Auburn Trending for Four-Star Linebacker in 2028 Class

Without a doubt, one of the Auburn Tigers’ strongest position groups over the last few years has been their linebacker core, which, led by standouts like Xavier Atkins and Demarcus Riddick, has become one of the best in the country.

The Tigers are clearly looking to continue their dominance at the linebacker position, as on Tuesday, they offered DeNairo Girton Jr., who is a four-star linebacker who hails from Great Mills, Md. Girton is currently rated as the 12th-best safety in the 2028 class, as well as the fifth-best in-class player from his home state of Maryland.

After Girton received his offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the young linebacker to talk all things Auburn, including where the Tigers could stand on his recruiting board.

“Everything [stands out to me about Auburn], honestly,” he said. “Just a historically great program that produces a lot of talent, and that rivalry with Bama… I don’t really have a board right now, but they would be towards the top.”

Blessed to receive an offer from Auburn University #GoTigers🐅@CoachTimBanks @Hayesfawcett3 @BrianDohn247 @adamgorney @DemetricDWarren @ChadSimmons_ @SMAC_Football @DC_CoachLux @imkevinjr_ @FTRreport #FTR #AGTG pic.twitter.com/BVNuZzjxv9
— DeNairo Girton Jr (@DJ_upnxt) May 13, 2026

Though he does not have a full board quite yet, he said that he ‘definitely’ wants to visit Auburn at some point in the near future. This is quite significant, as Girton is naturally one of the most highly sought-after recruits in his class due to his high rating and exceptional level of play, earning offers from programs like Indiana, Florida and Virginia Tech.

“[I’m] just looking to get better every day and not get complacent or satisfied,” he said. “And enjoy it, not much people get this blessed with the recruiting process the way I have.”

Girton told me he models his game after top NFL talent like Kyle Hamilton, Malachi Starks and Christian Gonzales, which has built a playstyle that has drawn the attention of top teams around the country, DJ Durkin’s unit included.

“I’m versatile in the secondary,” he said. “Put me anywhere and I’ll thrive.”

If the Tigers can land Girton, it could prove to be a massive recruiting win for the future of the program, as top-level linebackers like Atkins and Riddick often do not stay in college for their full four years of eligibility.

Girton could be the first step towards an era of consistent Auburn linebacker dominance, but the Tigers will have to wrestle him away from many top programs first.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google