[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has landed his first five-star prospect at Auburn. Flipping linebacker [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] from Georgia and Kirby Smart on Wednesday afternoon and beating out Nick Saban and Alabama in the process.
Stealing a recruit from your rivals is always sweet, but when it’s a player of Riddick’s caliber it’s even sweeter. If he signs with Auburn, he will be their first five-star signee since [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag] and [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] in 2019.
Riddick is the No. 26 overall player and No. 3 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite ranking. The Clanton native is also the No. 3 player from Alabama.
He is Auburn’s 12 commitment of the class and their second top 100 player, joining quarterback [autotag]Walker White[/autotag]. Their class now ranks 27th in the country and 11th in the SEC.
His recruitment is exactly how Auburn can get back to competing for SEC Championships. While they have landed just two five-star prospects over the past five recruiting cycles, Alabama and Georgia both landed four last year alone.
That talent gap only increases over a four-year span and is a major reason why Auburn is currently riding a three-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide and a six-game one against the Bulldogs.
Riddick might not be the only five-star Auburn lands this year either, the Tigers are a finalist for [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] and are pushing hard to flip five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] from Alabama.
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