Auburn Daily

Auburn Tigers Land DL From Penn State on Early Signing Day

Alex Golesh and company are continuing to build Auburn's 2026 recruiting class.
Gunner Norene|
Auburn has climbed nearly 40 spots in the 247Sports' team recruiting rankings in the past three days.
Auburn has climbed nearly 40 spots in the 247Sports' team recruiting rankings in the past three days. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Auburn Tigers are continuing to build their 2026 recruiting class since Alex Golesh was announced as the program’s new head coach on Sunday, and they have received multiple commitments and flips today on Early Signing Day.

Three-star defensive lineman Tavian Branch has committed to Auburn, per Hayes Fawcett on X early Wednesday afternoon. Branch was previously committed to Penn State, but revoked his pledge in mid-November. 

“God lead me to this path!! War Eagle,” Branch said in an X post.

Branch stands as the fifth player to either flip or pledge to the Tigers after being previously committed elsewhere.

Branch marked the third commitment of the day for Golesh and company, as they have also flipped three-star offensive lineman Mykall Lundy-Foster and three-star quarterback Rhys Brush, both of whom were previously committed to USF. Auburn also secured three-star wide receiver DeShawn Spencer, a former Duke commit, and Damarcus Broughton Jr., a former USF pledge on Tuesday.

Branch hails from Taylor, Pa., and ranks as the No. 58 defensive lineman in the class of 2026 and the No. 15 prospect from the state of Pennsylvania, according to 247Sports. Branch took an official visit to the Plains for the Iron Bowl on Nov. 29 after de-committing from Penn State on Nov. 19 in the wake of James Franklin’s firing.

The Tigers now hold the No. 53 2026 class in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings, and they have also climbed to the No. 14-ranked class in the SEC. Auburn started the day in the upper-90s nationally and dead last in the conference, so Golesh and the Tigers are undoubtedly moving in the right direction.

For live information regarding everything Auburn Tigers recruiting, check out our Early Signing Day live tracker, which provides real-time signee updates, roster breakdowns, and more.

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Gunner Norene
GUNNER NORENE

Gunner is a sports journalism production major who has written for the Auburn Plainsman as well as founded his own sports blog of Gunner Sports Report, while still in middle school. He has been a video production assistant for the Kansas City Royals' minor league affiliate Columbia Fireflies. Gunner has experience covering a variety of college sports, including football and basketball.

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