What Stood Out About Auburn to Running Back Recruit

The Auburn Tigers are, undoubtedly, stacked at the running back position for the 2026 season. Alex Golesh has built a squad consisting of three different teams’ top 2025 rushers, while adding on a 1,000 rushing yard quarterback to boot. Now, Golesh is looking to make sure the running back room is dominant for years to come.

On Thursday, the Tigers hosted Pickerington Central (Ohio) running back Edmund “E-MAC” McAllister, with whom Auburn Tigers on SI chatted back when he first received an offer from Auburn. Now, he has had some time to drink in the atmosphere of the Plains, and he seemed to like what he saw.

“I think it was a great visit,” McAllister said. “They showed a lot of love and hospitality, and I felt welcomed from the moment I arrived. It gave me a great impression of the program and the people around it… I definitely plan on visiting Auburn again.”

The million-dollar (sometimes literally) question remains, though: Where does Auburn stand on McAllister’s recruiting board?

“Auburn is definitely in my top 5 right now,” he said. “The campus is beautiful and the facilities are amazing. What really stood out to me was the overall atmosphere it felt like a place where you can grow both on and off the field. Everything is very well put together, and you can tell they take pride in their program and school.”

Though much stood out to McAllister about Auburn, the campus and facilities were a significant point of interest for the young ball carrier.

“The campus had so many beautiful trees and buildings, which really made it stand out,” he said. “I also loved how advanced the facilities are, especially how technology is integrated into workouts. It shows they’re serious about helping athletes develop to their full potential.”

McAllister also had the opportunity to chat with one of Auburn’s most tenured players on his visit, senior running back Jeremiah Cobb.

“[Cobb] told me to stay focused, keep working, and not take the opportunity for granted,” McAllister said. “He also said it’s a blessing that my recruitment has started early, so I should take full advantage of it.”

For McAllister, nice facilities and friendly seniors are great, but he is looking for a very specific feeling in his future college.

“My ideal fit is a true college town where everything revolves around the campus and football,” he said. “I want to be somewhere that feels like home, with strong relationships between players and coaches. I’m also looking for a program that will develop me not just as an athlete, but as a young man, along with having a strong medical program.”

The Tigers certainly tick many, if not all, of those boxes for an undergraduate, so McAllister could very well end up on the Plains if the Tigers can continue to make a good impression on him. If a highly decorated freshman season of 17 touchdowns and 1,400 yards is any indication, the young back is clearly poised to be a top recruit down the line.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be recruited and to visit a place like Auburn,” he concluded. “I’m going to keep working hard and staying focused as the process continues.”

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!