Auburn flips QB Deuce Knight from Notre Dame as Tigers push for No. 1 class in 2025

Lucedale (Miss.) George County On300 quarterback Deuce Knight is headed to Auburn, announcing his commitment Wednesday following his weekend official visit. He was on campus for all four home games this fall.

A former Notre Dame commit, the 6-foot-4.5, 208-pound Knight becomes commit No. 25 for head coach Hugh Freeze and the Tigers in the Class of 2025.

The On3 Industry pegs Knight as the country’s No. 7 passer and No. 36 prospect overall. He adds to a Auburn haul that previously ranked No. 5 nationally.

With the talented Knight in the fold, this is a class that could finish No. 1. More on that in a bit.

Knight had been a verbal to the Irish since Sept. 2023. But the allure of the SEC while playing for a program with such quarterback tradition is what caught the blue-chipper’s eye. The rapport with Freeze, Kent Austin and Kenyatta Watson made him feel at home. Building relationships with the talented young receivers on the roster, and fellow members of his class also made Knight comfortable.

Now Knight is officially in the fold.

On3 named Knight the top overall performer at the prestigious Elite 11 Finals along with the Overtime OT7 finals. He is an explosive athlete with terrific arm talent. Knight can attack downfield with ease, make all the throws to the perimeter, and he can be a playmaker toting the football. We also love his intangibles as a leader. If it all comes together you’re looking at Auburn’s next Heisman candidate under center.

With Knight as the class jewel, Freeze and company will go after the top overall spot in the On3 Industry Rankings. He becomes the seventh top-100 player to join the fold alongside edge rusher Jared Smith, athlete Derick Smith, defensive linemen Nate Marshall and Malik Autry and safeties Anquon Fegans and Eric Winters. There is plenty more possibility out there.

Auburn works for more flips

Prior to Knight, we saw Freeze and the Tigers flip Smith from Alabama, Marshall from Michigan, On300 defensive lineman Antonio Coleman from the Crimson Tide and running back Alvin Henderson from Penn State.

They don’t want to slow down on that front.

Five-star cornerback and Ohio State commit Na’eem Offord becomes target numero uno. He was at Big Cat Weekend and returned for a couple games this fall.

Receiver is a spot the Tigers are trying to work on several committed elsewhere including Caleb Cunningham (Alabama), CJ Wiley (Florida State), Travis Smith Jr. (Tennessee) and Sam Turner (Georgia Tech).

USC defensive back commit Shamar Arnoux is emerging as a target, as is Florida defensive line verbal Joseph Mbatchou.

Knight won’t be Auburn’s last flip in 2025.

Auburn a front runner for five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola

Whether you’re the Tigers, Michigan, Oklahoma or Stanford, there is confidence around your program you can land five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola.

Between Jake Thornton, Aaron Pittard and Freeze, there isn’t a staff Babalola talks to more than Auburn’s. He has tried to commit somewhere during the summer, prior to the start of his senior year and then again before the first game of his final prep campaign. All those dates have passed. Through it all, he’s maintained regular dialogue with the Tigers.

As Auburn puts the finishing touches on a strong offensive line class that already includes Broderick Shull, Tavaris Dice, Tai Buster, Jacobe Ward and Spencer Dowland, Babalola and Nelson McGuire are two more still out there. McGuire was offered earlier this fall and he is trending towards the Tigers as well.

Tigers hoping for good news this weekend

Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County On300 running back Ousmane Kromah is set to announce his commitment on Saturday.

The On3 RPMs are starting to swing towards Georgia but confidence remains around Auburn. Kromah has been very positive with both programs in the days leading up to his announcement.