Latest news with #RecruitingPredictionMachine
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN examines Auburn's need for a quarterback in 2026 recruiting cycle
ESPN examines Auburn's need for a quarterback in 2026 recruiting cycle Will Auburn still actively pursue a 2026 quarterback after missing on Travis Burgess? Auburn missed out on three-star quarterback Travis Burgess on Wednesday as he announced his commitment to North Carolina over the Tigers. Where does Hugh Freeze and his staff turn now? Auburn has one of the top quarterback rooms in the SEC with Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, and true freshman Deuce Knight. Still, it does not hurt to plan for the future. ESPN recently identified Auburn as one of the five programs actively recruiting quarterbacks in the 2026 recruiting cycle. The list, pieced together by Eli Lederman, points out that Knight is likely the future at the position, but identifies two quarterbacks currently at the top of Auburn's hot board. (Deuce) Knight, No. 40 in the 2025 ESPN 300, is viewed as a future starter at Auburn. But his arrival has not kept the program from pursuing quarterbacks in the 2026 class. The Tigers hosted (Jaden) O'Neal, the Oklahoma pledge, for a visit earlier this spring and stand among the challengers to Ole Miss in the chase for (Landon) Duckworth, who will take his official to Auburn on May 30. O'Neal pledged to Oklahoma nearly a year ago, but Auburn has remained active in their pursuit of him. The Tigers hosted O'Neal for a visit in April, where he praised the quarterback room and said he could see himself competing for the starting role on the Plains. O'Neal said in April that he planned to return for an official visit, but such a visit has yet to be scheduled at the time of this post. Jackson, Alabama, native Landon Duckworth is also a hot target. Duckworth visited Auburn last weekend and was recently invited to compete in the Elite 11 this summer. Auburn is the lone in-state program in the mix for Duckworth, but it is believed that Ole Miss and South Carolina are the two leaders heading into the summer. Although a quiet recruitment, Auburn is a top school for three-star quarterback Jackson Taylor of Thousand Oaks, California. On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Auburn a 43.5% chance to land Taylor, who visited campus as recently as April 6. The quarterback position may not be the highest priority for Auburn this cycle, but Auburn fans can expect Hugh Freeze, Kent Austin, and the rest of the staff to continue recruiting the position as they continue to build Auburn into a College Football Playoff contender. 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__
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Highly Touted Star Puts Georgia on Notice
The Georgia Bulldogs were off to a fast start with one four-star edge rusher in the 2026 recruiting class. But he hasn't felt love from the Bulldogs since his initial offer. That's what four-star edge rusher Tristian Givens, a top 2026 Georgia recruit, told On3's Jeremy Johnson this week. Advertisement 'I don't too much talk to them even though I'm in the backyard, you feel me,' Givens said. 'It's all love with them, it's nothing against them… It bothers me a little bit because I'm from Georgia, so it kind of messes with me just a little bit.' A Columbus, Georgia, native, Givens is a consensus top 10 recruit in the state for the 2026 class. The 247 Sports composite rankings rated him the No. 6 Georgia prospect. Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart© Brett Davis-Imagn Images Givens grew up with a grandmother who is an Alabama Crimson Tide fan. Yet, he rooted for the Bulldogs during his childhood. 'I always grew up watching them, and I'm a Georgia fan,' Givens added. 'I'm from Georgia, and ever since my grandma always watched Alabama, I watched Georgia.' Advertisement These factors contributed to Givens not feeling super fuzzy about the Bulldogs, even though they are his "dream school." Perhaps because of how the Bulldogs have approached his recruitment, the Texas A&M Aggies hold an overwhelming lead for Givens in On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine. According to RPM, the Aggies have a 90% chance of landing the edge rusher. Johnson reported that the Tennessee Volunteers, USC Trojans and Florida State Seminoles are also involved with Georgia. The 247 Sports composite rankings rated Givens the No. 7 edge rusher and No. 63 overall recruit in the 2026 class. Related: Georgia Gets Bad News on Highly Coveted Star Playmaker
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn football QB target Travis Burgess commits to ACC program
Auburn football QB target Travis Burgess commits to ACC program Auburn misses out on one of its top 2026 targets. Auburn football placed three-star quarterback Travis Burgess near the top of its 2026 recruiting board earlier this year. Sadly, Hugh Freeze and his staff will have to look elsewhere for a worthy quarterback candidate to sign this cycle. Burgess, a three-star quarterback from Loganville, Georgia, announced Wednesday that he has committed to North Carolina, choosing the Tar Heels over Auburn and NC State. Following his commitment, Burgess told Tom Loy of 247Sports that he is excited to be part of the new era of Tar Heel football. 