Auburn Loses Sole 2027 Offensive Commit to Rival SEC Program

The Auburn Tigers see their tight end commit flip to another program in the conference

Auburn sees an early commit flip to another program in the conference | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was bound to happen, sooner or later: Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers have lost a key commit, as on Thursday, it was announced that three-star tight end Trae Proctor had flipped his commitment from Auburn to Kentucky.

🚨BREAKING🚨 TE Tank Proctor has flipped his commitment from Auburn to Kentucky, @SWiltfong_ reports😼

Read: https://t.co/KZNmT57GlE pic.twitter.com/kjvUnMDIyV

— Rivals (@Rivals) April 16, 2026

Proctor, who is the 37th-best tight end in his class as well as the 55th-best player in his home state of Florida, was the Tigers’ only offensive commit in the 2027 class until today. He also represented one of just two total commitments in that class, a number that has now dropped to just one in four-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore.

Proctor has been on ‘flip watch’ for a few days now, and it seems he has finally pulled the trigger. He represents Kentucky’s ninth commit of their 2027 class.

So, with Auburn now short of any offensive production in their 2027 class, the question arises: What will the future of Auburn’s offense look like? Alex Golesh has built a very transfer-heavy team for 2026, including big offensive names like Byrum Brown, Bryson Washington and Jeremiah Koger, the latter two of which could play another year after 2026.

Golesh has also been busy on the recruiting trail for the future, as he has offered and hosted a litany of top offensive weapons in the 2027 class, though four-star tight end Brock Williams is the highest-rated tight end prospect currently on Auburn’s radar. Williams could take Proctor’s now-vacant Auburn spot, but the Tigers will have to land him first.

Other tight ends on Auburn’s radar include three-star Jordan Karhoff, three-star George Lamons, Jr. and Tucker Saporita, who is currently unranked but may be able to pick up a few stars in the next wave of rankings.

Proctor is certainly a big loss for the Tigers, though there is always the chance he could flip back to the Plains if Golesh and company play their cards right. It certainly does not help, though, that Kentucky was one of the worst teams in the SEC last year, yet still they managed to beat Auburn in the matchup that resulted in the firing of Hugh Freeze.

Both teams are on new trajectories this season, and Proctor evidently believes in Kentucky’s direction more, at least for now. The Tigers are almost sure to continue in their pursuit of the young tight end, and just about anything is possible before he signs with a university.

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