Auburn Daily

Auburn Tigers Add Commitment from 4-Star, Top 100 Linebacker

Momentum continues to build for the Auburn Tigers Big Cat Weekend, as they've added their second Top 100 recruit of the day.
Harrison Smajovits|
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze said at SEC Media Days that he expected a successful Big Cat Weekend.
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze said at SEC Media Days that he expected a successful Big Cat Weekend. | Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

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The Auburn Tigers recruiting trail is heating up as Big Cat Weekend gets going. Auburn landed their second recruit of the morning with the commitment of 2026 four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle.

"It’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” Toodle said. “I'm staying home. War Eagle."

The Cotton Hill Christian Academy linebacker is the 86th-ranked player of the 2026 class according to 247 Sports as well as the sixth-ranked player at both his position and from Alabama. 

Toodle joined four-star edge Hezekiah Harris in committing to Auburn in the early hours of Big Cat Weekend. 

The stars have aligned for Toodle during his visit. 

"It's just the atmosphere," Toodle told Clemente. "I loved it every time I came up here, I've been up here like four times. My family loves it. Got to talk with Coach Freeze, got to talk with the staff and they just made me feel at home."

Toodle has spent time getting to know the program. Auburn offered him on Jan. 31 and he attended Junior Day a few days later on Feb. 3. 

Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin was a key factor in landing the blue chip recruit.

Auburn now has the second-best recruiting class in the country for 2026 with four commitments as of Saturday morning. Along with the aforementioned Harris, three-star offensive lineman Kail Ellis and three-star wide receiver Denairius Gray round out the early commits. 

Auburn still has a day and half to go for Big Cat Weekend. They have a major opportunity to cover an insane amount of ground by the end of it. 

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Harrison Smajovits
HARRISON SMAJOVITS

Harrison Smajovits is a reporter covering the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Gators. He also covers the Tampa Bay Lightning for The Hockey Writers. He has two degrees from the University of Florida: a bachelor's in Telecommunication and a master's in Sport Management. When he's not writing, Harrison is usually listening to his Beatles records or getting out of the house with friends.

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