Auburn’s recruiting surge got another boost Friday when ESPN moved the Tigers’ 2027 class up to No. 6 nationally, a rise that came after a hectic weekend on the trail and a string of fresh commitments.
The Tigers had been sitting at No. 7, but the latest update reflects just how quickly the class has kept growing even after losing four-star commit Kingston Miles to Missouri last weekend. What looked like a setback didn’t slow the momentum for long. Alex Golesh responded by stacking up more high-end additions, landing James Pace, Deshawn Hall, Preston Williams, Khamoni Williams and Cedrick Simmons.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert pointed to several of the pieces that have pushed Auburn upward. “Running back Myson Johnson-Cook was a big recruiting win and is a dynamic speedster with multi-positional talent,” ESPN’s Craig Haubert wrote.
“WR Brylan Oduor adds size and speed (4.51 40) on the outside, and fellow four-star receiver Deshawn Hall joined the group in late June and arrives with plenty of height (6-5). They have also added play speed to their secondary with the big addition of Chance Gilbert, who has been regularly recorded hitting 22 mph in game play.”
Right now, Auburn’s 2027 class includes 24 commits: nine four-stars and 15 three-stars. Georgia has been the Tigers’ most productive state so far, with seven commits coming out of the Peach State. Alabama has also become a major source of help after some wondered whether Golesh was having trouble landing in-state talent.
That shift is hard to miss. Auburn now has five Alabama prospects in the class, the second-most of any state, a sharp contrast from a few weeks ago when Isaac McNeil was the lone Alabama commit.
Not every service sees Auburn quite as high as ESPN does. 247Sports has the Tigers at No. 9 nationally, while On3/Rivals places them at No.
- Still, for a first-year head coach, any of those rankings signal a strong start.
And Auburn may not be finished yet. The Tigers are currently in the lead for Marquis Evans, a four-star edge rusher from Alabama who is expected to make his decision sometime in the coming weeks.
If Golesh can keep this pace rolling, Auburn will head toward the 2027 season and beyond in a very strong spot.
In Other News...
Auburn May Be Headed For A Bigger Year 1 Than Expected
Year 1 under Alex Golesh is already drawing more optimism than Auburn fans are used to hearing this early. National projections have the Tigers pointed toward a winning season, and the buzz is being fueled by a roster makeover that has leaned on transfer portal additions as much as it has on the staffs recruiting push.
The bigger question is whether the ceiling sits above the common forecast. With a schedule that offers some room to build momentum, Auburn has a path to finish stronger than the usual middle-ground expectations and even put itself in position for a winning SEC mark, which would say plenty about how quickly Golesh has changed the feel around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn May Have Found A Long Term Answer In Its Cornerback Battle
Auburns offseason push at cornerback was always going to be about more than just adding bodies. The Tigers wanted length, and they found it in Gavin Jenkins, the 6-foot-2 Florida native who arrived from South Florida and reunited with corners coach DeMarcus Van Dyke. Jenkins did not play much as a true freshman at USF, but he finished with enough late-season growth to catch Auburns attention and give the staff another long, athletic option in a room that suddenly looks very different.
What makes Jenkins worth watching is how he fits the bigger picture. Auburn brought in five transfer cornerbacks, and the competition for snaps is already tight behind names like Andre Jordan Jr. and Rayshawn Pleasant. In a group built to sort itself out this fall, Jenkins has the kind of frame and developmental upside that could make him more than just another addition, especially if the progress Auburn saw in him last season carries over into this next stage. [Read more 🡒]