Jakaleb Faulk – Syndication Server

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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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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Auburn lands expert prediction for 4-star EDGE Jared Smith

Auburn is projected to beat out South Carolina for the four-star from Thompson.

The race for many of the nation’s top recruits is getting very tight and teams are hoping to make some big moves in the 2025 recruiting class. Auburn being one of those programs, it is no surprise that it is doing everything it can to make a statement.

One of the races that the Tigers are involved in is for four-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], who received an expert prediction to land on the Plains from On3 recruiting expert Chad Simmons.

The senior star from Thompson High School (Ala.) narrowed down his decision to six schools on Thursday. Auburn is competing with Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia, USC and Ole Miss, trying to land him when he announces his commitment on Aug. 3.

Smith has been on official visits to all five of the other programs and made an unofficial visit in June when Thompson attended the Tigers’ 7-on-7 camp.

South Carolina has been a major competitor in the race and is also being seen as a likely destination for Smith. Despite that, he will be back on the Plains for Big Cat Weekend later in the month.

At 6-6, 235 pounds, Smith is the No. 42 player in the country and No. 4 EDGE defender according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also ranked as the No. 2 player in the state of Alabama.

Auburn’s 2025 class is ranked No. 14 in the nation. Should he commit, Smith would join players on the defensive line like [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag].

Smith’s high school teammate [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] is also high on the Tigers’ radar and will be at Big Cat Weekend as well. Fegans’ commitment is set for July 29.

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Can Auburn pull off the flip of five-star DL Isaiah Gibson?

Gibson is a USC pledge, but Auburn is the “top school” to watch out for when it matters most.

Auburn football is no stranger to taking away commits from Power programs. Currently, USC is [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s top target for poaching talent.

Auburn will welcome two Trojan pledges to campus this weekend for official visits: five-star QB [autotag]Julian Lewis[/autotag] and three-star RB [autotag]Daune Morris[/autotag]. Lewis and Morris will be the second and third USC commits to officially visit Auburn this week, joining five-star DL [autotag]Isaiah Gibson[/autotag], who wrapped up his trip on Wednesday.

Gibson joined four-star EDGE’s [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag] and [autotag]Javeon Campbell[/autotag] by taking their official visits beginning Monday and departed with plenty to think about. Gibson, who visited Auburn with his mother, said that Freeze made the visit about football and family, which “meant a lot” to him.

In a recent interview with Auburn Undercover, Gibson says that he does not plan on changing his tune with USC, but Auburn is a school that is showing up boldly on his radar.

“I would say is a top school,” Gibson said of Auburn. “A lot of schools are trying to get me to flip, I don’t see myself flipping no time soon but if I were to flip Auburn would be a top school.”

The possibility of flipping Gibson would be massive for Auburn. As it stands, Auburn holds commitments from two defensive linemen: four-star [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], who recently received his fifth star from 247Sports. Adding Gibson would bring stability to Auburn’s defensive front, and would mix well with [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag], who is set to play EDGE for the Tigers as a member of the 2025 class.

Like so many others, Gibson could return to Auburn for Big Cat weekend in July. That weekend, plus a successful unofficial visit during the season, could make things interesting ahead of December’s signing day.

Alabama DL commit Antonio Coleman makes another visit to Auburn

In a back-and-forth recruiting battle, Alabama defensive line commit Antonio Coleman made a visit to the Plains last weekend

The recruiting process is a long road that can go back and forth weekly with different schools pushing for top prospects. Auburn is one of those schools that is constantly working its hardest, which is keeping them in the race for talented players.

One of those players is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag], who is currently committed to the Tigers’ archrival, Alabama.

Coleman returned to the Plains for an official visit last weekend. It was his third visit to Auburn this year, and the second since he flipped to the Crimson Tide in March. He has flipped between the two schools twice in his recruiting process.

His visit was all about talking through what the program can do to make him the best player possible, which was largely led by defensive line coach [autotag]Vontrell King-Williams[/autotag].

