after committing to Auburn, most recently for the Rebels’ win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl last Saturday. Talks of a possible flip began with David Johnson of 247Sports submitting a “crystal ball” prediction for Knight to flip to Ole Miss in November. However, Auburn never waivered and ultimately ended up with Knight in their 2025 recruiting haul.

Knight had a spectacular senior season at George County High School, where he passed for 2,082 yards and 24 touchdowns, throwing just five interceptions. On the ground, Knight added 450 yards and nine touchdowns to his overall total. In 26 total games as a high school quarterback, Knight completed 57% (324-of-560) passes for 5,618 yards and 50 touchdowns while adding 1,282 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground.

Knight is a 6-4, 206-pound quarterback from Lucedale, Mississippi, and is the No. 4 quarterback from the 2025 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. He will compete alongside [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Walker White[/autotag], and a possible transfer quarterback for the role of QB1 next fall for the Tigers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDKUnmqxWbQ/?img_index=1

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Former Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos receiving interest from Auburn

Is Castellanos a great fit for Auburn?

Auburn football will enter the 2025 season with two fewer quarterbacks following the graduation of [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] and the intent to transfer from Holden Geriner.

[autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] remain on the team, and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] is expected to sign with the team this week. Could Auburn add experience at the position while White and Knight develop? According to a report from Rivals, it appears that Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is exploring the possibility.

Adam Gortney of Rivals reported late Monday that Auburn is one of four schools showing interest in former Boston College quarterback [autotag]Thomas Castellanos[/autotag], joining Florida State, Missouri, and Miami.

Castellanos, a 5-9 196-pound quarterback from Waycross, Georgia, has played his two most recent seasons at Boston College after signing with UCF in 2022. While in Boston, Castellanos passed for 3,614 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. The 2024 season saw Castellanos expand his touchdown-to-interception ratio, where he threw 18 touchdowns to five interceptions.

The biggest storyline surrounding Castellanos took place during the Eagles 37-31 win over Syracuse on Nov. 9. Castellanos left the game due to a leg injury, which forced Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien to play Grayson James in the position. Following the game, O’Brien elected to keep James at the starting quarterback slot.

“I think what’s best for the team right now is for Grayson James to be the starter,” O’Brien said of the change at quarterback. “(Castellanos) has done a great job for us. He’s an awesome competitor. We have a lot of respect for Tommy. Obviously he wasn’t real thrilled with that. He’s taken a couple days.”

A few days later on Nov. 14, Castellanos announced that he was officially leaving the program and would enter the transfer portal once it opens on Dec. 9.

In eight games this season, Castellanos led Boston College to four wins while completing 99-of-161 passes for 1,366 yards and 18 scores. According to Pro Football Focus, Castellanos was pressured 69 times, which resulted in 18 sacks and seven turnover-worthy passes. As a runner, Castellanos rushed for 194 yards on 93 carries with a score.

The transfer portal officially opens on Dec. 9 and will remain open until Dec. 28.

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Auburn quarterback Holden Geriner to enter transfer portal

The former top-15 quarterback prospect was buried on the quarterback depth chart for the entirety of his Auburn tenure.

Auburn sophomore signal-caller [autotag]Holden Geriner[/autotag] is reportedly entering the transfer portal following another season in a reserve role on the Plains.

A former top 15 quarterback prospect in his class, Geriner was buried on the quarterback depth chart for the entirety of his Auburn tenure. After spending his first collegiate season as the third-string quarterback behind [autotag]Robby Ashford[/autotag] and [autotag]T.J. Finley[/autotag] in the quarterback room, Geriner failed to beat out transfer [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] for the starting quarterback role in 2023. With the aforementioned Ashford relegated to backup duty, the former four-star recruit saw his role once again reduced to “mop up” duty at the end of blowout games.

Things didn’t change for the better this season, as Geriner attempted just two passes in two appearances, both coming in the early season. The 6-foot-3 quarterback found himself fourth on the depth chart by the end of the season, behind the aforementioned Thorne, and freshmen [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Walker White[/autotag]. With White and Brown expected to return next season and the likely arrival of five-star quarterback [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] and at least one transfer portal signal-caller, Gernier will seek a better opportunity at a new program next fall.

Over three seasons on the Plains, the former four-star quarterback completed 9 -of-20 pass attempts for 116 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. Geriner officially recorded five rush attempts in an Auburn uniform, although three were sacks for negative yardage.

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