Early 2025 Hot Board: Defense
This time next year, Auburn will have its 2025 class signed and ready to get to work.
What could that class look like? Well, the Tigers currently have eight commits and rank No. 7 in the country with plenty of high-priority targets still out there. With the momentum that Auburn's gaining, It seems inevitable that several will jump on board — it's just a matter of who.
There's still plenty of time until early signing day, which is seemingly becoming the time for most recruits to sign, but let's gander at some of the top targets and Auburn's chances with them.
We've already covered an early hot board for offense, now it's time to look at the defense.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Needs: 5-6
Commits (4): Malik Autry, Jourdin Crawford, Kalen Edwards, Antonio Coleman
Targets (3): Zion Grady (65%), Jared Smith (45%), CJ May (40%), Andrew Maddox (20%) Reginald Vaughn (20%)
The Skinny: Auburn got to work early in the 2025 class on several defensive linemen, holding commits from four prospects. Even after Jeremy Garrett left for the Jacksonville Jaguars, all four remain committed.
Still, there are several guys that the Tigers are hoping jump on board. Zion Grady is a massive defensive end target that Auburn's been after for some time, and the door is now as open as ever since he backed off his Alabama pledge.
Grady visited Auburn in January and plans to return in the spring. Alabama, Georgia and Florida State are also going after No. 40 player in the country.
Auburn is working to build a pipeline with Thompson High School.
It signed Kaleb Harris in the 2024 class and Jared Smith is one of a couple 2025 guys that Auburn is targeting out of the 7A powerhouse. The Tigers hosted him several times last fall, as they work to keep him in-state. However, Alabama is working to do the same.
This will likely be a battle between several SEC schools, but it seems like it could come down to either Alabama or Auburn in the long run.
Earlier this month, CJ May backed off his Notre Dame commitment.
He's someone that's familiar with what Auburn is hoping to build, as he's cousins with Keldric and Jakaleb Faulk. Keldric plays defensive end for the Tigers, while Jakaleb is one of their 2025 commits.
May was on campus in January with several other Auburn targets and commits, but Jakaleb wasn't one of them. It seems inevitable that May will return to campus at some point, so we'll see how this one plays out.
Losing Garrett means that Auburn lost one of its Mississippi connections.
With one of those top targets Andrew Maddox, the No. 2 player in Mississippi, we'll see how Auburn does down the line in this one. Vontrell King-Williams, who replaced Garrett, had been heavily involved in recruiting already as an analyst, so the Tigers won't have to rebuild that relationship entirely.
Maddox was on campus as recent as January, so that's a good sign for the Tigers.
Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Florida are other schools also showing major interest.
When Reginald Vaughn visited Auburn last summer for a camp, he left with an Auburn offer.
He's since had plenty of interest from programs like LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State. However, Vaughn should be familiar with the new defensive tackles coach at Auburn.
King-Williams spent the most time with Vaughn when he last visited for a game in the fall. We'll see how this one progresses into the spring.
LINEBACKER
Needs: 3-4
Commits (1): Jakaleb Faulk
Targets: Eric Winters (80%), Christian Gass (60%), Jadon Perlotte (35%), Riley Pettijohn (20%), Zayden Walker (10%), CJ Nickson (5%)
The Skinny: Auburn did well in its haul of linebackers for the 2024 class, and with one already committed, its in a good spot for the next class, too.
One major target is Eric Winters, who expects to have a decision in the spring. It seems that Auburn is battling Georgia for the four-star linebacker, but given that he's an in-state prospect from Enterprise, I believe the Tigers to have an upper hand at the moment.
One of the newer offers that Auburn worked diligently to get on campus, Christian Gass was on campus right before the dead period hit.
It was an important visit for Gass, who had previously never been to Auburn. He had meaningful meetings with Josh Aldridge and DJ Durkin, conversations that helped secure Auburn as a program he wants to see more of in the future.
With several offers continuing to roll in, this one may have a while before a decision is made.
Georgia commit Jadon Perlotte was the final visitor Auburn hosted before the dead period hit — a brief visit that lasted several hours.
