The Auburn Tigers began fall camp this week, but that was hardly the biggest news for the football program.
According to 247Sports, Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class added more talent this week, propelling them to fifth in the nation. Recruiting was a top priority for head coach Hugh Freeze when he was hired, and he has effectively acquired more talent. Freeze has also expressed a desire to expand the program through high school recruiting rather than the transfer portal, as other institutions have done.
Auburn Adds to the 2025 Recruiting Class
Wide Receiver Added
The Tigers’ recent new commits have primarily been on the defensive side of the ball. However, they did add some significant offensive skill. Marcus Davis, wide receiver coach, did an excellent job bringing in Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain, and Malcolm Simmons during the past recruiting cycle. Last weekend, the staff successfully flipped Alabama commit Derick Smith out of Southside Selma. Smith is described as an athlete, however he is more suited to playing wide receiver.
He played both receiver and running back for Southside Selma, and he produced impressive stats. Smith had 46 receptions for 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. He carried the ball 65 times on the ground, gaining 1,036 yards and scoring nine touchdowns.
Smith also played linebacker in 2023, recording 74 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. 247Sports ranks him second overall and fifth in Alabama.
Secondary Help
The Tigers’ secondary is one of the biggest uncertainties heading into the new season. Keionte Scott is the only returner from the previous season. The club lost players such as Nehemiah Pritchett, Jaylin Simpson, Donovan Kaufman, and Zion Puckett. There is talent to replace those players, but the program needed to look ahead. They went outside the state and received a commitment from four-star cornerback Blake Woodby of Baltimore, Maryland. Wesley McGriff and Charles Kelly oversaw the recruitment effort. He also competed in track and was named to the MaxPreps Junior Preseason All-American squad in 2023.
Anquon Fegans, a safety, has also joined the defensive backfield.
He is a four-star who plays for the legendary Thompson Warriors. Fegans is now ranked third-best safety and second-best player in Alabama. Last season, he recorded 59 tackles, including two for loss and seven interceptions. This is a significant investment, especially as a Thompson player. Auburn failed to recruit players for the whole of Nick Saban’s tenure at Alabama. Freeze is taking full advantage of Saban’s retirement.
Defensive Lineman Flipped
Smith wasn’t the only Alabama commit that got flipped. Antonio Coleman, a four-star defensive tackle from Saraland, went from the Tide to the Tigers. Coleman has swung between the two campuses before. He spent a lot of time in the opposing backfield, recording 22.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He made 62 tackles in 2023. Coleman is listed as the tenth best player in the state and the fourteenth at his position.
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