Hugh Freeze on Auburn recruiting success: 'I have a whole building that's bought into it now'
AUBURN – Auburn hit a hot streak in recruiting to close out the summer. The Tigers added ten commits (2025 and 2026) from top targets in July: Hollis Davidson, Jacobe Ward, Blake Woodby, Antonio Coleman, John McGuire, Derick Smith, Anquon Fegans, JaMichael Garrett, Hezekiah Harris, and Shadarius Toodle.
Auburn currently has the 6th ranked class in the country and the 4th ranked class in the SEC for 2025. In 2026, the Tigers are ranked No. 1 in the SEC and in the country.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze gets the credit, but he wanted to make sure other staff members are recognized for the recruiting success.
“I get excited about all the positive things said about recruiting,” Freeze said on Thursday. “Truthfully, there are so many others that play bigger roles than I do. Bianca (Webb) and her staff, Will (Redmond) and his staff in personnel, all the GAs, the analysts, the position coaches, it’s a team effort.”
Freeze, at a speaking engagement during the summer, alluded to potentially landing in the top five in recruiting for 2025. When he first said it, outsiders were skeptical. Auburn was outside of the top 10 and not trending for a few of the recruits that have now landed in the class. Freeze’s confidence comes from the alignment in the building–it is why he was ahead of the curve with more recruiting momentum on the way.
“I have a whole building that’s bought into it now,” Freeze continued. “Yes, I get to set the philosophy and how we’re going to do it. We are fortunate to be doing really well right now. It’s constantly changing. Our plan of what we wanted to accomplish in the 2025 class is on track. Hopefully we will get more good news in the coming weeks and finish out this class around that Top 5 area.”
