Wednesday was a busy day for Auburn.
The Tigers not only landed a commit in the 2024 class, but also one in the 2025 class. Malik Autry, a defensive end from Opelika, Ala., became the first member of Auburn's 2025 recruiting class when he announced his pledge on Feb. 1.
Opelika head coach Erik Speakman, who's been with the Bulldogs for 23 years, is all too familiar with the type of player Auburn is getting in Autry.
"A kid that's a really hard worker," Speakman said. "You know, even just as a sophomore, he already puts in good work in the weight room and working hard at practice and doing all the little things that it takes to be a really good player."
At just 15 years old, Autry is already 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds. His size not only got Auburn's attention, but also caught the eye of programs like Georgia, LSU and Michigan early on.
"My oldest daughter's a 10th grader and I can remember going to check her out in fourth or fifth grade and walking down the hall, I thought it was somebody's dad in front of me," Speakman said, "Turned around and it was Malik. He was already bigger than most people, even adults, even in fourth or fifth grade."
On the football field, just as a sophomore, Autry was competing at the highest level of Alabama high school football — Class 7A. Autry would rotate in and out on the defensive line, playing about half the snaps in every game.
"If you come in and play a lot of snaps for us and start for us as a sophomore, you're probably gonna end up playing college football, just because of the level of football we have to play here," Speakman said.
When it comes to workouts and practice, Autry is never late, pays attention to his coaches and does a lot on his own.
"He's not a big rah rah guy," Speakman said. "He is just a kid that comes in, does his work. He is not really the motivational leader as far as his actions, as much as it is just how he works. He is not in there running his mouth trying to get guys going. He's just over there getting his work done."
There's still a long way to go before Autry is able to put pen to paper, but Auburn didn't have to go far to find its first member of the class.
"I think it was probably his favorite school growing up," Speakman said. "Being 10 miles away, he's grown up an Auburn guy."
