Tag: Jake Thornton

Auburn showing interest in Texas A&M OL Chase Bisontis

Bisontis is one of the most popular names currently in the transfer portal.

[autotag]Chase Bisontis[/autotag] was a productive member of Texas A&M‘s offensive line in 2023.

In 12 games, he played 544 snaps, with 543 of those at right tackle according to Pro Football Focus. Bisontis also allowed just four sacks in 290 pass plays this season for the Aggies.

So it is easy to see why he is gaining interest from several Power Five programs, including Auburn, now that he has officially entered the transfer portal.

Bisontis has received interest from over 20 programs according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Auburn is one of 10 SEC programs that have reached out to Bisontis in hopes that he will choose them as his next home. On3’s Pete Nakos lists LSU as the early favorite to land Bisontis, but Bisontis has not officially announced a commitment date.

It never hurts to have depth at the offensive line unit, but the tackle position is not an immediate need for the Tigers heading into 2024. The team’s primary tackles, [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] and [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag], are eligible to return to the team next season. However, Bisontis was a talented piece of the 2023 recruiting cycle by being ranked the No. 2 offensive lineman of the class, and the No. 1 player out of New Jersey. If he were to consider Auburn, Freeze and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] could work with him in order to find the role that is best suited for him.

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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Auburn is a finalist for transfer OL Gerquan Scott

Gerquan Scott is down to Auburn and Ole Miss.

After visiting Auburn and Ole Miss, former Southern Miss offensive lineman [autotag]Gerquan Scott[/autotag] is ready to make his decision.

“I actually called every other coach and told them I wasn’t going to come (on a visit),” Scott told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “I’m going to make a decision in the next day — day or two.”

With starting guards [autotag]Gunner Britton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kam Stutts[/autotag] both out of eligibility after this season, offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] and the Tigers are recruiting him to play guard.

“They got a lot of interest in me. They definitely see me fitting in well to what they’ve got going on,” Scott said “As you know their guard is leaving so they could see me — if I put in the work and beat out people — taking a role at Auburn.”

Scott is from Mobile, Alabama, and was a three-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class. After redshirting in 2019, he started 40 straight games with 32 at left guard, four at right guard and two at center.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Auburn in the mix to land JUCO OL Seth Wilfred

Wilfred is strongly considering Auburn as his next destination following a successful official visit to the Plains.

Auburn football coaches were very active this weekend as they hosted several recruits from junior college and the transfer portal for official visits.

Among those was JUCO offensive lineman [autotag]Seth Wilfred[/autotag], who left Auburn feeling pleased with his visit.

After his visit, he spoke with Caleb Jones of Rivals about his time on the Plains. Wilfred says that he was pleased with the community and atmosphere that Auburn presents, and he likes the idea of playing football under head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag].

How high is Auburn on his list of possible destinations?

“(Auburn is) Definitely pretty high on my list,” Wilfred said in an interview with Rivals. “The atmosphere you can’t really match it with anything else, it’s a really great place and I love it here.”

Before visiting Auburn, Wilfred visited Houston. He is also set to visit Iowa State next weekend before signing on Dec. 20 according to Jones.

Wilfred is a 6-6, 295 pound offensive lineman from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. If he were to choose Auburn, Jones feels that Wilfred will be best suited as an offensive tackle.

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 Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Auburn among top group for 4-star OL Carde Smith

Carde Smith is emerging as a player to watch in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Carde Smith[/autotag] grew up an Alabama fan but going through the recruiting process has changed things for the Mobile native.

“Recruiting, once I got to high school, I fell in love with Auburn,” Smith explained to Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. He added that Auburn and Tennessee are his “top two” schools.

Auburn is pushing to flip Georgia commit Micah DeBose

Could he be the next elite player that Hugh Freeze and Co. flip from an SEC rival?

[autotag]Micah DeBose[/autotag] is committed to the Georgia Bulldogs but the four-star offensive lineman has spent back-to-back weekends on the Plains.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] are leading Auburn’s push for the elite 2025 offensive lineman and they are certainly making an impact, he told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente.

“But I feel like if they’re doing that and after the season that they just came off of, they’re going to be good. They’re bringing in some big-time players, too. Perry Thompson, oh my God. This is going to be some trouble. I might hop on the ride too, I can’t lie.”

The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder added that Auburn has a “60-70 percent chance” to flip him from the Bulldogs.

DeBose is the No. 29 overall player and No. 3 offensive tackle in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Mobile product is also the No. 4 player from Alabama.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

2025 OL Mal Waldrep ‘really appeciates’ his relationship with Auburn OL coach Jake Thornton

Auburn is firmly in the mix for the in-state offensive lineman.

Auburn is making a push for 2025 offensive lineman [autotag]Mal Waldrep[/autotag] and a major reason for their success is his relationship with offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag].

“He’s the man,” Waldrep told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover. “He’s probably recruiting me the hardest out of any coach. Them and Coach Austin from Clemson. Both of them are still hard on me. Really, really pushing me to get up there as much as I can and get on campus. Texting and calling almost every day. Really appreciate the relationship he’s built with me over these past few months.”

