LUCEDALE, Miss. — Hugh Freeze knew what he was looking for in a quarterback.

He found it in the southern part of Mississippi.

Deuce Knight fit the mold of a big, athletic quarterback that Freeze was searching for in a prospect. It was part of Freeze's pitch to him, that Knight could be that guy for Auburn in the future. Knight bought in and flipped from Notre Dame back in October.

According to Knight's high school head coach James Ray, Auburn is getting a lot more than a big, athletic quarterback.

"(Auburn's) getting a complete package," Ray said. "He can run, he can throw, he’s smart, he can see what’s going on. He’s just a complete guy. Humble, going to work his but off, just everything you need."

Knight's gearing up to lead George County into the playoffs this week, as the quarterback feels like he's grown in his leadership abilities this season. However, on the field, Ray's seen some growth that has to do with Knight's off-the-field preparation.

"Just his ability to read defenses and get that going," Ray said. "Recognize what they’re trying to do versus what they’re showing. I thought that was the biggest progression, worked hard on that in the offseason. Really studied film and really picked that up. That’s gonna be beneficial going forward that he’s already learning that stuff."

The 6-foot-4 quarterback is regarded as one of the top talents in the country, rated No. 32 overall nationally and as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the country. With Freeze running an RPO offense at Auburn, Knight's the perfect fit.

Ray says it's not just the RPO that Knight fits into.

"He can fit into that offense, he can fit into any style offense," Ray said. "If you want him to be a pocket passer, he can do that. If you want to throw him in an RPO, he can do that too."

Knight is set to sign and enroll early.