National Signing Day Team Spotlight: No. 8 Auburn
National Signing Day has come and gone and while the 2025 class is not finished since there is a late signing period in February as well, most of the action happened this week.
Rivals is breaking down each Top 25 recruiting class and we continue here with No. 8 Auburn.
MORE TIGERS: Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class
MORE TEAM SPOTLIGHTS: No. 1 Oregon | No. 2 Texas | No. 3 Georgia | No. 4 Ohio State | No. 5 Alabama | No. 6 LSU | No. 7 Michigan
WHAT WENT RIGHT …
Priority No. 1 for Auburn down the stretch of the cycle was to hold onto No. 2 dual-threat quarterback Deuce Knight despite Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss working hard to flip him – and it worked despite two late trips to Oxford. It was as big of a retention win as any program had on National Signing Day, though keeping elite pass rusher Jared Smith away from Ole Miss and South Carolina may eventually prove to be just as big. The program also out-recruited rival Alabama within state lines, something that hasn’t happened very often in the modern recruiting era.
WHAT WENT WRONG …
While Auburn mostly maintained its top commits down the stretch, save for five-star defensive end Nathanial Marshall‘s surprise flip back to Michigan, it did not make the National Signing Day splash many had expected.
The Tigers were all the talk for the state’s top athlete in Na’eem Offord, looking like very much the most likely program to flip him away from his longtime commitment to Ohio State, but it was Oregon that ended up with his signature on Wednesday. Auburn was also the victim in the first blue-chip flip on signing day itself, when lengthy cornerback Shamar Arnoux kicked off the December momentum for Florida State‘s great finish with a flip. The Tigers also looked like the most likely flip destination for in-state pass rusher Zion Grady (Ohio State) and Peach State running back Ousmane Kromah (Georgia), but neither signed with Auburn on Wednesday.
PARTING PREDICTION
Last year’s Auburn class was known for offensive talent, especially at wide receiver, but the defensive haul brought in by the staff this year will be just as impactful. Few inside linebackers are built and ready to splash in SEC country like Elijah Melendez and the inside-out combination of the massive Malik Autry and explosive Jared Smith on the defensive front should lead to immediate returns for the Tigers.
On the back end, no nickel or safety type may have the floor Anquon Fegans does while the ceiling for hybrid safety Eric Winters could eventually make him the steal of the class. Blake Woodby may be the fastest cover corner on the roster next year, so it wouldn’t surprise to see him earn a role as an underclassman either.
