4-star CB Jalyn Crawford commits to Auburn over Florida and LSU

There wasn’t a lot separating the top three for Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview four-star cornerback Jalyn Crawford. He knew he was going to pick between Auburn, Florida and LSU.

While each school had it’s positives, there was just something different Auburn. That feeling was something Crawford couldn’t get over as he announced his pledge to Hugh Freeze and the Tigers.

“After my visits, I thought about it for a while, then I made a decision in late June,” Crawford told On3. “I went back and forth and I went over my pros and cons. It came out with Auburn on top. I’ve visited Auburn four or five times, I like the new staff a lot and the crowd at Auburn is always jumping.

…The fans show great support and the new staff will get the program going strong again. I love the player-coach connection, the bond the coaches have shown with the players and how it feels like family there. Everywhere I go on the Auburn campus, it feels like family and you hear a lot of War Eagle so the support there makes it feel like home.”

What factors drew Crawford to Auburn

That feeling of being at home starts first with the Tigers’ coaching staff.

Crawford said that his relationships with Auburn’s secondary coaches in Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff played a pretty significant role in his recruitment. Those two in particular had been after him for awhile making Crawford feel like a priority to the class.

It didn’t hurt for Crawford to hear from friends like Kaylin Lee and Terrance Love who constantly how much they love Auburn.

With all of those factors checked off, a strong relationship with the head coach was all Crawford was looking for. He got that with Hugh Freeze.

“I like coach Freeze a lot,” said Crawford, the No. 174 player in the 2024 class. “We talk about every day. He checks on me a lot and has gotten to know my dad so I like what he is about. He’s a chill dude, easy to talk to and made a big impression on me and my family.

“It’s clear that he wants me and has shown he can win as a head coach. I see Coach Freeze taking Auburn back to the top because I know about his history. I’ve seen him at practice and I like his plan for the Auburn program once he gets his recruits on campus.”