Jared Smith – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Five-star DL Malik Autry shuts down recruitment

Malik Autry is one of Auburn’s top commits for the 2025 cycle. How strong is his commitment to Hugh Freeze and the Tigers?

The drama surrounding college football recruiting is about to heat up ahead of the early signing period, which begins next week.

How many of Auburn’s 27 commits will fulfill their pledges? How many more will join? Those questions will fill every Auburn fan’s mind until the period ends on Friday, Dec. 6. However, one of Auburn’s top commits has chosen to ease the minds of Auburn fans and coaches by shutting down his recruitment and will with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s program next week.

[autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag], a five-star defensive lineman from nearby Opelika High School, announced Monday that he is shutting down his recruitment and will sign with Auburn next Wednesday. When asked about his decision to focus solely on Auburn, he reflected on his time as an Opelika Bulldog and compared it to the progression of Auburn’s current state.

“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’s shutdown is a great sign for what’s to come for Auburn ahead of early signing day. Several 247Sports recruiting analysts recently forecasted a flip to Ole Miss by top commits [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag]. However, forecasts from several sites including Steve Wiltfong of On3 suggest that Alabama’s top recruit for the 2025 cycle, [autotag]Na’eem Offord[/autotag], could flip to Auburn from Ohio State.

Recruiting will be a hot topic over the next week, so having Autry’s firm commitment is a sigh of relief for Auburn fans everywhere.

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A pair of Auburn commits forecasted to flip to Ole Miss

Will Lane Kiffin ultimately win the battle for Auburn’s top 2025 commits?

Auburn football has the nation’s No. 5 recruiting class heading into the final stages before the early signing period. However, a fellow SEC program is looking to stall the Tigers’ success by flipping two of their top commits.

EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and QB [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] rank No. 1 and No. 3 in Auburn’s 2025 recruiting rankings according to 247Sports, and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin wants to change that. In recent weeks, he and his staff have worked to flip Smith and Knight from Auburn ahead of the early signing period, which begins Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Ole Miss’ efforts are beginning to pick up steam as two 247Sports insiders have submitted flip predictions in favor of the Rebels. Ole Miss insider David Johnson predicts that Smith will join Ole Miss’ signing class, while Mississippi State expert Rion Young has a crystal ball set for Ole Miss in favor of landing Knight.

Ole Miss and South Carolina are seen as Auburn’s biggest competitors for Smith’s signature. During a recent visit to Auburn, Smith told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente that he is looking for a “home atmosphere” in a college and says he is not worried about Auburn’s 4-6 record.

“Man, don’t even worry about the record. I’m not worried about the record,” Smith said in a recent interview with Auburn Undercover. “You see the defense eating out there. I see how I can come in and compete. Just seeing dudes that came from this locker room (Kaleb Harris) themselves play, it’s a big impact.”

Recent flips by quarterbacks Julian Lewis (USC to Colorado) and Bryce Underwood (LSU to Michigan) have brought more attention to Knight, who is also seen as a flip candidate. Auburn flipped Knight from Notre Dame on Oct. 2, but his recruitment is far from over. David Johnson of 247Sports says that Ole Miss will become more attractive to Knight if its NIL market wins the battle with the Tigers.

Ole Miss sits at No. 16 in 247Sports’ 2025 recruiting rankings and will look to creep into the top 10 before December’s signing day. Will Hugh Freeze hold on to his top commits? Or will Lane Kiffin have the last laugh?

Auburn commit Nathaniel Marshall receives top-30 ranking from Rivals

The 6-5 EDGE rusher committed to the Tigers back in August of this year

Auburn five-star defensive line commit [autotag]Nathaniel Marshall[/autotag] has quietly jumped up the recruitment rankings throughout the fall. That trend continued on Monday, as Rivals listed the Oak Park, Illinois native as the No. 26 ranked five-star recruit in the entire 2025 cycle.

A 6-foot-5 edge rusher, Marshall committed to the Tigers in August of this year. The talented defensive superstar won Conference Defensive Player of the Year during his junior season with Fenwick High School in 2023, tallying 38 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles, and four blocked kicks. He is currently the third highest-ranked recruit in Auburn’s top 5 class according to On3 Sports, trailing just five-star quarterback [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] and five-star edge rusher [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] for the top spot.

All three prospects should see ample playing time next fall, with Marshall and Smith joining sophomore stand-out Keldric Faulk to create one of the better defensive lines in the entire SEC. It’s quite possible all three talented pass rushers could co-exist on the same line. National recruiting analyst Allen Trieu explained how Marshall can “change directions and chase down plays..shift[ing] from outside to inside…up and down the line.”

That pure talent and ability to play every position along the defensive line should give Marshall plenty of opportunity to make an impact next season with the Tigers. Until then, Marshall will continue pushing for a State Championship with 8-3 Fenwick High School.

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A win over Missouri would boost the vibes on the Plains

Seth Emerson of The Athletic says a win at Missouri would go a long way in Auburn’s rebuilding efforts.