“I spent a lot of time with Coach Vontrell,” Coleman said in an interview with Auburn Live. “We talked about the scheme that they run and things I could do to be a better player. We had a great time. He’s a great coach. He’s going to shoot it to you straight. If you have something going on that he feel like you can do to get better, he’s going to work his tail off to make sure you get to that level.”

The Saraland High School (Alabama) product is set to make a visit back to Tuscaloosa this weekend before returning to the Plains in late July for Big Cat Weekend.

Coleman is currently placed as the No. 129 player in the nation and the No. 11 defensive lineman according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 12 player in the state of Alabama.

Should he flip back to the Tigers, Coleman would be the third-highest rated player in their 2025 class, joining [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag] and [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] on the defensive line.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Tyler on Twitter @traley34

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].

NEWS: Four-Star Safety Anquon Fegans will announce his Commitment on July 29th, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’1 185 S from Oxford, AL is ranked as a Top 55 Recruit in the ‘25 Class (per On3 Industry)

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/2pjTD2g73d pic.twitter.com/AnxeoK6rB8

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 5, 2024

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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.

Auburn lands commitment from LB Tyler Lockhart

Auburn football had some late night action on Monday, as linebacker Tyler Lockhart announced his commitment to the program.

Auburn football has been doing work on the recruiting trail, pursuing many of the nation’s top players every single day. The Tigers continued to perform some magic in the late hours of Monday night, landing a surprise commitment.

Winona Secondary School (Miss.) linebacker [autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag] announced his pledge to the program, surprising many who have been following his recruiting journey.

Lockhart was heavily favored to join his brother at Mississippi State but chose Auburn over the Bulldogs, Ole Miss, and Alabama. He visited the Plains just over a month ago on March 30.

The 6-4, 195-pound product is ranked the No. 146 player in the nation and the No. 16 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. In the state of Mississippi, he is placed at No. 6 according to the On3 industry ranking.

Lockhart is set to join a highly-touted defensive recruiting class that the Tigers have picked up for the 2025 cycle. He joins defensive linemen, [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], edge rusher [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Devin Williams[/autotag].

The Auburn 2025 class now ranks No. 9 nationally and No. 4 in the conference, getting back up to double-digit commitments with Lockhart’s decision.

Proud to say that I’m COMMITTED @AuburnFootball @freezecorleone 🦅🦅🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/QJXjr5NV5P

— ⭐️Tyler⭐️⭐️Lockhart⭐️ (@_TylerL_12) May 7, 2024

Four-star EDGE plans to officially visit Auburn this summer

CJ May is high on Auburn’s recruiting board. Can Hugh Freeze secure May’s commitment this summer?

He is only heading into his second season as Auburn’s head football coach, but we have learned early on that [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is fond of the small town of Highland Home, Alabama.

Freeze flipped Highland Home native [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] from Florida State during his first recruiting effort, and currently has Keldric’s brother, [autotag]JaKaleb Faulk[/autotag], in his 2025 haul. Could 2025 recruit [autotag]CJ May[/autotag] be the next Highland Home prospect to join Auburn’s roster?

May chose Notre Dame over Auburn last September, but backed off his pledge in February. Since then, he has visited several schools including Auburn, Washington, and Ole Miss. In a recent interview with On3, May shared that his dream is to compete with the Faulk brothers again on the Plains.

“I’ve got family there, one of my 2025 linebackers, (Auburn commit) JaKaleb Faulk, that’s my second cousin, current (Auburn) player right now Keldric Faulk is also my cousin. We’re all a tight family. It’s family, going into college football, the opportunity to play with them, that’s major. It’d be a dream, all three of us, they call it the ‘Highland Home Trifecta.’”

May has not set a date for his Auburn visit, nor has he set a commitment date. He tells Philip Dukes of On3 that he will reveal his top schools after taking his official visits, and will not rush his decision to commit to a program.

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].