Why Auburn Stands Out to Top 15 Safety in 2027 Class

Auburn has not made many moves in the 2027 recruiting class but has made a great push for one of the nation's best defensive backs.

Auburn Tigers are in the running for one of the best safeties in the 2027 recruiting class. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Auburn Tigers' 2027 recruiting class, admittedly, leaves a lot to be desired. Sure, the Tigers have landed two of the best prospects in the class, but that is all they have done with the class. However, the Tigers now have a chance to add a third top-ranked player in Adryan Cole.

Cole is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety in the class of 2027 who hails from Douglas County in Atlanta, Ga. He is currently rated as a four-star prospect and is the 15th-best safety in the class as well as the 19th-best player in the state of Georgia.

The young safety visited Auburn on Friday, and Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with him after his visit to discuss all things Auburn, including his interest in the program.

“I really enjoyed my visit overall. Everything was well put together, and it gave me a great feel for the program and the culture,” he said. “What stood out to me most was the atmosphere and how genuine everyone was. It felt like a real family environment, not just football.”

At Auburn today!!!@ChadSimmons_ @CoachTimBanks @AuburnMade @CoachDesMorgan pic.twitter.com/jshVjTrHVn

— Adryan Cole (@adryan_cole) April 17, 2026

Alex Golesh has been adamant that his new program is about development and culture, which seemed to be the case in Cole’s experience. However, how do the Tigers fare on a recruiting board that already includes top programs like Florida, Alabama and Ole Miss?

“Auburn is definitely one of my top schools right now,” he said. “I’d definitely be open to coming back again… My ideal fit is a place that feels like family, pushes me to be better on and off the field, and develops me for the next level.”

For Cole, it was not just the practice facilities that stood out, but also Jordan-Hare Stadium, which he also got to explore on his visit.

“I liked how nice and well-kept everything was. The facilities are top-tier, and you can tell they invest in their players,” he said. “Jordan-Hare Stadium was amazing. You can tell it gets loud and the energy on game day must be crazy.”

Cole could fit right into a Tiger class that seems to be aiming for quality over quantity, at least to this point, and he told us that he is planning to keep working and building relationships with schools.

“I’m just focused on getting better every day and finding the right place for me,” he said. “Auburn is a school I’m really interested in and I’m excited to keep building that relationship.”

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