Auburn's kept a close eye on the No. 1 defensive end in the 2025 class.

Zion Grady, out of Troy, Ala., has been one of the Tigers' top targets in the class for a while now. Auburn hopes to take a significant step forward Saturday, when the Tigers host Grady on an unofficial visit.

"They talk to me a lot," Grady said. "They’ve been hitting me up lately because I’m going down there [Saturday]."

It will be his first Auburn game of the season, but certainly not his first Auburn game overall.

Grady was in town for several games last year, and tomorrow, is most excited to see the Tigers play in person under a new staff. It also helps his recruitment, as the new staff has made a difference already in just their communication with Grady.

"They’re just more engaged than the old staff," Grady said. "The old staff barely talked."

The four-star's main point of contact at Auburn is secondary coach Zac Etheridge, an alum of Grady's high school — Charles Henderson. The Trojans were on the road Friday night, facing a St. James team lead by Arkansas quarterback commit KJ Jackson.

Charles Henderson held Jackson at bay and won the contest 36-13, behind a strong defensive performance by the visiting team.

"First half of the defense we did good," Grady said. "We started off slow, that was our speech coming out from halftime, just come back out harder than we started."

With his Week 6 game wrapped up, he'll turn his attention Saturday to his recruitment, as he takes in the rivalry game between Georgia and Auburn — two teams both heavily involved in pursuit.

Other teams in his top 10 released in July include Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Louisville, Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and USC. Right now, Auburn's in good standing heading to the weekend.

"They’re very high," Grady said on where Auburn stands. "Just the way the new coaching staff is, they’re really getting after these players."