Hugh Freeze didn't have to go far to see one of his top offensive line targets in the 2026 class.

Two weeks ago, Freeze went to Columbus, Ga., to see Parker Pritchett.

It meant a lot to Pritchett for Freeze to come see him, and he was on Auburn's campus 48 hours later for the Tigers' Junior Day.

"Just Coach (Hugh) Freeze, he came down to the school, he told me I was a priority to them, and yeah, that's pretty much why I came down," Pritchett said following the visit.

Pritchett, 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, just won a state title this fall with Carver High School. He had a busy month of January, with SEC coaches stopping by the school and the four-star hitting the road for some visits.

When Pritchett stopped by Auburn Jan. 25, there were a couple of things that stuck out to him.

"Just the tour and then seeing this game, the game was close and it was hype, it was a good experience," Pritchett said.

The game was a top-10 matchup in college basketball, as Pritchett ended the day in Neville Arena with plenty of other top recruits to watch the top-ranked Tigers take on Tennessee. How would he assess the day overall?

"Oh, it was great," he said. "I enjoyed it. It was great, smiles everywhere, I just enjoyed being here."

Auburn continues to make Pritchett feel like a top priority, especially with Freeze visiting him in the days prior to the visit. The two have been in touch consistently and are building a strong relationship.

"We talked and it's just been great," Pritchett said of Freeze. "We've been in contact for a long time now, so yeah, it's been great."

He'll likely return to campus in the spring, but also has an official visit set for May 30 through June 1 with the Tigers. Pritchett plans to take his official visits and then come to a decision sometime in June.

Where does Auburn fall in the picture right now?

"They are a top school," Pritchett said.