2027 Linebacker Includes Auburn in Top 5, Will Visit

Auburn is fighting four other SEC schools for a three-star linebacker in the 2027 class.

Auburn is fighting four other SEC schools for a three-star linebacker in the 2027 class. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

It has been a busy recruiting cycle for the Auburn Tigers, especially as it pertains to the 2027 class. The Tigers, led by new head coach Alex Golesh, have already locked in top talent like Donivan Moore, but another defensive piece is on their radar: Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding three-star linebacker Joakim Gouda.

On Monday, Gouda locked in his official top five schools, while also announcing that he will take official visits to each of his top five. Auburn cracked his list, as well as Florida, Georgia, Texas and Alabama. He is scheduled for an official visit to Auburn on June 19.

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NEWS: Class of 2027 LB Joakim Gouda is down to 5 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’2 225 LB from Douglasville, GA will take OVs to each of his finalists

Where Should He Go?https://t.co/PDlQHKzMi1 pic.twitter.com/AYEuAcIZrN

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 16, 2026

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound three-star linebacker has clearly set his sights on the SEC for his collegiate career, though he may have to sit behind some other talent in his first few years since he is rated as the 61st-best linebacker in the 2027 class as well as the 738th overall recruit in the class.

If Gouda does decide to land at Auburn, he will have no shortage of top talent to learn from and develop under, as the Tigers already boast one of the most talented linebacker rooms in the country. Led by Xavier Atkins, who led the SEC in a variety of defensive stats in 2025, DJ Durkin’s defense also boasts former SEC All-Freshman Demarcus Riddick, as well as Bryce Deas and Elijah Melendez.

Gouda is not the only linebacker on the Tigers’ radar for 2027, either; on Saturday, one of the top-rated athletes in the country, Braden Gordon, announced that Auburn had also cracked his top five. Gordon is mostly viewed as a linebacker, but he has shown promise elsewhere on the defensive front.

As it stands, the Tigers have just two recruits in their 2027 class, including the aforementioned Moore as well as three-star tight end Trae Proctor. With that said, Alex Golesh’s team hosted the university’s annual Junior Day just a few weeks back, and several top 2027 recruits were clearly impressed by the efforts of Golesh and his staff.

DJ Durkin has consistently put together impressive defenses throughout his time at Auburn, and he seems to have no intention of slowing down, as his 2026 roster is stacked with talent while he works to bolster his 2027 roster. 

Gouda could be the next key defensive piece for the Tigers, but they will have to land him first.