Auburn’s SEC opener against Florida in Week 3 has already become more than just a measuring-stick game. It’s also a recruiting stage, with 2028 Maplesville linebacker Nehemiah McCary set to be a guest of honor at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
And he’ll be there with both programs trying to make their case.
According to 247Sports’ Brendan Sonnone, Florida is a real threat in the race for McCary, alongside Auburn and Alabama. That matters because the Gators are not being treated like a simple outsider here. They’re pushing into a recruitment that, on the surface, feels like it should stay close to home.
“There’s a sentiment around Nehemiah McCary that he’ll likely stay close to home and decide between Alabama or Auburn,” Sonnone wrote.
“It makes sense on the surface. McCary is soft spoken, he’s from a small community in rural Alabama and his favorite pastimes outside of football are playing video games and mowing the grass. He doesn’t need a lot outside of his narrow comfort zone to be happy.
"...He's close to high-use rotational linebacker Myles Johnson, and the Gators view the malleable athlete as more of a linebacker while Auburn and Alabama project McCary as a defensive end type. Florida is an outlier in a few ways among these top three."
McCary’s appeal goes beyond a single position. He has the kind of all-around athletic profile that gives coaches options, including running back instincts on the offensive side of the ball. He also shows the burst and tracking ability that come from being used to attacking gaps with the ball in his hands.
He projects as an off-ball linebacker, but there’s also interest in using him on the edge. In other words, he’s the kind of player who can fit in a few different places and still make an impact.
That versatility would make him a strong in-state addition for any program trying to build culture. But Auburn is also dealing with a different kind of pressure here, because Jon Sumrall knows how to work the state of Alabama.
At Troy, Sumrall leaned hard on local talent. The Trojans had two tackles, a quarterback, a running back, a corner, and a linebacker from Alabama in the 2022 high school recruiting class, and he increased those in-state numbers in 2023. He also recruited multiple Alabama prospects to Tulane, including Michael, the brother of Noah Igbinoghene.
So Sumrall isn’t walking into Alabama blind. He understands the terrain, and a strong showing in Jordan-Hare Stadium could help push McCary toward heading a couple of hundred miles south to the “Swamp.”
But Auburn has a chance to flip the script in a way that matters just as much.
If Alex Golesh’s Tigers show they can defend homefield, that becomes its own recruiting pitch. The program’s inability to protect Jordan-Hare was a major issue under the previous staff, and changing that perception would resonate with recruits who have watched Auburn stumble through SEC games at home.
DJ Durkin’s defense is already performing at a high level, and that only adds another layer to Auburn’s case. Whether he stays in the coordinator role long term is another question, since strong defensive play tends to attract aggressive offers from other programs.
Even so, the idea of helping drive Auburn’s revival still carries weight. For an Alabama prospect with any pull toward the orange and blue, that’s a message the Tigers will be eager to sell when Florida comes to town.
In Other News...
Alabama Commit Just Changed The In-State Recruiting Conversation
Trent Seaborn has become one of the biggest talking points in Alabama recruiting, and not just because he is already committed to the Crimson Tide. The Thompson senior quarterback opened the season at No. 12 in AL.coms Best in Bama rankings, then surged all the way to No. 1 as his play and profile kept climbing. For Auburn fans watching the in-state board, it is another reminder of how quickly the recruiting conversation can shift when a high-profile quarterback starts separating himself from the pack.
The movement at the top also came with a bit of turbulence elsewhere, as former No. 1 Gunner Rivers slid to No. 3 after a right knee injury in the season opener altered the picture. The latest rankings brought in new names and updated several other top prospects, along with their college commitments, giving a fresh snapshot of where the states elite talent stands right now. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Got A Big Defensive Boost Before Florida
Auburns first SEC mandatory injury report of the season brought a little more clarity heading into Saturday nights matchup with Florida, and the news should help the Tigers on the edge. DaShawn Womack and Chris Murray are both trending toward playing after missing previous games because of injury, giving Auburn a chance to get two important pass-rush pieces back for a game that kicks off at 6 p.m. Central at Jordan-Hare Stadium and airs on ESPN.
There is still some uncertainty elsewhere on the report, though, with offensive lineman Tai Buster ruled out and tight end Hunter Herring along with edge rusher Joe Phillips listed as questionable. For an Auburn team trying to build momentum in conference play, the possibility of adding pressure off the edge comes at a useful time, even if the final availability picture still has a few moving parts. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Fans Have Plenty To Debate After That Auburn Loss
Baylors season opener against Auburn had all the ingredients of a September talking point, from the defensive pressure to the late-game drama that left both sideline and fan base replaying every snap. The Bears came up just short in a 17-16 loss, but there was plenty in the performance to keep their followers engaged, especially after a defense that piled up five sacks and three interceptions made Auburn work for every yard.
Gavin Freeman gave Baylor a true spark with 12 catches for 154 yards, and DJ Lagways debut added another layer to the conversation even before the ankle injury limited what he could do. The close finish, the failed two-point attempt in the final seconds and the national audience of 4.24 million viewers turned this into one of those openers that lingers, because the result was clear even if the questions around the Bears are still settling in. [Read more 🡒]