Waldrep is from Central-Phenix City, Alabama and has taken multiple trips to the Plains this season and is expected to be back for the Iron Bowl this weekend.

He is the No. 437 overall player and No. 38 offensive tackle in the 247Sports composite ranking. He is also the No. 20 player from Alabama.

Waldrep is one of several players from Central that Auburn is recruiting, including 2024 wide receiver Cam Coleman and 2025 wide receiver Dalyn Upshaw.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Auburn is in the ‘top three’ for 2025 OL Cortez Smith

He is one of Auburn’s top targets in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

[autotag]Cortez Smith[/autotag] is one of Auburn’s top targets along the offensive line in the 2025 recruiting cycle and the feeling is mutual.

The four-star prospect has taken multiple visits to Auburn this season, including attending the games against Georgia and New Mexico State. He recently spoke with Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente and shared why he is so high on Auburn.

“Auburn, it’s just everything is close,” Smith said. “Nice facility, nice everything. Great football team, great community. Just family.”

Those factors have made Auburn a “top three” program in his recruitment, he admitted.

Smith is the No. 127 overall player and No. 6 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Lilburn native is also the No. 18 player from Georgia.

Offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] has some help in his pursuit of the 6-foot-4, 295-pounder, he is teammates with 2024 Auburn cornerback commit [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag] at Parkview High School.

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 JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Auburn lands commitment from in-state offensive lineman Spencer Dowland

He is the third member of Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class.

It’s hard to have a better Saturday than Auburn football just did.

Not only did they pick up a blowout win over UMass to start the [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] era, but they also landed a commitment from three-star offensive lineman [autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag]. He announced the move on social media after the game, captioning it “I’m Home!!”

The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder is from Athens, Alabama, and is a member of the 2025 recruiting class. He is unranked in the 247Sports Composite but has received offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

Offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] and Auburn extended him an offer on April 21 and he attended Big Cat Weekend in July. He then returned for the game against UMass and decided to pull the trigger on his commitment.

He is already Auburn’s third commitment in the 2025 cycle, joining defensive lineman [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Jakaleb Faulk[/autotag].

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Recently offered offensive tackle Favour Edwin sets official visit to Auburn

Offensive tackle Favour Edwin has scheduled his return to the Plains and it will be an official visit.

Just two weeks after earning a scholarship offer from Auburn, three-star offensive tackle [autotag]Favour Edwin[/autotag] has scheduled an official visit to the Plains. The McDonough, Georgia product will be officially visiting on Sept. 29, according to a report from On3’s Jeffrey Lee.

Auburn is set to host the Georgia Bulldogs that weekend and it will be Edwin’s second time checking out Auburn.

He is the No. 906 overall player and No. 62 offensive tackle in the On3 Industry ranking. The 6-foot-8, 290-pounder is also the No. 102 player from Georgia.

Edwin and Auburn offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] communicate frequently and he is looking forward to getting to know him better.

“He’s a great dude,” Edwin said of Thornton. “We talk about more than just football and that means a lot to me. Just being involved in my life and around people like that goes a long way with me. Life is about more than just football. I like Coach Thornton, for sure. He’s one of the guys I want to meet and talk to more when I go down there.”

Edwin won’t have to work hard if he wants to find out more about the Tigers, he was teammates with current Auburn cornerback [autotag]Colton Hood[/autotag] last season at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy. 

Auburn is still looking to land its first commitment along the offensive line in the 2024 recruiting cycle, however, that could change soon with key target DeAndre Carter set to commit on Sunday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15.

Auburn is pursuing a fast-rising 2025 offensive lineman

Spencer Dowland has received plenty of attention from SEC schools early in his recruitment.

Auburn football is making waves in the recruiting world, especially within its home state.

So far in the 2024 class, Auburn has snagged 10 recruits from the state of Alabama. Out of those 10, nine are in the top-25. Hugh Freeze and his staff hope to keep that momentum going in 2025, as they are climbing up the ranks for one of the state’s top players for the cycle.

[autotag]Spencer Dowland[/autotag], a three-star offensive lineman from Athens, paid a visit to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend and came away impressed with what Auburn had to offer.

“I really enjoyed it,” Dowland said in an interview with Cole Pinkston of On3. “I didn’t really know what to expect, I had never been to anything like this. They told me it would be similar to a junior day, so I expected something like that. It was really good.”

Dowland only has received a ranking from only one outlet, 247Sports, but is receiving interest from several SEC schools such as Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. He has quickly built a bond with offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] due to their similar backgrounds.

“Not really, none of my family really played sports,” Dowland said. “(Thornton) kind of comes from the same background as me. His parents didn’t really play or get into sports. His options were to go to work or try to get a scholarship. Me and him definitely fit that. Coming from the same background we kind of built that connection.”

Dowland is a 6-6, 290-pound offensive lineman from the 2025 class. He is the No. 37 OT for the cycle and is the No. 20 prospect from the state of Alabama.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__