2026 4-star LB Shadarius Toodle commits to Auburn, Hugh Freeze: ‘He’s turning the program back into a national championship contender’

Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Hill Christian Academy four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle received an offer from Auburn in February. The Tigers have been recruiting him hard since then, as both defensive coordinator/linebackers coach D.J. Durkin and defensive edge coach Josh Aldridge visited him at his high school. 

Toodle liked how Auburn treated him “like family” and made his fifth overall visit to The Plains this weekend for the Big Cat Weekend recruiting event. The 6-foot-2.5, 210-pound recruit left the Tigers’ campus as a member of Auburn’s 2026 recruiting class, as he committed to head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff on Saturday. 

“I get a home feeling there on the campus, around the team and watching the coaches coach,” Toodle told On3. 

“I like how the coaches interact with their players,” he added. “Coach Freeze is doing great things at Auburn and I feel like I could fit in at that school.” 

What stands out to Toodle about the Tigers is that they have numerous talented players on their roster, as well as a strong culture. The No. 3 player in Alabama believes that Auburn’s 2026 class will eventually be “the best class Auburn’s ever had.”

“I can fit in their defense and I like how they run their defense with the linebackers,” said Toodle, the No. 64 overall prospect and No. 4 linebacker in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking. “Every time I’ve been up there, they’ve treated me like family and it’s close to home.” 

Auburn’s coaches played a big role in Toodle’s decision

Freeze is heading into his second year at Auburn. Toodle believes he can accomplish big things on The Plains. 

“Coach Freeze is changing the program,” Toodle said. “He’s turning the program back into a national championship contender. He had a big recruiting class with the 2024 class and I feel like he can do that with the 2026 class too.” 

Toodle has spoken with Freeze a couple of times during his visits to the Tigers. The four-star called Auburn’s head man direct and “a very genuine guy.” 

While Freeze has made a strong impression on Toodle, the Alabama native feels that the Auburn coach he is closest with is Aldridge. He got to watch Aldridge coach his position group during the Tigers’ spring game and liked how he led his players. 

“He’s a good person,” Toodle said. “He’s a genuine person, just like coach Freeze. He calls me every other week and talks to me and my family.” 

“He’s a chill coach, but when he needs to get loud, he can get loud,” he added about Aldridge’s coaching style.