Auburn Recruiting Class Closes Talent Gap on Alabama and Georgia

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class helped the Tigers close the talent gap on Alabama and Georgia with three areas standing out. As head coach Hugh Freeze said, “Good day for us.”

Indeed it was. Auburn’s recruiting class showcased many superlatives. Here were the three that best helped the ultimate goal of closing the talent gap on the Tigers’ two biggest rivals, the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.

1) Auburn’s defensive line haul was tremendous.

For far too long, Auburn’s pass rush has been so-so. The 2024 Tigers sacked opposing quarterbacks 28 times, good for 45th nationally. Anyone having watched the likes of Alabama’s Jalen Milroe out-maneuver defensive linemen at Auburn and the rest of the SEC, there’s no doubt the Tigers needed more skilled athletes to chase quarterbacks.

That’s why it’s vital that the Tigers signed Jared Smith, Rivals’ No. 30 overall recruit. At 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, Smith was a unique defensive end for Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson. He’s shown the talent to make an early contribution on the Plains.

The Tigers also landed four defensive tackle recruits. Bama and UGA often dominate in the trenches because they have the best starting defensive tackles and the depth to overwhelm opponents; Auburn’s overall defensive line haul resembled any of the prior defensive line classes signed by the Tide or Dawgs.

To that point, Malik Autry, Darrion Smith, Antonio Coleman, and Jourdin Crawford had several SEC offers and were rated among the nation’s best defensive linemen. For instance, 247 ranked Autry 31st nationally.

2) Auburn signed several versatile skill position recruits capable of impacting games.

First, Auburn’s versatile recruits already gained valuable experience by playing multiple roles. That will aid them wherever the Tigers play. Here’s an example of why.

A player like Derick Smith could have played several spots for the Tigers. Placed at No. 46 on ESPN’s national list, he plans to play receiver. Smith could have just as easily decided on safety, cornerback, or running back.

A big hitter, one could argue that he displayed even more traits as a safety. Bottom line, he learned how to play on both sides of the ball and that fact aided his overall football development. Several of Auburn’s skill players are quite versatile.

Safety recruits Eric Winters and Anquon Fegans both starred at multiple positions during their high school careers. In fact, Winters played quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback, nickel, and safety. Fegans excelled at safety and cornerback.

Jakaleb Faulk was a menace as a tight end while also being his team’s best defender as a linebacker. Faulk’s long arms and quick feet allowed him to chase down running backs and receivers much smaller than himself. That speed was also a big reason for his success at tight end.

Another linebacker who’s been capable of impacting games in different ways would be Bryce Deas. Often used as a blitzer, Deas has seen action at safety, linebacker, and even at defensive end.

Overall, Auburn’s class was one of the most versatile in recent memory. That bodes well for future matchups with Bama and UGA.

3) Deuce Knight has shown the talent to be a game-changer.

Auburn signed a truly dynamic quarterback with the physical tools to take over a football game. As an example of Deuce Knight’s talent, he won Mississippi state championships in the high jump and long jump. His football acumen was obvious to anyone who watched him play.

He’s definitely been a big-time passer. In particular, Knight showed the propensity to be an excellent run-pass option signal-caller, something that fits with Auburn’s offense. If there’s nobody open, the lanky quarterback often used his legs to make critical plays. Eventually, all of Knights’ skills will help the Tigers battle their two biggest rivals.

Overall, Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class added several talented players to help close the talent gap with Alabama and Georgia. Auburn fans should be ecstatic with how the class finished.