Tag: Jake Thornton

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.

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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.

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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.

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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].

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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.

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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.

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Auburn surging for elite offensive lineman DeAndre Carter

The Tiger are looking to keep the momentum rolling from Big Cat Weekend with one of the top offensive lineman in the country.

The Auburn Tigers are red-hot on the recruiting trail and are coming off of the best weeks in program history.

The Tigers landed two five-star prospects in wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] as well as four-star wide receiver [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag]. Making it even sweeter, the Tigers flipped Thompson and Riddick from Alabama and Georgia, respectively.

Their additions give Auburn 14 commitments in its 2024 recruiting class, which now ranks 17th in the country and has one of the best average player ratings in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. However, the class is still lacking in one key area: the offensive line, where Auburn has yet to land a commitment.

That may be changing soon as the Tigers have emerged as the favorite to land [autotag]DeAndre Carter[/autotag], one of the best linemen in the country. The four-star prospect made the trek all the way from California to attend Big Cat Weekend and it did not disappoint.

“I love everything,” Carter told AuburnUndercovers Jason Caldwell. “Probably the thing that stands out more than the other is just the family atmosphere. A lot of colleges say they’ve got it, but I definitely feel it a lot here.”

In fact, the visit went so well that Caldwell and three of his associates at 247Sports submitted crystal ball predictions for Carter to join Auburn’s recruiting class.

Carter is the No. 90 overall prospect and No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 13 player from California.

While he is listed as an interior player, Auburn and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] believe the 6-foot-4, 340-pounder can also play tackle and have been recruiting him as both a guard and a tackle.

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Elite offensive lineman DeAndre Carter to attend Big Cat Weekend

One of the top linemen in the country is making his return to Auburn.

One of the top offensive linemen in the country is set to be back in Auburn for the annual Big Cat Weekend.

Four-star prospect [autotag]DeAndre Carter[/autotag] is a major Auburn target and according to a report from Auburn Undercover’s Christain Clemente, he will be returning to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend, which is set to start on Saturday, July 29.

Carter made his first trip to Auburn back in June and left impressed. He tweeted that he “truly loved” his official visit and that he was looking forward to watching Auburn play this season.

Getting Carter back on campus for Big Cat is massive, he is from Santa Anna, California and it shows that Auburn is a true player in his recruitment. While he is listed as an interior lineman, Auburn and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] is recruiting him as someone who could play guard or tackle.

He is the No. 90 overall player and No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 13 player from California.

The 6-foot-4, 340-pounder has also visited Michigan State and Texas during June and is slated to return to Texas for an official visit during the season.

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Auburn OL target receives crystal ball to Alabama ahead of commitment date

Auburn looks to remain high on 2024 OL Casey Poe’s radar ahead of his July commitment.

Auburn has been vocal about the need to add several talented offensive linemen to their 2024 class. One of those players is four-star [autotag]Casey Poe[/autotag] from Lindale, Texas.

Poe visited Auburn earlier this month and complimented the one-on-one relationships that he has built with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag].

The visit was successful, but it appears that Auburn has some competition with its in-state rival for the signature of Poe.

Following his visit to Auburn, Poe took a visit to Alabama. The visit to Tuscaloosa went so well, that Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports has given the Crimson Tide a crystal ball prediction to earn his commitment on July 12. Wiltfong’s prediction is the first for Poe.

Andrew J. Bone of Bama Online spoke with Poe’s father about the benefits of Alabama, and he says that the standard that Alabama projects is tough to beat.

“It’s the culture,” Poe’s father, Casey, tells On3. “It’s the accountability. They know how to do it. They hold kids accountable to a higher standard.”

According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, Alabama has an 86.2% chance to land Poe, with Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Auburn trailing.

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Key OL target Casey Poe sets commitment date after ‘special’ visit to Auburn

Casey Poe will visit Alabama before announcing his commitment in July.

Four-star prospect [autotag]Casey Poe[/autotag] is one of the top offensive linemen in the country and a major Auburn target. He took another look at Auburn over the weekend on a “special” official visit he told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover.

“It was great,” Poe said. “Every OV, it’s exciting and you do fun stuff or whatever, but here it was really fun. We got to build some real relationships I feel like. Got to know the coaches, got to spend a lot of time with the coaches, which is huge for me. I’m a huge relationship guy, so being able to build that one-on-one connection, it was my second time back in Auburn and so really being able to be on campus, get to know the coaches better — even go to their house. We saw coach Freeze’s house, coach Thornton’s house, we got to just sit in with their kids. My dad read a book to coach Thornton’s little son, so we got to see them in their natural element. It was a great time, we had a lot of fun.”

It was the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder’s second visit to The Plains and allowed him to continue to build his relationship with offensive line coach [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag].

Poe has also taken official visits to Clemson, Georgia and Texas Tech but his trip to Auburn stood out to the Lindale, Texas, native.

“It stacks up great,” Poe said. “I’ve been on a lot of fun officials, I’ve been to a lot of different places, but this one was special. This one was really good.”

He will take an official visit to Alabama on June 23 before committing on July 12.

Poe is the No. 143 overall player and No. 8 interior offensive lineman on the 247Sports composite. He is also the No. 27 player from Texas.

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