Auburn leads all SEC teams in the number of commitments it has received in the 2024 class with nine. They have the 11th-highest average prospect rating in the nation, so while the quantity may not be there, the quality certainly is. It appears that Auburn will add even more talent throughout the months of July and August in order to catch up to the rest of the SEC in terms of recruit volume. The class average would rise to 92.17 with the addition of the following players, for a total of 14 prospects, ranking fifth in the nation after Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

The first of these five is Malik Blocton, and Auburn supporters won’t have to wait long to find out if the Pike Road star

decides to remain in the state. Blocton’s decision date is July 8th, and he will only be attending two SEC schools—Texas, at

the very least, by his freshman year. The last two for the six-foot-three, 268-pound player are Texas and Auburn. The Tigers

appear to be the beneficiary of the visits, and since his brother Marcus Harris is a

star on the plains, many people believe he will follow in his footsteps.

Since OL Coach Jake Thornton hasn’t gotten a commit this cycle, the offensive

line recruitment has been quiet. However, with the addition of a west

coast prospect, all might change. Auburn is unlikely to pursue Deandre Carter, a six-foot-five, 340-pound offensive tackle

from Mater Dei, given that the Tigers haven’t signed a recruit out of California

high school in recent memory. Formerly thought to be a USC lock, Carter is now

viewed as an Auburn lean by many after receiving an offer and making an official

visit with OL Coach Jake Thornton and TE Coach Ben Aigamaua.

Perry Thompson, the unanimous choice as the best player on the Auburn board, has recently been linked to the Tigers; if he signed, it would be a historic signing. Is the “Next Julio Jones” ready to surprise everyone by choosing Auburn? Thompson will have to make that decision, but the Tigers appear to be in a

strong position from the outside. According to 247 Sports, Thompson, who

is six feet three and weighs 205 pounds, has only visited Alabama twice but has

attended Auburn five times. The visits, along with a strong push from Marcus

Davis, the wide receiver coach, and Hugh Freeze, put Auburn in a strong position

to potentially land a five-star recruit, their first since Ben Obomanu in 2002.

Because Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff have made Jalyn Crawford a top priority, the defensive back class is strong and should only grow stronger. Crawford, a Parkview, Georgia native who lives just east of Atlanta, has emerged as the front-runner for this class’s cornerback slot. Crawford, who weighs 180 pounds and is six feet even, would be the biggest DB commit ever. At

separate times, LSU and Florida were considered the teams to beat; LSU

appeared to be planning to sign him in the late winter and early spring until the

Gators arrived in the early summer. While keeping quiet, Auburn has been

the most reliable when it comes to luring four-star recruits.

One more five-star player who is a flip potential rounds out this group. Five-star Georgia LB commit Demarcus Riddick.

The answer to the question of which team he will ultimately choose to stay in-

state is a little more nuanced given the indications that have been pointing away

from UGA since mid-spring. Like Thompson, Riddick has visited Auburn

more often than Alabama, but it may be difficult to top the spectacle the Crimson

Tide put on for Riddick on A-day and during his official visit. On July 26, his

mother’s birthday, a decision will be made, but as of right now, there doesn’t

seem to be much momentum between the Tigers and the Tide.

Although summertime recruiting should not be confused with signing day, there

should be some trust in the decisions made by these incoming seniors who

have chosen to end it prior to their senior year of high school football. Right

now, they have 166 days and a whole football season left before they sign a

contract. During that time, their minds may change; a successful campaign

might strengthen this class and validate their beliefs, while a poor campaign

could be disastrous. Although it will take time to tell, Auburn is currently looking

good during Head Coach Hugh Freeze’s first complete recruiting cycle.