Auburn’s momentum on the recruiting trail got another jolt this week, and now the Tigers are in the mix for one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2028 class.
Tyree Mannings Jr., a four-star receiver from Venice, Fla., trimmed his list to three schools on Wednesday, and Auburn made the cut alongside Florida and Kentucky. The 6-foot, 170-pound pass catcher is ranked as the 11th-best wide receiver in his class and the ninth-best player in Florida, according to the source.
Mannings is the kind of prospect who fits the blue-chip label without much debate. He’s currently sitting as a Top 90 recruit in the 2028 Rivals Industry Rankings, and his recruitment is already drawing serious attention despite how early it still is for that cycle.
For now, Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine has Florida as the favorite, giving the Gators a 96.4% chance to land him with Jon Sumrall. But Auburn has already shown it can crash a seemingly settled race.
That’s exactly what happened in June with four-star receiver Deshawn Hall. Penn State had looked like the clear leader, with Rivals’ RPM giving the Nittany Lions better than a 90% chance to land him, before Auburn surged late and pulled off the flip. Golesh and the Tigers turned that one into a surprise win, and it’s the kind of result that keeps Auburn alive in these battles even when the odds don’t look great.
Golesh has wasted little time making his mark in recruiting since arriving at Auburn. The Tigers’ 2027 class is currently ranked 11th nationally, and they already have one commitment in 2028 in three-star quarterback Sam Sollie. Adding Mannings would give that group a major boost and could help set the tone for another strong class.
Auburn’s recent success at receiver also gives the Tigers a real pitch in this race. Hugh Freeze signed the best receiver group in Auburn history in 2024, and Golesh has already added two four-star receivers to his 2027 class. Mannings now has a chance to become the next name in that line.
Even if Auburn doesn’t close on Mannings, the 2028 cycle is still in its early stages. Golesh will keep pushing this summer as he looks to keep the momentum rolling from what he built with the 2027 class.
In Other News...
Auburn Just Lost The Safest QB Portal Path Available
Auburns quarterback search in the transfer portal just got a little more complicated with Mississippi States Kamario Taylor choosing to stay put rather than test the market. Taylor is still working back from a severe toe injury, but his new deal reportedly starts at $7.5 million and gives the Bulldogs a major piece to build around as they try to shape the rest of their roster and recruiting plans.
For Auburn, the timing matters because the Tigers are still sorting through their own options at the position and had reason to monitor the portals upper tier closely. With Taylor off the board, attention shifts even more toward other possible targets from places like Ohio State and Michigan, leaving Auburn to keep weighing fit, availability and cost in a market that is already getting thinner by the day. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Still Has Tough 2027 Recruiting Calls To Make
With the early signing period for the Class of 2027 drawing closer, Auburn is entering the part of recruiting where the easy work is mostly done and the hard decisions begin. Alex Golesh has made it clear the Tigers want to finish the class strong, and that means balancing the commitments already in place with the players the staff is still pushing hardest to land.
Auburns recent addition gave the class a boost, but the final stretch is still about roster evaluation and how the staff chooses to spend its time and resources. Some current pledges could be revisited while other targets get a more aggressive push, which leaves the Tigers with a few important calls still hanging in the balance before signing day arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Bowl Push Comes With Real Upset Risk In Starkville
Auburn heads to Starkville with a chance to keep its winning streak alive and move one step closer to bowl eligibility, but this is the kind of SEC trip that can get tricky fast. Alex Golesh has already pointed to the early kickoff as one of the hurdles, and Auburn will need to bring a sharp, high-level effort against a Mississippi State team that has dropped five straight but still has enough pieces to make this uncomfortable.
The matchup comes down to a few familiar pressure points for Auburn: slowing down AJ Swann, leaning on the run game and keeping Byrum Brown protected up front. Linebacker depth and time of possession also loom large, especially in a road setting where Auburn cannot afford to let the game drift into a grind. On paper, the Tigers have the better path, but this is exactly the sort of spot where a bowl push can turn into a stress test. [Read more 🡒]