'Coach (Bill) Belichick will turn this program around in the next year or two, and I want to be a part of that legacy and help turn it around," Burgess said. With his commitment, Burgess hopes to join the list of quality quarterbacks who have played in Chapel Hill recently. Since 2019, North Carolina quarterbacks have thrown over 2,400 yards and 15 touchdowns per season, with Sam Howell and Drake Maye producing most of the numbers. Howell passed for 10,283 yards and 92 touchdowns as a three-year starter, with Maye following suit with 7,929 yards and 63 touchdowns as a two-year starter. Last season, Jacolby Criswell led the Tar Heels with 2,459 yards and 15 touchdowns. Before Burgess arrives, Belichick will likely turn to South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez to lead the offense. Last season, Lopez passed for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Jaguars. What's next for Auburn? The Tigers will continue to heavily recruit Jackson (AL) quarterback Landon Duckworth. Duckworth visited Auburn last weekend, with Auburn being the only in-state school to lock in a visit with him. However, South Carolina and Ole Miss appear to be the frontrunners in his recruitment. The next name to watch is three-star quarterback Jackson Taylor from Thousand Oaks, California. According to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine, Auburn is the frontrunner to land him with a 43.5% forecast. 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__
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn football to host No. 2 in-state recruit Anthony Jones for official visit
Auburn football to host No. 2 in-state recruit Anthony Jones for official visit Auburn has trended for Jones for months, can they seal the deal during his official visit? The visit that Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers' coaching staff have been waiting to schedule is finally happening. Anthony Jones, a five-star EDGE from St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile, has revealed his official visit schedule. Auburn will get the first visit, welcoming him to the Plains beginning this Friday, May 16. He will close out the month by visiting Miami on May 30 before checking out three more schools in June: Texas A&M (June 5), Oregon (June 13), and Alabama (June 20). Alabama and Auburn are neck-and-neck for Jones' signature, according to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine. Alabama has a 31.1% forecast to land Jones, ahead of Auburn's 25%. However, 247Sports gives the edge to Auburn. 247Sports' national recruiting analyst Tom Loy submitted a crystal ball for Jones, favoring Auburn, last July. On a personal level, Jones says that Alabama is his "dream school," but feels he can make a giant impact in Auburn's defensive front. 'Like Alabama, I have been to Auburn over 10 times," Jones said of Auburn in a recent interview with On3. "The people there make Auburn great. Everyone is cool and I feel very comfortable on campus. I feel I can go make money in their scheme too. They want to move me around and I like that.' Jones mentioned that he wants to wait until after his official visits to announce his commitment, which could be announced as early as the start of high school football season in August. Jones ranks No. 2 in the state of Alabama according to 247Sports, behind fellow Auburn target Cederian Morgan, and is the No. 3 EDGE in the nation for the 2026 cycle. 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__
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Breaking down Auburn football's standing with Alabama's best 2026 recruits
Breaking down Auburn football's standing with Alabama's best 2026 recruits Is Auburn on pace to replicate its 2025 in-state recruiting success? Auburn football landed nine of Alabama's top-20 recruits from the 2025 cycle. As summer visits heat up, Hugh Freeze and his staff will aim to replicate last year's success. Out of the nine players signed from Alabama's top 20, seven of those ranked in the state's top 10 rankings. Defensive lineman Malik Autry, EDGE Jared Smith, Safety Anquon Fegans, and Safety Eric Winters were among Auburn's haul in 2025, with Auburn missing out on No. 6 Zion Grady (Ohio State) and No. 1 Na'eem Offord (Oregon). Early in the 2026 cycle, Auburn has two commitments from in-state players and is in good standing with several others. Successful visits and aggressive recruiting over the next several months will be vital for Auburn to replicate its success with in-state talent in 2026. Here is a look at the top-20 recruits from Alabama in the 2026 recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports, and where Auburn stands with each one. No. 20 Jamarrion Gordon (three-star Safety, Jackson High School) Gordon is a part of a loaded roster at Jackson High School that also features Auburn targets QB Landon Duckworth and RB Ezavier Crowell. 247Sports does not list a favorite to land Gordon currently, but he has scheduled official visits to Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Florida. Auburn appears not to be on Gordon's radar. No. 19 Ja'Michael Jones (three-star RB, Pike Road High School) Jones is among the nation's best running backs, ranking as high as No. 36 nationally. He recently committed to Ole Miss, but Auburn is still in the running according to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine, which gives the Tigers a 26.9% chance to land him despite his Ole Miss pledge. No. 18 Keenan Britt (three-star LB, Oxford High School) Britt, the brother of former Auburn linebacker KJ Britt, announced his pledge to South Carolina last August, choosing the Gamecocks over Auburn and Oregon. He has picked up several more offers since committing to South Carolina, and he is scheduled to visit Florida officially later this month. Time will tell, but it appears that Britt is locked in with Shane Beamer and South Carolina. No. 17 Kamhariyan Johnson (three-star EDGE, Muscle Shoals High School) Alabama locked up Muscle Shoals product Kamhariyan Johnson on April 12, winning a recruiting battle with Auburn, Ole Miss, Clemson, and Miami. However, it appears that Auburn is not out of the race for Johnson as he plans to visit the Plains officially on June 10. He will also visit Clemson, Alabama, USC, and Miami over the summer. No. 16 ArMari Towns (three-star TE, Southside-Selma High School) Auburn signed former Southside