Auburn WR Signee Breaks Ryan Williams' School Record

Auburn's biggest weakness in its 2026 recruiting class is arguably at receiver, but one signee could prove to be a diamond in the rough after a record-breaking senior campaign.

Auburn signee DeShawn Spencer had a record-breaking senior campaign. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers currently have the No. 41-ranked recruiting class of 2026, according to 247 Sports. A big weakness of the class has been the receiver position, especially after five-star Jase Matthews flipped to Ole Miss last Friday. However, Auburn might have a hidden gem in Saraland, Alabama, product DeShawn Spencer.

Spencer ranks as the No. 101 receiver and No. 28 player in Alabama according to 247Sports, and the No. 112 receiver and No. 25 player in Alabama according to Rivals. This season, Spencer broke Alabama Crimson Tide receiver and former 5-Star prospect Ryan Williams’ Saraland single-season receiving record of 1,641 yards with a 1,709-yard performance. 

Williams set the record in 2022, hauling in 88 catches in 15 games. William also added 24 touchdowns to his line. By contrast, Spencer’s breakout season came as a senior, the year after he first broke the 1000-yard mark as a junior, hauling in 13 touchdowns. 

New Auburn signee, Saraland wide receiver DeShawn Spencer’s 1,709 receiving yards this year broke the school’s single season record previously held by Bama wr Ryan Williams’ 1,641 yards receiving pic.twitter.com/F6S5Bgbjvw

— Power of Dixieland (@PwrofDixieland) December 9, 2025

Spencer caught 94 passes this season to reach the record-setting 1,709-yard mark, adding 21 touchdowns. However, he did it in just 14 games, one less game than Williams. This was also just Spencer’s second season as a primary receiver, as he primarily played running back before making the switch to the slot full-time for his junior season.

Auburn would welcome some quick development from the incoming freshman because the Tigers’ receiver room has taken a recent hit. Sophomore Perry Thompson announced on Friday that he would be entering the transfer portal, and former Wake Forest transfer Horatio Fields followed suit on Monday. 

Add those two losses to the flip of Matthews on Friday, combined with the uncertain future of superstar Cam Coleman, and the Auburn receiver room is beginning to look much thinner than entering the season. With Eric Singleton Jr. eligible for the draft, should both he and Coleman leave, the primary receivers left at Auburn would be Malcolm Simmons, Bryce Cain, Sam Turner, and Duke Smith. 

Though that collection of players certainly has talent, it’s a far cry from a lineup of Coleman, Singleton, Simmons, and Thompson. However, if the Tigers can count on a spark from an incoming freshman in what looks like a weak class on the surface, that could be huge for the 2026 Auburn offense. 

However, Coleman has not yet indicated a desire to transfer, and Singleton Jr. has a fringe day two grade from most outlets, so both star wideouts could easily be back next season. If so, Spencer would be able to redshirt and develop behind them, as Duke Smith and Sam Turner did this season.