Amaris Williams changes course, elects to stay with Auburn

Williams briefly considered entering the transfer portal after his debut season on the Plains.

Auburn fans can breathe a sigh of relief as a key true freshman has backed off his intent to enter the transfer portal.

Earlier this week, it was reported that freshman EDGE Amaris Williams filed the paperwork necessary to enter the transfer portal. After taking a couple of days to weigh options, Williams announced Tuesday that he will change course and stay with Auburn for the 2025 season.

As a freshman, Williams recorded seven tackles with 0.5 sacks. Williams was Auburn’s 13th-highest-graded defensive player in 2024 according to Pro Football Focus (71.2), with tackling being his strong suit at 78.3. He logged five total pressures last season in 120 snaps over 10 games.

The news of his return is important for Auburn football as he is expected to fill the role of outgoing EDGE Jalen McLeod, who logged 106 tackles and 13.5 sacks over the last two seasons for Auburn. With the return of Williams, [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag], and [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag], along with the signing of five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], the EDGE position will continue to be a strong point within the Tigers’ defense.

The only question surrounding Auburn’s EDGE rushers is “Who will lead the position group?” Hugh Freeze is looking to fill the slot of EDGE coach following the departure of [autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], who accepted the defensive coordinator position at ECU earlier this week.

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Auburn freshman EDGE Amaris Williams plans to enter transfer portal

A five-star EDGE from the 2024 signing class, Williams departs after just one season on the Plains.

Auburn’s second-highest-rated signee from its 2024 recruiting haul is projected to leave the Plains after just one season.

According to a report by Hayes Fawcett of On3, Auburn EDGE rusher [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] has filed the paperwork necessary to enter the transfer portal. The news of his plan to enter the transfer portal comes a day after EDGE coach Josh Aldridge’s announced departure from the program to become the defensive coordinator at East Carolina.

Williams signed with Auburn as the No. 5 EDGE of the 2024 recruiting cycle, trailing wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] for the top spot in Auburn’s recruiting haul. He appeared in five games for the Tigers during his freshman campaign in 2024, where he logged seven tackles and 0.5 sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams participated in 120 snaps this season and created five quarterback pressures.

Williams was expected to play a larger role on defense in 2025 following the departure of [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], who graduates after making 106 stops in two seasons at Auburn with 13.5 sacks. Should Williams elect to play elsewhere, Auburn will look to rising senior [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Jamonta Waller[/autotag], and 2025 signee [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] to fill the void left behind by McLeod and to team up with rising junior Keldric Faulk to continue Auburn’s run of dominant EDGE play.

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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‘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.

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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Four-star defensive lineman Jourdin Crawford signs with Auburn

The Alabama native is widely considered to be one of the best interior defensive lineman prospects in the 2025 cycle.

Auburn’s fantastic 2025 signee class continues to get stronger. [autotag]Hugh Freeze [/autotag]and his staff inked another top-ranked recruit on Wednesday, as four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] officially signed his letter of intent to join the Tigers.

The Birmingham, Alabama native is widely considered one of the best interior defensive linemen prospects in the 2025 cycle. A consensus top-11 recruit from Alabama, Jourdin committed to the Tigers in the fall of 2023. The 6-1, 300-pound run-stuffer took two visits to Auburn in 2024, unofficially spending time on the Plains in March before officially visiting during the Tigers’ early-season victory against New Mexico.

Crawford’s official commitment adds another four-star rated athlete to what has become one of the best recruiting classes in Auburn football history. He is the fourth defensive lineman to sign his letter of intent today, joining five-star edge rusher [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], five-star interior lineman [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], and fellow four-star interior lineman [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag] as pass rushers who will play their first collegiate snaps on the Plains next fall.

Auburn’s 2025 class is now officially up to 16 total athletes. Crawford is the seventh four-star recruit to join the class. At least nine other high schoolers are expected to sign letters of intent, with plenty of flip candidates still possible.

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Auburn officially signs four-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman

Coleman is a top 20 defensive lineman in the 2025 cycle and a top 15 recruit from the state of Alabama.

Another domino in Auburn’s highly-touted recruiting class has officially fallen.

Four-star defensive line prospect [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag] signed his letter of intent to join the Tigers on Wednesday, further bolstering an already impressive defensive line signee class that includes five-star recruits [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag].

Standing at 6-2, 275-pounds, Coleman was ranked as a top 20 defensive lineman in the 2025 cycle and a top 15 recruit from Alabama. Originally committed to play his football across the state with Alabama, Coleman committed to the Tigers in July of this year before making it official on Wednesday.

Coleman, along with the aforementioned Smith, Autry, and likely Auburn signee [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] should all make immediate impacts on the Plains when they begin their careers next fall. It’s a real possibility Coleman will receive a high snap-share as a freshman because of his size and skills.

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The Saraland, Alabama native is the thirteenth high school prospect to sign his letter of intent with Auburn on National Signing Day. The Tigers have eleven “hard commits” that have yet to sign, along with a handful of “flip” hopefuls as well. No matter the case, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s 2025 class is trending towards finishing among the best in the country.

