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Auburn recruiting class closes talent gap at Alabama and Georgia

Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class helped the Tigers close the talent gap with Alabama and Georgia, with three areas standing out. As said head coach Hugh Freeze“Good day to us.”

In fact it was. Auburn’s recruiting class offered plenty of superlatives. Here are the three who contributed the most to achieving the ultimate goal of closing the talent gap against the Tigers’ two biggest rivals, the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs.

1) Auburn’s defensive line was tremendous.

For far too long, Auburn’s pass rush has been mediocre. The 2024 tiger sacked opposing quarterbacks 28 times, good for 45th nationally. Anyone who watched Alabama’s Jalen Milroe outmaneuver defensive linemen at Auburn and the rest of the SEC has no doubt that the Tigers needed more talented athletes to chase quarterbacks.

That’s why it’s important that the Tigers signed Jared Smiththe No. 30 rivals in the standings. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Smith was a unique defensive player for Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson. He has shown the talent to contribute early on on the Plains.

The Tigers also added four defensive tackle recruits. Bama and UGA often dominate in the trenches because they have the best starting defensive tackles and the depth to overwhelm opponents; Auburn’s overall defensive line output was similar to any previous defensive line class signed by the Tide or Dawgs.

At this point, Malik Autry, Darrion Smith, Antonio Coleman and Jourdin Crawford had multiple SEC offers and were among the best defensive linemen in the country. For example, 247 Autry ranked 31st nationally.

2) Auburn signed several recruits with versatile skills that can impact games.

First, Auburn’s versatile recruits have already gained valuable experience playing multiple roles. This will help them wherever the Tigers play. Here is an example of why.

A player like Derick Smith could have played multiple spots for the Tigers. He’s ranked No. 46 on ESPN’s national list and plans to play receiver. Smith could have just as easily chosen safety, cornerback or running back.

As a big hitter, one could argue that he showed even more attributes as a safety. The bottom line is that he learned to play on both sides of the ball, which benefited his overall football development. Some of Auburn’s talented players are very versatile.

Safety recruits Eric Winters and Anquon Fegans both played different roles during their high school careers. In fact, Winters played quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback, nickel and safety. Fegans excelled at safety and cornerback.

Jakaleb Faulk was a threat as a tight end while also being his team’s best defender at linebacker. Faulk’s long arms and quick feet allowed him to chase running backs and receivers who were much smaller than him. That speed was also a big reason for his success at tight end.

Another linebacker who could impact games in different ways would be Bryce Deas. Deas is often used as a blitzer and has played as a safety, linebacker and even as a defensive end.

Overall, Auburn’s class was one of the most diverse in recent memory. This bodes well for future matchups with Bama and UGA.

3) Deuce Knight has shown that he has the talent to change the game.

Auburn signed a truly dynamic quarterback who has the physical ability to take over a football game. As an example of Deuce Knight’s talent, he won the Mississippi State Championships in the high jump and long jump. His football talent was obvious to anyone who watched him play.

He was definitely a great passer. In particular, Knight showed a propensity to be an excellent signal-caller on run-pass options, which fits Auburn’s offense. When no one is open, the lanky quarterback often uses his legs to make critical plays. Ultimately, all of the Knights’ abilities will help the Tigers defeat their two biggest rivals.

Overall, Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class added several talented players to close the talent gap with Alabama and Georgia. Auburn fans should be thrilled with the completion of the course.

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