Auburn Daily

4-Star LB Commit Flips to Rival

The Auburn Tigers now have no commits at linebacker since Shadarius Toodle and JaMichael Garrett each departed from the class.

Cam Parker

The Auburn Tigers have struggled adding to its 2026 recruiting class during the summer.
The Auburn Tigers have struggled adding to its 2026 recruiting class during the summer. / Will McLelland-Imagn Images
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The Auburn Tigers have now lost two four-star linebacker commits in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Hill Christian Academy's Shadarius Toodle on Sunday flipped his pledge from Auburn to rival Georgia, On3's Hayes Fawcett announced. Toodle joins JaMichael Garrett as the Tigers' two linebacker decommits of the summer.

Toodle (6-3, 235 pounds), the No. 5 linebacker in Rivals' 2026 recruit rankings, had been committed to Auburn for nearly a year. Despite his pledge, a flip to Georgia became a realistic possibility after he publicly switched back and forth between the Tigers and Bulldogs when naming his leader.

After Georgia hosted him the weekend of May 16, Toodle named the Bulldogs as his top school.

“It was a great visit for me and my family,” Toodle told On3 affiliate DawgsHQ after the visit. “I got to talk to coach, coach Schumann and coach about how they feel like I fit in their defense. They say they think that I’m a player like Jalon Walker. I can play on the outside and the inside and show off my versatility and for me to have the best chance to make it to the NFL.”

However, a return visit to Auburn nearly a month later put the Tigers back on top.

"They don't compare to Auburn. Auburn was top tier the whole visit," Toodle said, according to 247 Sports' Christian Clemente. "Auburn's definitely back in the top spot, yessir. Just the relationships I have with Auburn, all the staff. They definitely rolled out the red carpet to try and keep me."

Toodle's flip to Georgia leaves the Tigers with just six commits in the 2026 cycle, none of which are at the linebacker spot. Auburn has added only one prospect to the class this summer in three-star running back Eric Perry, leaving them with the No. 60 class in 247 Sports' class rankings.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a contributing writer at AllGators.com of FanNation-Sports Illustrated and is a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester.

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