In order to win at the highest level, Hugh Freeze knows he has to recruit at the highest level.

It starts by stacking top classes out of high school.

The head coach wants to build his program's foundation off of high school players, utilizing the transfer portal as a stop-gap to fill any major needs. Several true freshmen have shown flashes of what the future could look like, as Freeze continues to ask for patience.

"My ask is to stick with us through the growing pains and support our guys and efforts and our recruiting efforts, because the results are going to come," Freeze said. "We’re not that far off."

Auburn is 8-10 in the first 18 games under Freeze, but his recruiting classes have continued to improve from year to year. The 2023 class ranked 15th, the 2024 class ranked eighth and the 2025 class is currently ranked fourth.

"Building does take time," Freeze said. "I think you all are aware of what we inherited. [John Cohen] has done a marvelous job of explaining that. He did to me before I took the job, with the previous recruiting classes not being what you need to compete at a high level."

Five games into year two and Auburn sits at 2-3, heading into a road contest with top-five team and bitter rival Georgia. Auburn's played plenty of youth in those five games, which is part of what Freeze has been telling prospects that visit.

"The record doesn't reflect it," Freeze said. "Even when playing 12 freshmen and a combination of the 49 guys that played Saturday, there were 24, if you count our kicker, 24 freshmen and sophomores that played the majority of the snaps. And I use that for my recruiting pitch. We'll play you early. So let's finish this ‘25 class up and give us some more depth that we need to compete in this great conference."

Right now, the 2025 class sits with 24 members and ranks No. 4 in the country, only behind Ohio State, Alabama and LSU. If signing day were today, the No. 4 class would tie the highest-rated signing class in Auburn history.

"Hope the ‘25 recruiting class sees that and knows they have a chance to come in and immediately impact this program, just like the ‘24 class is currently doing," Freeze said.

The vision is there for Freeze and his staff. Now it's just about executing that vision.

"Our process, when complete, is going to make everyone very, very proud to wear the orange and blue," Freeze said. "It's making ground, the process is. I see it."