His meetings with Durkin went exceptionally well, as Durkin's history with coaching linebackers is an intriguing thing to him. He's still locked in with Georgia, but is open to exploring the process.
Auburn seems in prime position to continue hosting him on visits, as does Alabama and Ohio State.
Rated as the No. 1 linebacker in the country, Riley Pettijohn visited Auburn for the first time right before the dead period.
There's a chance he returns for a game day visit in the fall, but a pair of Lone Star schools are making heavy pushes for him. Texas and Texas A&M are considered to be serious threats for Pettijohn, who also has interest in Florida State and USC.
Zayden Walker is considered one of the best defensive prospects in the nation, so it's hard to leave him off the hot board.
However, there's work to do for Auburn, as it seems that Georgia and South Carolina are the most favorable destinations for the potential five-star. Even as the younger brother of current Auburn defensive lineman Zykeivous Walker, the interest in the Tigers appears minimal at this point.
Oklahoma native CJ Nickson made the trip to Auburn for the Iron Bowl in the fall.
It's gonna be a tough pull away from his home state, as the Sooners have put on a full press for Nickson in two sports. He holds an offer from Oklahoma in both football and basketball and the thought is that Oklahoma is pulling away from the rest of the field.
Chances are slim for Auburn at this moment.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Needs: 3-4
Commits: 0
Targets: Anquon Fegans (80%), Devin Williams (75%), Chris Ewald Jr. (55%), Na'eem Offord (25%), Jarcorby Hopson (20%), Hylton Stubbs (15%), Timothy Merritt (TBD)
The Skinny: Auburn has several young defensive backs on its roster, but there are quite a few guys in the 2025 class that the Tigers would love to add.
We'll start with Anquon Fegans, the talented safety out of Thompson High School that Auburn's been working extremely hard on. Things sound like they're going well, as Fegans keeps coming back to campus and will be one to watch in the spring.
Another defensive back that Auburn will seemingly see visit in the spring is Devin Williams out of Buford. He made two trips to the Plains in as many weeks shortly before the dead period, as things with Auburn continue to heat up.
His relationship with Wesley "Crime" McGriff is at the center of his Auburn interest, as the communication between the two continues to strengthen. There are several schools going after the Rivals 250 cornerback, but Auburn's cemented itself as a finalist.
Chris Ewald Jr. backed off his Michigan pledge in January and Auburn was one of the first programs he visited.
Auburn's been after Ewald for a while, even during his Michigan commitment. It could end up paying off for the Tigers, although they're not alone in the pursuit of the No. 24 player in the country. Miami and Florida State appear to also be high in the mix.
It wasn't all that shocking that Ohio State got a commitment from Na'eem Offord earlier this month.
The Buckeyes had been recruiting him heavy and it wasn't long after his last visit that pledged to Ohio State. Still, I'm not counting Auburn out entirely on this one. This staff has proved that it can pull off the big flips and Offord isn't someone they'll just give up on.
Auburn's hosted Jarcorby Hopson several times, but nothing incredibly recent.
However, the relationship with Hugh Freeze is strong enough for Auburn to be included in his top eight that also feature Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Texas and Miami. Even with Freeze's Mississippi connection, this one could be tough to pull Hopson out of his home state.
I'll give the advantage to Ole Miss or Mississippi State at the moment.
Charles Kelly made the trip to Jacksonville several weeks ago to see Hylton Stubbs.
However, it sounds like Auburn may be on the outside looking in for this one. Stubbs told Rivals.com that he'd like to have a decision before his senior season, so official visits will be crucial.
Auburn wasn't directly mentioned in that conversation, unlike Georgia, Florida, Florida State, USC, Alabama and Penn State, but it doesn't mean the Tigers can't work their way into it. We'll see if Auburn can make up ground.
With defensive line commit Jourdin Crawford visiting right before the dead period, Tim Merritt decided to tag along. It was worth the trip for Merritt, who just released his top 12.
Auburn is right there, along with Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, Arkansas, Clemson, LSU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and UCF. Merritt is looking to narrow things down even more and have a decision before his senior season.
If Merritt takes a spring visit to Auburn — and it seems likely — we'll gain a better understanding about where the Tigers fit in the picture.