Auburn football’s season is not progressing the way that most had hoped in 2024.

The Tigers return from the bye week this Saturday to take on No. 16 Missouri, the first of three ranked teams that remain on Auburn’s schedule. In his weekly “SEC vibes” rankings, Seth Emerson of The Athletic gives Auburn the No. 13 slot, remaining solid from last week’s installment. Emerson says Auburn’s on-field performance could affect its top-five recruiting class, but a win over Missouri on Saturday would do wonders for overall morale.

Much of the attention on The Plains is already about next year, thanks to a strong recruiting class, and Hugh Freeze and company deserve credit there. But when 3-9 is still a plausible record, a scenario that could make some of those recruits rethink things, some wins down the stretch need to happen. Stealing one at Missouri would help.

Auburn has 27 commitments to its 2025 recruiting haul, headlined by five-stars [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] (EDGE) and [autotag]Malik Autry[/autotag] (defensive line). The class ranks No. 4 nationally by 247Sports and On3 and is third among SEC teams. Auburn is looking to secure several signatures during the early signing period in December while searching for other worthy candidates to join the class. Can Auburn use its recruiting momentum to become one of the SEC’s top teams in 2025?

Auburn showing interest in Florida DL commit Joseph Mbatchou

in the midst of a busy football season, Auburn is in a packed race to flip defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou from the Florida Gators

Auburn football is in the midst of its regular season, but nothing stops the recruiting game as prospects constantly make big official visits on game weeks, which have huge impacts on their decisions.

The Tigers are currently in the middle of a hectic race to flip another high school star in defensive lineman[autotag]Joseph Mbatchou[/autotag], who has been committed to the Florida Gators since July 31.

In the early going of the 2024 college football season, Mbatchou is traveling across the southeastern portion of the country to visit numerous programs in the SEC, which is significant due to the struggles that the Gators have fallen victim to.

While Auburn has extended an offer to the three-star product out of Grayson High School (Ga.), it is joined by the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and USC in this race.

Mbatchou visited the Plains in the Tigers’ week two matchup with California, and despite the loss, sees a lot of optimism in what the program can do for him as a player.

“I like the d-line coach ([autotag]Vontrell King-Williams[/autotag]) because he’s young and fresh,” Mbatchou said. “He builds relationships with his players. He was talking to me about how he got his job and was telling me that if I do everything I’m asked to do and put my all into football, I should be a first-round pick. The d-line played good at the game I was at, even though they lost. I can see myself fitting into their defensive scheme.”

The six-foot-four, 280-pound big man is currently the No. 457 overall player and No. 41 defensive lineman in the country according to the On3 industry ranking. He is also the No. 54 player in the state of Georgia for the class of 2025.

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC, making its mark with key commits such as EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Nate Marshall[/autotag]. A commit from Mbatchou would only add to the talent that head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is attempting to build up for the Tigers’ future.

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Baseball America lists three freshmen Tigers among top 50 rankings

Outfielder D’Marion Terell along with pitchers Connor Gatwood and Christian Chatterton received spots in Baseball America’s top 50

Football season may be only just over a week away, but Auburn’s baseball program made headlines on Monday after Baseball America released its 2025 Top 50 High Schoolers To Get To Campus List.

One of the most recognizable college baseball databases in the country, Baseball America tabbed three incoming Auburn freshmen among their top 50 newcomers, as outfielder [autotag]D’Marion Terell[/autotag] (12), along with pitchers [autotag]Connor Gatwood[/autotag] (15) and [autotag]Christian Chatterton[/autotag] (36) received spots on the list.

A 19th-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2024 MLB Draft, D’Marion Terell is set to come to the Plains after declining to go pro earlier this summer. The Alabaster Ala. native was a two-way star for Thompson High School, finishing his senior season with a 2.12 ERA on the mound and a .429 batting average in the box. Much like fellow Thompson-two-way star Auburn football commit [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], Terell is likely to give up his duties on the defensive side of the ball once he arrives on the Plains. The 2024 Shelby County Hitter of the Year will likely be a fixture atop head coach Butch Thompson’s batting order in 2025.

Right-hander Connor Gatwood is just as likely to receive a major role for the Tigers in 2025. Injuries plagued the 6-foot-5 righty throughout his senior season at Baker High School, but he possessed “one of the best combinations of velocity and projection in the entire 2024 prep class” according to MLB’s Pre-Draft Rankings. That combination, which includes a 98 MPH fastball and a mid-80s slider, was enough for the Angels to select him in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Gatwood declined to join the Halos, and now projects to be a potential weekend starter for Auburn in 2025.

The lowest-ranked prospect of the trio, Christian Chatterton was the second-ranked right-handed pitcher from the state of Alabama in the 2025 cycle, behind only Gatwood. The 6-foot, 200-pound hard thrower is not as physically imposing as his fellow top 50 freshman, but Chatterton could also get the opportunity to start games for Butch Thompson’s Tigers in 2025.

