Auburn jumps SEC rival into No. 4 spot in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings

Auburn keeps on moving up in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings.

After being involved with a number of quarterback recruits throughout the cycle, the Tigers finally have their signal-caller. And boy did they make a splash with this commitment.

Elite four-star quarterback Deuce Knight — No. 36 in the On3 Industry Ranking — has flipped his commitment away from Notre Dame to Auburn.

Knight visited Auburn on consecutive weekends to open the regular season.

Auburn continues hot streak

Hugh Freeze and his Auburn staff have been on a heater on the recruiting trail since July.

Baltimore St. Frances Academy four-star cornerback Blake Woodby helped kick things off on July 27, as the former Ohio State commit pledged to the Tigers. Later that night, Sarland (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman once again flipped his commitment from Alabama to the Tigers. Both are top-140 overall recruits.

July 29 proved to be even bigger for the 2025 class, as Selma (Ala.) four-star athlete Derick Smith followed Coleman and also flipped from the Crimson Tide. Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson four-star safety Anquon Fegans committed later that night, adding the No. 52 and No. 57 prospects in the cycle to the class.

On Aug. 23, Auburn flipped Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick four-star EDGE Nate Marshall away from Michigan.

Not to be forgotten, the Tigers’ 2026 class ranks No. 2 in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings following a trio of in-state blue-chip commits. Huntsville (Ala.) Jemison four-star EDGE Hezekiah Harris is a top-20 junior recruit, Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Hill Christian four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle is a top-75 prospect and Gulf Shores (Ala.) four-star LB JaMichael Garrett checks in just outside the top 100.

In-state prospects are flocking to the Plains

Two additional top-100 recruits from Alabama are in Auburn’s 2025 class, too. Enterprise (Ala.) four-star safety Eric Winters is the No. 7 safety in the nation and was one of the first big dominoes to fall back in June. Opelika (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Malik Autry is the No. 7 DL and has been in the mix since Feb. 2023.

Highland Home (Ala.) four-star linebacker Jakaleb Faulk is a top-15 player at his position. Elba (Ala.) four-star running back Alvin Henderson flipped to Auburn in June after originally committing to Penn State in the spring and is a top-10 burner. Birmingham (Ala.) Parker four-star DL Jourdin Crawford was one of the first to join the class, doing so last October.