CBS Sports Comes Down Hard On Hugh Freeze, Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala.- It has been an up-and-down offseason for the Auburn Tigers. Head coach Hugh Freeze’s first two full recruiting cycles, he boasted two top 10 recruiting classes. Auburn had the No. 8 class in 2024 and the No. 6 class in 2025. But as of right now, the 2026 class is sitting at No.65, according to 247Sports.

CBS Sports’ Andrew Ivins recently created a ‘report card’ for most of college football’s hot seat coaches, a list that includes Freeze. Andrew Ivins gave the Tigers a D on their report card, while an ‘incomplete’ might suit the Tigers better.

“The Tigers have had plenty of success prying top targets away from rivals in the past under Freeze, but they are going to need an industrial-sized spatula if they are going to avoid unprecedented regression in 2026 -- and if Freeze is going to get the entire Deep South to stop talking about his golf affinity,” wrote Ivins on CBS Sports.

“The good news for the folks on The Plains? The Tigers are very much in play for five-star safety Bralan Womack, who is set to announce Aug. 21 on CBS Sports. Ohio State is Auburn's top foe for Womack.”

More good news for the Tigers is that much of the pending recruiting success Auburn will have hinges on the wins and losses in the fall. Recruits are taking a wait-and-see approach as Freeze enters a make-or-break year within his tenure at Auburn.

With the rough month of June out of the picture, the Tigers have very slowly started to recover, but still outside of the top 50 in terms of recruiting classes. Earlier this week, Auburn landed a commitment from one of the best 2026 prospects in the state of Alabama, four-star edge rusher Jaquez Wilkes.

Wilkes is ranked as the No. 10 edge rusher in the 2026 class according to 247Sports. Hopefully for Freeze, the recruiting momentum continues to build up.

Ivins also listed offensive tackle commit Nikau Hepu as a ‘sneaky-good get.’ Nakau Hepu committed to Auburn in June. The 6-7 offensive tackle could be a steal for the Tigers. Hepu was born in New Zealand and grew up playing rugby.

Auburn offered him in February. Although he has not played an official snap of football, Freeze was impressed with him when he attended an Auburn football camp in early June.

Auburn is currently sitting at 11 commits for the 2026 recruiting class. Auburn rivals Georgia and Alabama are currently sitting within the top four recruiting classes for the 2026 cycle, with Georgia sitting at No. 2 and Alabama at No. 4.

If Auburn wants to compete for national championships, which means competing in the SEC, the wins will need to come this fall so that recruits will be hopping onboard the Tigers’ bandwagon.