First visit 'great experience' for '26 OL

With the dead period over, Toothman traveled to the Plains to get his first look at campus, as well as meet with head coach Hugh Freeze and offensive line coach Jake Thornton.

"It was a great experience," Toothman said. "Loved the hospitality. It really just felt like a family here. I could experience that everybody, you know, fit well together. I just had a good time."

Toothman is set to take his official visit to Auburn May 16-18, but wanted to see the place beforehand.

"I just really wanted to come see it because I've never been here," Toothman said. "I also wanted to get to talk to the coaches more, you know, because I've only met Coach Thornton. So I really wanted to, you know, get around and meet everybody and just get familiar with it."

During the visit, he went on a campus tour, explored the football facilities and sat in on an offensive line meeting led by Thornton.

"He's awesome," Toothman said. "He's a great guy. He's a big family guy. I felt like I fit really well with him. He's just a stand-up guy. He's going to tell you the truth, and that's what I really like about him."

He also met with Freeze for the first time.

"He's a great guy," Toothman said. "He seemed like a guy that fits well with the players, that likes to, you know, keep up with the guys. And, I mean, he just seemed like a great dude."

He'll return to Auburn April 5 for Big Cat Weekend on another unofficial visit. Toothman also plans to see LSU, Arkansas, Baylor, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Florida State this spring. Aside from his official visit to Auburn, he's also got one set up to Mississippi State for June 13-15.

What's he looking forward to about Big Cat Weekend?

"Just getting to experience more of the actual game because they're practicing," Toothman said. "I want to see how Coach Thornton coaches, Coach Kam (Stutts) and just how they develop their players. How they go one-on-one with guys and just to experience the culture here again."