Auburn RB Commit Continues Stellar Senior Season

Auburn had one running back depart from the team on Monday, but their future at the position could be in good hands.

DeSoto Central’s Eric Perry Jr. is Auburn's lone running back commit in the 2026 class. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Amidst a news day dominated by news of an Auburn running back stepping away from the program, it’s good to look to what the Tigers have in store for their running back room in the future.

Eric Perry, a 17-year-old three-star Auburn running back commit, has been simply electric throughout his senior season at DeSoto Central. He’s excelled at both running back and quarterback, often putting up quarterback ratings as high as 141 while still averaging almost three touchdowns a game with his legs.

His latest game, though, was perhaps his most dominant of the season. Perry rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns on just six carries for an average of 33.3 yards per carry, while passing for an additional 88 yards and a touchdown, good for a 122.1 QBR.

Not to mention, Perry only needed one half to accomplish these stats.

Perry’s made a trend of crazy halves, though; just a week ago, against Germantown, a top-10 team in Tennessee, Perry also had four touchdowns in the first half, all with his legs. He averaged over 20 yards per carry in that game, racking up almost 250 rushing yards.

The team handed the Red Devils of Germantown, led by Wisconsin commit and 67th-ranked defensive lineman Djidjou Bah, their only loss of the season in dominating fashion, 44-28.

With these numbers and this level of production against top talent, it’s certainly surprising to see Perry listed at just three stars. It seems like the Tigers may have found themselves a hidden gem in Perry, and fans should be excited for his arrival on the Plains in January.

The tests aren’t done for Perry yet, though; he and DeSoto Central will take on Tupelo High School, the second-ranked team in the state, on Nov. 6. Against top-ranked recruits committed to schools like Florida, he’ll have the chance to continue to prove his worth to scouts and his future home in Auburn.