Auburn Tigers 5-Star Signee Gets Michael Penix Jr. Comparison

Auburn's incoming freshman received a comparison to a player who reached the National Championship and was a first-round draft pick

It's not too bad being compared to a first-round pick / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers finished ninth in the recruiting class rankings for 2025, according to Rivals.com. This was different from other websites like On3 (eighth) or 247Sports (seventh) once all was said and done on National Signing Day. One thing that could not be debated was who joined the Tigers for next season. However, one player from the stands above them all.

The Future of Auburn Tigers Football

Among them was Tigers future quarterback Deuce Knight. The future Tiger already has NFL scouts watching him. ESPN and Rivals both have him as the No. 2 quarterback recruit nationally. Rivals’ National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney compared Knight to the Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. Both quarterbacks have similar dimensions as Knight is 6-4, 190 pounds and Penix is 6-2, 177 pounds. 

On top of that, both quarterbacks are left-handed. Gorney believes that “Knight could be the future at Auburn for [head] coach Hugh Freeze.” This naturally, would be the post-Jackson Arnold era. Arnold is expected to win the vacated quarterback job left by former starting quarterback Payton Thorne.

Why Knight’s Timing is Perfect

The arrival of Knight could not be a better timing for the Auburn Tigers as they try to reemerge as a powerhouse in the SEC and beyond. As the Tigers get their quarterback of the future, several SEC programs will be losing their quarterbacks to the draft or graduation. Only teams like Florida are roughly on the same schedule as the Tigers with talented, young quarterbacks. While there will always be the regular powerhouses who get talent early, Knight will be able to compete with them. 

If Gorney’s prediction is correct, Auburn fans should have a lot of optimism moving forward for the next several years. Knight will be able to learn a lot from head coach Hugh Freeze and Arnold before taking over the reins.

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