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Auburn

Auburn moves into top 15 in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings

Collin-headshotby:Collin Ginnan•07/29/23
Hugh Freeze Auburn
(Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Auburn jumped into the top 15 in the 2024 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. All it took was flipping a five-star wide receiver from Iron Bowl rival Alabama.

Foley (Ala.) five-star receiver Perry Thompson flipped his commitment from Alabama to Auburn during the Tigers’ Big Cat Weekend. Thompson initially committed to Alabama in June of last year.

Thompson is the nation’s No. 29 overall prospect and No. 8 receiver according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 3 player in Alabama.

“I can go build that legacy at Auburn,” Thompson told On3. “I can be someone that helps turn things around and be the guy for the program. It is just the place I feel is the best first for me.

“…Since Hugh Freeze got to Auburn, he and the staff made me a top priority. Coach Freeze, Coach Marcus Davis, the whole staff and the fan base makes me feel wanted. The feeling for me is just different at Auburn.”

Thompson noted Freeze’s success at the receiver position with NFL players like DK Metcalf and AJ Brown.

“Coach Freeze and his offense produces big receivers like me and I like that,” Thompson said. “Coach Freeze can turn the program around. He is getting his guys, he knows football and he is going to turn a lot of eyes back on Auburn football.

“…Auburn is recruiting top players and Coach Freeze knows how to win. Other top players are coming so Coach Freeze is going to get Auburn back.”

Thompson the second five-star flip this week

Thompson is the second major flip of the week for Auburn. The Tigers managed to flip (Clanton, Ala.) Chilton County linebacker Demarcus Riddick from Georgia on June 26. Top-150 prospects Tuskegee (Ala.) Booker T. Washington four-star linebacker Joseph Phillips and Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy four-star quarterback Walker White committed to the Tigers earlier this year.

Auburn currently has 14 commits and ranks No. 15 in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. The Tigers sit seventh in the SEC behind Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU. Auburn has a class score of 90.727. Its average rating per commit of 90.78 is good for fourth in the nation.