Where Auburn Stands After Offering Five-Star Edge Rusher Jayden Bell

Bell is rated as the eighth-best edge rusher in the 2028 recruiting class.

Jayden Bell is rated as the eighth-best edge rusher in the 2028 recruiting class. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Auburn Tigers have been quite busy in recruiting as of late, but now, they have a chance to land a player who could be the headliner for their 2028 class in Jayden Bell. The Tigers offered Bell on Wednesday, joining a list of some of the top programs in the country.

Bell, who is a five-star edge rusher, is currently rated as the eighth-best edge rusher in his class, as well as the second-best in-class player from his home state of Michigan. After he received his offer from the Tigers, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the young edge rusher to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the program.

 “[The offer] was a blessing honestly. My coach told me they offered me. I spoke with Coach Banks briefly. They’ve made it clear they believe in my potential,” he said. “The history, the atmosphere, the fan base, everything around the program stands out. You can tell football means a lot there.”

Blessed and forever grateful! Thank you Auburn University for the offer @AllenTrieu @BrandonHuffman @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @GregBiggins @TomLoy247 @Coach_AMarshall @PrepRedzoneMI @MichFBFrenzy @GregSmithRivals @benjaminwolk @adamgorney @TheD_Zone pic.twitter.com/fZj1zGAFIA

— Jayden “Jbell “ Bell 6’5 DE ‘28 (@jaydenbell08) May 13, 2026

Bell, who is currently rated as the 29th-best player in all of the 2028 class, already holds offers from top programs like Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Indiana and a host of others. However, Auburn’s early impression is already standing out to the young edge rusher.

“They’re definitely up there [on my board],” he said. “Right now I’m keeping an open mind with the process, but Auburn is a school I’m paying close attention to… I definitely want to get down there and experience everything in person. I want to see the facilities, meet more of the staff, and feel the environment around the program.”

Bell has quite a lot to offer whichever program he lands with, even beyond the headlines that come with his five-star designation.  

“I’m a great teammate, I play hard every snap, I’m physical, aggressive, and fast,” he said. “I’m staying focused and humble. Offers are a blessing, but I know I still have a lot of work to do every day. I’m just trying to keep getting better on and off the field.”

Of course, the million-dollar question for Bell is simple: what does an ideal college fit look like? Bell’s response, ironically, is also quite simple.

“A place that feels like home, has strong relationships with the coaching staff, develops players, and pushes me to be better on and off the field,” he said.

Bell could be a top-level acquisition for the Tigers, especially in the wake of their loss of two top edge rushers, Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, to the NFL Draft this past offseason. However, five-star recruits are difficult to come by, so the Tigers will have to fight hard if they want to land Bell.

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