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Auburn football lands five-star DL Malik Autry. Why he signed with the Tigers

Auburn fights off Ohio State and Florida to sign the five-star DL from Opelika. Why did Autry elect to stay home?

Auburn football has secured one of its important commitments as [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] has officially signed with the Tigers.

Autry, a five-star defensive lineman from nearby Opelika, signed with Auburn on Wednesday morning, choosing [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s program over schools such as Ohio State and Florida, who made a late push to snag Autry away from Auburn.

How did Auburn beat out the Buckeyes and Gators? Last week, Autry publicly shut down his recruitment, citing that his time at Opelika High School prepared him for the situation he will endure at Auburn.

“Going to all the other schools made me realize what I really wanted,” Autry said in an interview with Auburn Undercover ($). “My high school, my sophomore year we went 5-5, my junior year we went 4-6 and this past year we went 9-3 with a second round exit but just to see our team turnaround really shows me that — I had opportunities to go play for Central-Phenix City and IMG and all those big-time programs — but to stick it out and fight with your brothers and fight for a place you really love does mean more than just joining something that’s already established. That’s kind of been my mindset and helped me narrow down my decision and let me know that Auburn was home.”

Autry joins a long list of recruits that have officially signed with Auburn for the 2025 cycle including five-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and four-star safety [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag]. He is a 6-5, 320-pound defensive lineman from Opelika, Alabama, and is the No. 5 defensive lineman in the nation according to 247Sports composite rankings.

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Auburn football officially signs five-star EDGE Jared Smith

Auburn fights off late pushes from Ole Miss and South Carolina to sign the five-star EDGE from Alabaster, Alabama.

The start of early signing day is still in its beginning stages. However, Auburn fans have plenty to smile about on Wednesday morning.

[autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], a five-star EDGE from Thompson High School in Alabaster, officially signed with Auburn on Wednesday after a late push from SEC rivals South Carolina and Ole Miss.

Smith committed to Auburn on Aug. 3, choosing Hugh Freeze’s program after taking official visits to Tennessee, USC, Florida State, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Ole Miss and South Carolina made late pushes for Smith. So much so that recruiting experts forecasted flips for Smith to land at Ole Miss eventually. However, Smith told Auburn Live in November that he remained solid in his commitment because he believes in a successful future for the Tigers despite the less-than-ideal season.

“No, I know the people we have coming in, I know what we’ve got still in the locker room, so it should be good,” Smith said.

Smith is the No. 2 overall recruit from Alabama for the 2025 cycle and is the No. 2 ranked EDGE nationally. He is a 6-6, 235-pound EDGE from Alabaster, Alabama, and will cap his high school career Wednesday when he plays for the AHSAA Class 7A state championship for Thompson High School.

Five 2025 Auburn commits to play in AHSAA Super 7 this week in Birmingham

Auburn will be represented in Birmingham this week by Thompson’s Jared Smith, Parker’s Jourdin Crawford, and several others.

Early signing day is this week, and several Auburn commits will play one final high school football game before embarking to the Plains to begin the next chapter of their football careers.

The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s football state championships, otherwise known as the “Super 7,” will take place this week at Protective Stadium in midtown Birmingham. The event begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT when Thompson High School faces Central High School of Phenix City for the 7A state championship and will wrap up Friday night when Parker High School battles Saraland High School for the 6A title.

Both “headlining games” will be filled with Auburn commits and targets. Three Thompson players, EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag], and punter [autotag]John Alan McGuire[/autotag], will look to win its third state championship in four opportunities Wednesday night when it battles Central (Phenix City) for the 7A championship.

The most entertaining game for Auburn recruiting interest will be Friday’s 6A championship between Saraland and Parker. A pair of Auburn defensive line commits, Saraland’s [autotag]Antonio Coleman[/autotag] and Parker’s [autotag]Jourdin Crawford[/autotag] will battle it out for the right to claim a state championship.

Several other recruits of interest will be competing for state championships this week in Birmingham. Here is a look at this week’s Super 7 schedule:

Wednesday

7A: Thompson vs. Central (Phenix City), 7 p.m. CT
- Thompson: Anquon Fegans, Jared Smith, John Alan McGuire (2025 commits)

Thursday

3A: Houston Academy vs. Mars Hill Bible, 11 a.m. CT
1A: Wadley vs. Maplesville, 3 p.m. CT
- Wadley: Jaquez Wilkes (2026 target)
5A: Moody vs. Catholic (Montgomery), 7 p.m. CT

Friday

4A: Cherokee County vs. Jackson, 11 a.m. CT
2A: Reeltown vs. Tuscaloosa Academy, 3 p.m. CT
6A: Parker vs. Saraland, 7 p.m. CT
- Parker: Jourdin Crawford (2025 commit), Na’eem Offord (2025 target)
- Saraland: Antonio Coleman (2025 commit)