In February of this year, defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett left Auburn to take the same role with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It left a vacancy in Hugh Freeze's coaching staff, one that needed to be filled with the right hire.

Freeze turned to Garrett's assistant, Vontrell King-Williams, to become the Tigers' next defensive tackles coach. Auburn players vouched for King-Williams to be elevated to the role, despite only serving one season previously as a position coach, coaching defensive tackles at Eastern Michigan in 2022.

"The one thing when you’re making that hire, is that I never questioned whether or not he would relate," Freeze said of King-Williams. "I’ve been around him enough, he has a really unique story and I knew it would be relatable."

How would King-Williams fair in SEC, though? Not just on the field, but in recruiting? He answered in a big way, signing one of the most impressive defensive line classes in recent years.

Auburn signed five defensive linemen — Malik Autry, Antonio Coleman, Jourdin Crawford, Darrion Smith and Jared Smith. Four of which come from the state of Alabama and it started at spring practice for King-Williams.

"As these top recruits started coming to practice and seeing the way he works with [the defensive line], the way he interacts with them and then getting to know him," Freeze said. "He was persistent in the recruiting process in convincing people like Malik, Antonio, Jourdin, Darrion and Jared was a combination of him and Josh (Aldridge). That’s a pretty dang good haul for a high school defensive line class."

Not only did King-Williams sign five defensive linemen, but each one brings a different and valuable skillset to the table according to Freeze.

"Really excited about all of them, they’re a little different," Freeze said. "You got the big, big dude in Malik (Autry), the quick twitch guy in Antonio (Coleman) and Jourdin Crawford is one of the strongest defensive lineman I’ve witnessed in a long time. Darrion (Smith) I think is gonna be the best pass rusher, that was a big pickup late. Jared (Smith), I think his ceiling, I think he’s just beginning to see how good he can be."

All five defensive linemen will arrive and enroll in the spring.