Auburn And Alabama Quarterback Recruiting Is Intriguing

The Tigers and the Crimson Tide are in battles for top quarterback recruits

Aubie The Tiger / Brian Smith-Auburn Daily

For Auburn and Alabama, their 2025 recruiting classes have one common denominator that needs to be rectified.

Neither the Tigers nor the Crimson Tide have a 2025 quarterback commitment. Here's the latest intel on each school's quarterback recruiting efforts.

Auburn is making a hard charge at Rivals' No. 1 overall recruit and quarterback Julian "Ju Ju" Lewis from Carrollton (Ga.) High School. While a long-time Southern California commitment, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, and Colorado would be schools that did not give up on signing Lewis. That list is dwindling.

Talking to several sources, here a few pieces of information to share. Alabama does not appear to be a true contender any longer. More on the Tide further below. Georgia is now happy with its quarterback room with the additions of Arizona State transfer quarterback Jaden Rashada and 2025 signal-caller Ryan Montgomery.

The wildcard is Colorado. Since Deion Sanders became the head coach of the Buffaloes, it's been hard to project how high school recruiting would go because he aims for the truly elite prospects that possess numerous college football options. Also, will Sanders be in Boulder, Col. after his son and Colorado quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, leaves the program following the 2024 season?

With Colorado hard to read, Lewis's recruitment could be an Auburn versus Southern California battle. Current information has Southern Cal's coaching staff feeling good about Lewis coming to play for the Trojans, but it is not foolish either. Auburn is the biggest concern for the USC staff.

It's roughly a two-hour drive to Carrollton from Auburn, Hugh Freeze and his staff have a track record of producing top offensive units, and the Tigers do not have a definitive answer at quarterback after the 2024 season. Those are good recruiting pitches to Lewis and reasons for Southern California coaches to be concerned about Auburn flipping Lewis.

Both programs also have big NIL money to throw around, so that's a wash. This recruitment probably comes down to comfort, and that's anyone's guess. It's hard to say exactly when Lewis will completely shut his recruitment down either. It's a unique recruiting situation. As for Bama, there are multiple irons in the fire.

Perhaps Kalen DeBoer and his staff can come back around on Lewis. Stronger things do happen. There are additional options and Bama is making the rounds. A prime quarterback recruit Alabama continues to pursue is current Notre Dame commitment Deuce Knight from Lucedale (Miss.) George County.

Knight seems likely to stick with the Irish, going by a face-to-face conversation with the young man and recent intel. Bama is still appealing and probably will not give up. If Knight officially visits Alabama, then there's a true chance he will change his commitment. Until then, keep him in mind with Alabama recruiting.

While the total list of quarterback recruits Alabama is going after is not publicly known, the Crimson Tide staff did recently stop by to see Elite 11 finalist Bryce Baker, a North Carolina commitment since June 27, 2023. He's from Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth. Baker truly likes the Tar Heels and it would probably take a lot for him to flip, but again, it's Bama. Baker going to Bama cannot be completely ruled out.

Seeing Baker perform alongside Lewis at yesterday's Elite 11 competition in Gainesville, Ga., it's easy to see why he's so highly coveted. According to what Baker told me yesterday, he is now up to 197 pounds. He looks fantastic on the hoof and while throwing the football. He's really underrated by most of the recruiting services. Both Lewis and Baker are heading to the Elite 11 finals out in Los Angeles.

At the end of the day, Auburn and Alabama have unique quarterback recruits for fans to follow and see where they sign their national letters of intent.