Auburn’s top 10 2025 recruiting class along with a consensus top 5 transfer class should bode well for Butch Thompson’s chances of bouncing back from a rough season in 2024. If the Tigers can compete for an SEC title as soon as next year, the three aforementioned freshmen will be a major reason why.

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Auburn named a ‘summer recruiting winner’ by ESPN

Hugh Freeze’s recruiting efforts were top notch over the summer as several notable recruits announced their pledge to Auburn.

As school returns to session, many are reflecting on summer memories. For Auburn football, their summer was one for the history books.

Auburn football landed several notable recruits for their 2025 class such as running back [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag], safety [autotag]Eric Winters[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag]. The Tigers also got a head start on its 2026 recruiting efforts by landing four players, which caused Auburn to surge to No. 1 in 247Sports rankings.

The biggest takeaway of all from Auburn’s recent recruiting efforts is their knack for landing in-state talent. To this point in the cycle, Auburn holds commitments from eight of Alabama’s top 10 recruits from the 2025 cycle and is working towards a clean sweep by continuing to recruit [autotag]Na’eem Offord[/autotag] (No. 1) and [autotag]Zion Grady[/autotag] (No. 6) with full force.

Auburn’s recent success in recruiting has earned them a spot at the “winners” table according to ESPN’s Eli Lederman.

Lederman recapped the busy summer of recruiting by placing programs in a winners and losers category when it comes to summer recruiting. One Big Ten recruiting staffer says that the likelihood of Auburn keeping its strong class hangs in its 2024 record.

“I could see them continuing to charge on and sign a top-five class,” a Big Ten recruiting staffer said. “I could also see them going 7-5 and that class crumbling pretty fast.”

Lederman also posed a question regarding Auburn’s 2025 class.. will it rise? Lederman breaks down several ways that Auburn could make the most of the current cycle.

The Tigers are the favorites for Deuce Knight if the Notre Dame pledge pulls his commitment. Ditto for Ohio State cornerback pledge Na’eem Offord, the top cornerback in the 2025 class out of Birmingham, Alabama. The Tigers remain a long shot for four-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola (No. 51 in the ESPN 300), and should be well positioned for four-star linebacker Tyler Lockhart, No. 132 in the ESPN 300.

Auburn football’s 2025 class ranks No. 5 in 247Sports as the calendar turns toward the final portion of August.

Former Auburn 2025 commit joins long list of Big Cat Weekend visitors

Auburn will get another chance to land a solid 2025 linebacker during the most important recruiting weekend of the year.

This weekend, Auburn will roll out the red carpet for its most crucial targets for Big Cat Weekend.

This weekend, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff will host several notable recruits. Among those names are those who have already committed and those who are pledged elsewhere. There will also be a special case for one recruit: trying to win him back.

[autotag]Tyler Lockhart[/autotag], a four-star linebacker from Winona, Mississippi, is scheduled to return to the Plains this weekend after backing off his pledge to Auburn last month.

Lockhart has not joined another recruiting class since de-committing from Auburn, but it is heavily speculated that he is heading to Mississippi State to join his brother, 2024 signee TJ Lockhart. On3 has given the Bulldogs a 93.7% chance to land Lockhart while three 247Sports recruiting experts have given Mississippi State a crystal ball in favor of Lockhart.

Lockhart becomes the next target for Auburn to sway this weekend. Four-star safety [autotag]Anquon Fegans[/autotag] and four-star EDGE [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag], both from Thompson High School in Alabaster, will announce their commitments shortly after Big Cat Weekend. Could Lockhart join them by reaffirming his pledge?

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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Five-star pass rusher includes Georgia in top six ahead of commitment

The Georgia Bulldogs made the final cut for the nation’s second-rated EDGE rusher ahead of his Aug. 3 commitment date.

The Georgia Bulldogs were among the top six teams for yet another major class of 2025 recruit. Five-star edge rusher Jared Smith included the Bulldogs alongside Auburn, Southern Cal, Ole Miss, Florida State and South Carolina ahead of his commitment date on Aug. 3.

Smith is listed at 6 feet, 6 inches and 235 pounds, and he plays at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama. The five-star recruit is the second-ranked edge rusher in the country and the 19th-ranked player nationally according to 247Sports. He is a multisport athlete. He played basketball at Spain Park High School prior to transferring to Thompson last year.

Where’s 🏠❓ https://t.co/riB6LSo1E0

— Jared Smith (@jdotsmith_8) July 12, 2024

Smith visited the Bulldogs on June 7 and has since taken visits to Tennessee, FSU and Southern Cal. The Bulldogs have commitments from two edge rushers: five-star Isaiah Gibson and four-star Darren Ikinnagbon. Head coach Kirby Smart and Georgia hold the third-ranked recruiting class in the country. South Carolina and Auburn are viewed as front-runners to land Smith.