receivers Derick and Erick Smith to their 2025 recruiting class, but has not had the same success with their high school teammate ArMari Towns, who committed to Purdue in April. Purdue is Towns' best offer to this point in his recruitment, with programs such as Memphis, Troy, Arizona, and South Alabama also showing interest. No. 15 Dylan Cope (three-star WR, Hewitt-Trussville High School) Cope, who led the Huskies in receiving last year with 504 yards and five touchdowns on 40 catches, has racked up several offers this calendar year, with Georgia and Ole Miss being the most notable. Auburn has not extended an offer to Cope this year, but it could change as we inch closer to signing day. No. 14 Corey Barber (three-star WR, Spain Park High School) Auburn was one of the first Power Four programs to extend an offer to Barber in January. Since then, programs such as Mississippi State, Miami, Ole Miss, and Georgia have reached out to the talented receiver. It appears early on that Tennessee is gaining ground following a visit to Rocky Top in March and with a scheduled official visit in June. No. 13 Jonah Winston (three-star WR, Hoover High School) The brother of former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has racked up several offers from programs including UAB, Georgia State, Memphis, and Georgia Southern. In a January interview with On3, Winston shared that Auburn, along with Florida State, UCF, and Ole Miss, were recruiting Winston the hardest. Could Auburn win the Winston sweepstakes? No. 12 Shadarius Toodle (Four-star LB, Cottage Hill Christian Academy) Toodle committed to Auburn way before 2026 recruiting was on the clock, doing so in July of 2024. Several schools, such as Baylor, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, continue to recruit Toodle hard, but he remains a solid Auburn pledge heading into the heart of May. No. 11 Dylan Purter (four-star CB, Booker T. Washington High School) Auburn found success by recruiting nearby Booker T. Washington High School two years ago when it landed Joe Phillips. However, it appears out of the running for its top 2026 recruit, cornerback Dylan Purter. Purter committed to LSU in March, and he has scheduled official visits to Vanderbilt, Kentucky, LSU, and Tulane this summer. No. 10 Keeyun Chapman (four-star WR, Jackson High School) Chapman is not the first Jackson High star on this list (nor is he the last). He is receiving plenty of Power Four interest due to his 6-4, 195-pound frame and his speed. Chapman backed off his pledge to UCF last December and has since racked up offers from USC, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina. No. 9 Marquez Daniel (four-star WR, Booker T. Washington High School) Daniel remains uncommitted, but Auburn may have a chance to close the deal this summer. The Tuskegee native will officially visit Auburn on June 6 before scouting out the Florida Gators on June 13. He will be a name to keep an eye on as the summer progresses. No. 8 Hezekiah Harris (four-star EDGE, Mae Jemison High School) Harris is Auburn's top commit at this point in the cycle and has been one of Auburn's longest tenured commits by announcing his pledge last July. Tennessee and Florida remain Auburn's biggest competitors for Harris as the summer begins. No. 7 Ezavier Crowell (four-star RB, Jackson High School) Crowell recently announced that he will no longer announce his commitment on Dec. 31 this year, which could mean he plans to announce his college home sooner. Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas join Auburn in the pursuit of Crowell. No. 6 Jaquez Wilkes (four-star EDGE, Wadley High School) Wilkes is a player who can play multiple positions, which is why many of the nation's top programs are showing interest. He holds offers from Alabama, North Carolina, Missouri, and Georgia to name a few, but Auburn is the only program to schedule an official visit with him; it will take place on May 30. No. 5 Zyan Gibson (four-star CB, Gadsden City High School) Gibson has been a loyal Alabama pledge since December of last year, and has not scheduled a visit with Auburn despite the Tigers being a program that offered him early on. No. 4 Vodney Cleveland (four-star DL, Parker High School) There are very few recruits who top Cleveland on Auburn's recruiting board, and will have a chance to close the deal on May 16 when Auburn hosts Cleveland for an official visit. Florida is the only other program to schedule a visit with Cleveland, which could create a close race ahead of summer. No. 3 Landon Duckworth (four-star QB, Jackson High School) Duckworth will visit Auburn the same day as Cleveland, which could turn into a busy, yet entertaining day on the recruiting trail. However, Auburn will have a tougher time with Duckworth as Ole Miss, Florida State, and South Carolina also show heavy interest. Ole Miss is the favorite to sign Duckworth, with South Carolina close behind. No. 2 Anthony Jones (four-star EDGE, St. Paul's Episcopal) Jones remains uncommitted, but he is Auburn's to lose. 247Sports' Tom Loy of 247Sports has submitted a crystal ball prediction for Auburn to land Jones, but it will possibly take an official visit to secure the deal. At the time of this post, Jones has not scheduled a visit to Auburn. No. 1 Cedarian Morgan (four-star WR, Benjamin Russell High School) The last wide receiver Auburn signed from Benjamin Russell worked out, and Hugh Freeze is looking to keep the trend alive. Malcolm Simmons was Auburn's third-leading receiver last season with 451 yards and three touchdowns on 40 catches, and is poised to have another strong season on the Plains. 247Sports gives Auburn the edge to land Morgan with a 67% forecast, with Alabama next in line at 33%. Morgan will visit Auburn on June 13 and will announce his commitment on July 2. 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__
