If Powell Gordon doesn’t want to leave home to go to college, he doesn’t have to.

Not after Thursday night.

Gordon, a linebacker from Auburn High School, received an offer from Auburn University.

“Coach (Bryan) Harsin called me and we talked for about 30 minutes,” Gordon said. “He let me know that they are offering.”

It was welcomed news for Gordon.

“It felt great,” Gordon said. “Just getting an offer from the school that you’ve liked your whole life, it’s great. And it was special to be on the phone with Coach Harsin. He’s the new coach and really impressed me with all his knowledge of football and everything.”

The offer comes after Gordon recorded 88 tackles, 32 tackles-for-loss and 14 sacks as a junior. He did so playing mostly defensive end. Auburn, however, is recruiting him to play middle linebacker.

“I think it will be great,” Gordon said of playing middle linebacker in the SEC. “I like commanding the defense, getting everyone in place and having a better vision of the entire field.”

Gordon would play under Auburn’s new linebacker coach, Jeff Schmedding.

“He’s a great coach,” Gordon said. “I’ve talked to and texted with Coach Schmedding. He knows what he’s talking about. He got me more excited about Auburn and possibly playing linebacker at Auburn.”

Gordon now has offers from Auburn, Vanderbilt, UAB, Army, Air Force, Troy, Southern Miss, Tulane and Western Kentucky. He doesn’t have any favorites, but said Auburn would be high on his list.

“Auburn always has been a team I liked,” Gordon said. “And now you have the new coaching staff and they are all great coaches. Auburn is very high for me. They are up there.”

Gordon, who is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, is unsure when he will make a decision.

“I’m not sure, yet,” Gordon said. “I don’t think I will wait too long, but I really don’t know.”