Donivan Moore Commits to Auburn: Alex Golesh Lands a Major Win on the Recruiting Trail
Alex Golesh hasn’t coached a single Iron Bowl yet, but he’s already making noise in one of college football’s fiercest rivalries. On Thursday, Auburn’s new head coach secured a major recruiting win, landing a commitment from Donivan Moore - the top-ranked player in Alabama’s 2027 high school class, per 247Sports Composite.
Moore, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman out of Hueytown, is ranked No. 72 nationally and becomes Auburn’s second pledge in the 2027 cycle. More importantly, he’s a big-time in-state get who chose the Tigers over a loaded offer sheet that included Alabama, Texas, LSU, Ohio State, and Ole Miss.
This is the kind of early recruiting victory that turns heads - especially when it comes at the expense of your biggest rival.
Moore’s decision didn’t come out of nowhere. Auburn’s defensive line coach, Vontrell King-Williams, played a key role in building the relationship, and it clearly paid off.
While Alabama still holds the edge in the overall 2027 class rankings - thanks in part to four-star edge rusher Jabarrius Garror, the state’s No. 3-ranked player - this one stings a bit for the Tide. Moore was a priority target, and Auburn just beat them head-to-head.
For Golesh, it’s a statement. During his time at USF, he earned a reputation as a sharp evaluator and relentless recruiter, managing to bring in talent despite competing against Florida’s big three. Now in the SEC, he’s showing those same chops - only now, he’s working with more resources and a bigger platform.
It’s no secret Auburn has the tools to compete. NIL backing is strong on The Plains, and under Hugh Freeze, the Tigers were able to assemble talented rosters.
The problem was execution - particularly at quarterback. Freeze never quite figured out the position, bouncing between Peyton Thorne and Jackson Arnold without finding a long-term answer.
That instability, along with other factors, ultimately led to his exit.
Golesh, on the other hand, brings a clear offensive identity. His veer-and-shoot system - a fast-paced, aggressive attack similar to what Josh Heupel runs at Tennessee - is a breath of fresh air for a program that’s been searching for consistency. Even better, Golesh has his guy under center: Byrum Brown, his former quarterback at USF, followed him to Auburn for his final year of eligibility.
That continuity could be huge in year one. Golesh knows what he wants from his quarterback, and Brown already knows the system. That’s a rare luxury for a first-year head coach in the SEC.
Of course, none of this will truly matter until Auburn and Alabama line up in Bryant-Denny Stadium this fall. But for now, Golesh just landed a significant early win - not just on the recruiting trail, but in the ongoing battle for in-state supremacy.
Donivan Moore is the kind of player who can anchor a defensive front for years. And if Golesh keeps stacking wins like this, Auburn’s rebuild might not take as long as some expected.