Auburn Enters Race for Prospect with Growing D1 Interest

Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers have been hard on the recruiting trail over the past few weeks, and last weekend, they seemed to focus quite heavily on the 2029 class. The Tigers have offered a few 2029 prospects, despite the fact that they just finished their freshman years of high school, in hopes of bolstering the recruiting future of the program.

One such prospect, DJ Butler, received an offer from Auburn last week, marking his 12th Division One offer of his young career. Butler is considered to be one of the best linebackers in the 2029 class, so the Tigers’ early entrance to the race for Butler may bode well for Auburn’s chances with the young prospect.

After he received his offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with Butler to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the Tigers.

“When I received my offer from Auburn, I was in the weight room lifting,” he said. “Coach Hoodie called me over to have a conversation with him, and we talked about Auburn… He said Coach Durkin liked how my film showed I was a leader on the defense just being a freshman, which was impressive. That’s when he extended the offer.”

After a great conversation with @CoachHoodie I’m blessed to receive my 10th D1 offer and 2nd SEC offer! pic.twitter.com/6TPmzTfdTY
— DJ Butler (@DakotaButlerJr) April 29, 2026

Butler was named an Under Armour 8th Grade All-American just over a year ago, and he and his production have not slowed down since. But, where do the Tigers stand on his list?

“Since it is so early in my recruitment, I don’t really have a top list yet,” he said. “I’m still getting to know all the schools, but Auburn is definitely one I’m interested in… I haven’t scheduled a day to visit as of yet, but I definitely plan to visit this year. A game day visit would be great to see the atmosphere in person!”

As mentioned before, Butler had the opportunity to chat with both Tyler Hudniak, the Tigers’ linebacker coach, and DJ Durkin, the Tigers’ current defensive coordinator, and Butler’s impression of the two went far beyond just what they said when they offered him.

“Coach Durkin stopped by to see me in person,” he said. “Coach Durkin is very interested in me, and he really liked my film. I noticed that they are very proactive in taking time to get to know what type of players they are recruiting.”

As for Butler himself, he believes that he has quite a bit to offer any program that is interested in him, which quite a few are. Butler currently holds offers from top programs like Virginia Tech, led by James Franklin, Penn State, South Carolina and Colorado, despite still having three full years of high school left.

“One thing about my game that most Coaches notice is that I’m a leader,” he said. “I’m also a very versatile linebacker. I can stop the run, and I'm good in pass coverage. A every down kind of linebacker… The next 3 years, I plan to be hungrier every day, always finding ways to improve my game. I don’t plan on getting comfortable. Each time I get an offer, I remind myself I have to work harder.”

For now, Butler will continue on the grind he has set before himself as he builds a recruitment that could be one of the nation’s leaders in just a few short years.

“I’m thankful for Auburn and every school that believes in me,” he said. “I’m just going to keep working, keep God first, and enjoy the process.”

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