Auburn Tigers Making Strides for One of the Best Specialist Recruits in the Nation

The Auburn Tigers have had a bit of a difficult go of things as it relates to the kicking game over the last few seasons, as their starter, Alex McPherson, has been sidelined for much of the last two seasons due to a severe case of ulcerative colitis. He is now back to full strength, but the question of what the Tigers will do when his time on the Plains is up still remains, as they never quite found a consistent replacement while he was out.

However, that could change if the Tigers can pick up Brandin Gallaway, who is one of the most sought-after kickers in the country. According to Kohl’s Kicking, a top training camp dedicated specifically to kickers, punters and long snappers, he is rated as the best punter in the 2027 class as well as the third-best kicker, and is rated as a five-star in both.

Gallaway took a visit to Auburn back in March and received an offer from the program on Monday. Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the lefty to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the program.

“What stands out to me about Auburn is the way the coaching staff treats me,” he said. “They make me feel at home… the visit as a whole was an awesome experience, and it was great to see the intensity of practice… I think very high of Auburn.”

Blessed to be ranked the #1 Punter and #3 Kicker in the nation — all glory to God! 🙌🏼🇺🇸

Thankful for the Kohl’s staff and the opportunity to compete at the 2026 Underclassman Challenge alongside so much elite talent.

The work doesn’t stop here — staying locked in and chasing… pic.twitter.com/F4mwMrF76r
— Michael Brandin Gallaway (@BrandinGallaway) January 27, 2026

Gallaway is planning to take an official visit to the Plains soon, but this experience will not be his first, or even his second, time on the Plains.

“I think the stadium is incredible,” he said. “I was at the Iron Bowl game last year and the crowd was buzzing.”

Many recruits visit the Plains and are impressed by the quality or lavishness of the facilities, but Gallaway noticed something else.

“What I like about the facilities is it looks like they really take care of people on the recovery side of things,” he said.

This makes sense for the hefty lefty, as Gallaway’s 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame is likely to need plenty of recovery if he is to kick the 60-plus-yard field goals or boom the deep Aussie-like punts he has become known for in high school.

So, since Auburn’s future at the kicking position is still quite uncertain, Gallaway could be a massive acquisition for the Tigers, though every team in the country could certainly benefit from a kicker as good as he is. Needless to say, it will be a fight between top teams to land such a highly-regarded kicker.

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