Auburn football's top 10 2025 recruiting targets

These ten players are at the top of the board heading into their junior campaigns.

Author:
Jack Singley
Publish date:
Aug 22, 2023 6:48 PM EDT

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The 2025 class won't sign for a long time, in fact, it will be exactly 16 months from today. The trend for the past few years for the top programs in the country has been getting recruits in the boat early to help recruit the rest of the class. For Auburn, A'mon Lane has been this player, committing in July of 2022 and staying in the class to help build it around him. Auburn currently has one commitment in the 2025 class, DL Malik Autry, and with their junior seasons just beginning a lot of the big-time recruits will join Autry in committing early. These 10 recruits are the biggest names that Auburn wants to be able to lock up and get in the boat.

1. Jakaleb Faulk

Faulk committed to the Tigers on August 21st. Faulk is the younger brother of the crown jewel of last year's class Keldrick Faulk and so far he looks to be every bit the player his brother was at the high school level. JJ stands at six-foot-three inches and weighs around 225 pounds, and at just 16 years old one can assume he will grow. This potential growth makes his recruitment exciting as for now he is viewed as a linebacker but could easily be a defensive lineman come signing day.

2. CJ May

Highland Home might start becoming a pipeline school for the Tigers as May and Faulk both look to be headed to the plains. May like Faulk has been terrorizing opposing offenses and attacking the quarterback with ease, in his sophomore season he managed to get 50 tackles and 2.5 sacks while helping the Faulk brothers carry the Flying Squadron to the state playoffs. May forecasts as an EDGE or JACK at the next level.

3. Deuce Knight

The top QB on the 2025 board, Hugh Freeze has personally prioritized the Nashville star. Transferring to Lipscomb Academy following his Sophomore season, Knight saw a good team that he could make better after starter Hank Brown signed with Auburn. A decision for Knight will be before the end of the year according to sources close to the recruitment and the Tigers look to be firmly in the mix for the dual-threat lefty.

4. Alvin Henderson

Auburn might have a "Deuce-Deuce" combo in the backfield if Henderson and Knight were to commit, as Hendersons' nickname is Duece. Alvin was one of the most productive running backs in the state last year and his dominance looks to continue for the Elba Tigers. Henderson ran for 2,600 yards last year with 47 rushing touchdowns, which was good for the 11th most rushing touchdowns in the nation on the high school level. Carnell Williams has made Henderson the priority number one for the 2025 class.

5. Kamare Williams

One of two wide receivers on this list, Williams is an odd addition as he has not even stepped foot on campus for a visit. Marcus Davis likes the tape and offered the speedy six-foot-three 180-pounder back in March and has maintained contact with him since. With that height and plus speed he manages to get behind the defense for big plays, and in red zone opportunities can beat a defender for a 50-50 ball. The Florida schools are in it as well, along with Louisville. Auburn is the odd man out, but with a few in-season visits that could change due to his connection with the staff.

6. Derick Smith

One of the best wide receivers in the nation, Smith is an Alabama native who plays for Southside in Selma. Auburn has gotten him on campus for Big Cat Weekend and plans to make him a priority for in-season visits both this year and next year. Smith is as dynamic as it gets, a varsity player for football, basketball, and baseball he truly is the star for all three. Smith rushed for almost 1,000 yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns, receiving wise he snagged 57 passes for 1,391 yards with 10 touchdown receptions. Defensively he racked up 98 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, and eight interceptions. The definition of a two-way player it wouldn't be surprising if Zac Etheridge tried to bring him in as a safety as well.

7. Zion Grady

Auburn offered all the way back in 2022 when Grady was just a freshman and was the first power-five school to offer the Troy native, beating the hometown Trojans to the future five-star. Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, and just about every other big program has their name in the mix for the EDGE. Zac Etheridge and Josh Aldridge are pushing hard and have gotten him on campus three times and will look to boost that number this fall.

8. Zayden Walker

The younger brother of Auburn defensive lineman Zykevious Walker and 2024 ATH commit Jalewis Solomon, the legacy boost doesn't appear to be a big factor for the talented linebacker. One of the highest-ranked players according to 247 Composite, listed as the ninth player in the country, Walker is offered by just about every program in the nation. Georgia is the main competition as they want to keep the state's best prospect but Josh Aldridge and his brothers are helping to keep the Tigers in contention.

9. Brayden Jacobs

Legacy galore for the Tigers in this 2025 class, as Jacobs is the third player on this list that has had a family member play or attend Auburn. Alvin Henderson could be viewed as the fourth if you count 2024 commit Phat Burnette, as the two are cousins. Brayden is the eldest son of NFL star Brandon Jacobs, and before being one of the largest running backs in the NFL, Brandon was the third-string running back behind Auburn legends Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown. Jacobs didn't graduate from Auburn but he still has a fondness for his time on the Plains. Brayden is a four-star offensive lineman who plays for one of the premier high school teams in Georgia. Jacobs is teammates with Jaden Perlotte and KJ Bolden both of which are Auburn targets from that talented Buford High team. Standing six-foot-seven and 310 pounds Jacobs inherited his father's natural SEC frame.

10. Anquon Fegans

Fegans is a USC commit, but there seems to be a chance to flip him for multiple teams. He has two brothers, both playing D1 ball, Antwon plays for Arkansas State and Tre'Quon is a cornerback for USC who transferred from Alabama. There is a chance Fegans stays in-state and that would leave it to be an iron bowl battle and with Alabama having already gotten his brother from Thompson, log dictates that they could do it again. Time will tell but Auburn keeps popping up wherever Fegans is mentioned.

These ten prospects still have to finish their junior and senior seasons and new targets will emerge for the Tigers, but as it stands these are the top players Auburn has honed in on 16 months out.