Auburn Predicted to Land Blue Chip Edge Recruit

The Auburn Tigers get two predictions from National Recruiting Analysts to land 5-star edge rusher from Hoover.

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is building a pass-rush force / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY

Auburn received a boost on the recruiting trail. Multiple recruiting experts at On3 predict that the Tigers will land four-star edge Jared Smith (Thompson, Hoover, Ala.) 

On3 ranks Smith as the No. 18 edge in the country. However 247 Sports rates Smith even higher as the 19th-ranked player in the country and the second-ranked player at his position. 

On3 Director of Recruiting @ChadSimmons_ has logged an expert prediction for Auburn to land elite EDGE Jared Smith🦅

Smith ranks No. 42 NATL. (No. 4 EDGE) in the 2025 class‼️

Intel: https://t.co/xnlZIdvY50 pic.twitter.com/vqr4G5Ougc

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) July 12, 2024

On3’s director of recruiting Chad Simmons and Cole Pinkston added their predictions on Friday morning.  These predictions bumped up Auburn from a distant fourth-most likely team (1.4% chance) to a strong second-most likely team (38.7% chance).  

South Carolina still is the leading school to land Smith with a 53.8% chance according to the Recruiting Prediction Machine. There has yet to be a crystal ball prediction made on 247 Sports.

Smith has an announcement date set for Aug. 3. He has narrowed it down to six teams: Auburn, South Carolina, Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss and Southern California. 

🚨NEWS🚨 Elite EDGE Jared Smith is set to announce his commitment on August 3, he tells @ChadSimmons_⏳

He will choose between Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, USC and Ole Miss🤔

Read: https://t.co/yqh0LgDEj1 pic.twitter.com/cA0et68R9C

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) July 12, 2024

Smith has not visited Auburn since he made an unofficial visit on March 16. Still, the Tigers find themselves not just in the running but as one of the favorites. 

Freeze and Auburn have made the pass rush a focus since taking over. They've had a massive influx of talent the last 12 months.

Head coach Hugh Freeze needs a big commitment like Smith’s if he wants his shot at a top-five recruiting class. The Tigers’ 2025 class currently ranks 14th in the country and seventh in the SEC. 

Auburn was in striking distance at No. 8 but saw two key recruits decommit at the end of June, and they’ve been out of the top 10 ever since.  

However, perhaps this is a sign that fortunes are starting to turn. The Tigers got back a blue-chip recruit when four-star tight end Hollis Davidson re-committed on July 4. Auburn also landed linebacker Fa’Najae Gotay from the transfer portal on Thursday.