Auburn suddenly looks like a name to watch in the race for Zion Elee, and the timing comes courtesy of Maryland’s coaching shakeup.
With Maryland firing head coach Mike Locksley on Wednesday, the ripple effect could stretch beyond the current roster. One of the biggest names to monitor is Elee, a former five-star edge rusher from the class of 2026 who was rated the third-best edge rusher in that cycle and the top prospect in Maryland. Auburn was deeply involved when he was coming out of high school, but he chose to stay home and sign with the Terrapins.
Elee has shown why he was such a coveted recruit. Through seven games at Maryland, he has 11 total tackles, eight solo tackles, two tackles for loss, four sacks and three forced fumbles.
Now the coaching change has opened the door to speculation about a move ahead of the 2027 season, and Auburn is already being viewed as a strong candidate. The reason is simple: the Tigers have built real traction at St.
Frances Academy, Elee’s former high school. Bryce Deas, Blake Woodby and edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack are all already at Auburn and logging significant snaps.
Womack stands out as the key connection. He’s from the class of 2023, so he was well ahead of Elee in the pipeline, but the two were at least on one St.
Frances team together. As two of the school’s few five-star products, that kind of familiarity matters.
Auburn may also have another small edge through three-star safety James Branch, a St. Frances commit in the 2027 class. In a recruitment this competitive, those relationships can help.
And it’s not just the high school ties. When Elee was being recruited out of prep ball, DJ Durkin and company were heavily involved as well.
If Auburn can turn that earlier interest into a real run at him now, the Tigers could end up with another elite St. Frances pass rusher to pair with an already strong defense.
In Other News...
Auburn Suddenly Has A Staff Question Fans Can't Ignore
Marylands decision to fire Mike Locksley has a ripple effect that Auburn fans cannot really ignore, even if the move happened far from the Plains. The two programs are connected in a way that matters for recruiting, and Auburns staff already has a Maryland link in defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, who previously coached there. When a coaching search opens up, especially at a place tied to current Auburn personnel, the conversation around who stays, who leaves and who follows a coach can start immediately.
Durkin could draw interest for Marylands head coaching job, and that possibility alone creates uncertainty for Auburn as it tries to hold together its recruiting board. The situation also cuts the other way, since Locksleys background includes Alabama ties and real recruiting experience, which could make him a candidate for Auburns coaching staff. For Auburn, the timing is awkward, because any movement at Maryland could affect commitments and relationships the Tigers are trying to protect. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Fans Will Want To See Why Alex Golesh Is In Focus
College GameDay is heading to the University of Utah this Saturday, and ESPN is rolling out a familiar mix of marquee voices for the broadcast ahead of the Utes game against Houston. Rece Davis will anchor the show alongside Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban, while Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid is set to serve as the guest picker as the pregame show settles in for another full morning of college football coverage.
The broadcast will also include live appearances from Utah and Miami head coaches, plus special reports on a range of college football topics, which gives the show plenty of ways to keep attention moving before kickoff. For Auburn fans, the reason to keep an eye on this one is how often GameDay can put coaches and programs under the spotlight in ways that linger beyond one Saturday, and Alex Golesh has found himself in that kind of conversation before. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Faces A Huge Jordan-Hare Test After The Georgia Shocker
Auburns upset of No. 1 Georgia changed the mood around the program in a hurry, and now the Tigers get another major measuring stick at Jordan-Hare Stadium. LSU comes in with a chance to spoil the post-Georgia buzz, and Auburn will again look to Byrum Brown to help carry the momentum from one of the biggest wins of the season.
The matchup brings more than just the usual SEC pressure, too. LSU has had its own issues away from home in recent road games under coach Lane Kiffin, which gives Auburn a chance to turn the crowd and the setting into an edge if it can back up last weeks breakthrough. The question now is whether the Tigers can turn one huge win into the start of something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]