Auburn Tigers Recruiting Boost Under Hugh Freeze is Crystal Clear

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze powers of persuasion clear in recruiting rankings.

The Auburn Tigers have seen a big boost in recruiting since Hugh Freeze took charge. / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze is shaking up this recruitment cycle rather spectacularly if you put stock into the latest recruiting rankings.

Part of the Tigers decline in recent years has largely boiled down to poor recruitment. So, it's understandable that once Freeze steadied the coaching side of things, he could begin the mission to turn things around on the Plains.

Auburn's class was ranked 19th in the country and seventh in the SEC by 247Sports in 2021 and 21st in the country and ninth in the SEC in 2022. In 2023, we can probably account for yet another lackluster ranking (10th in the SEC) and performance on the seismic coaching changes which took place.

Thankfully for Tigers fans, ever since Freeze took the bull by the horns, the improvement has been quite remarkable. In 2024, the Tigers moved back into the top 10 by 247Sports' reckoning, and we could really see how the table was being set.

Freeze is rapidly proving himself on the recruiting trail at convincing young talent that the Auburn Tigers are now going places fast.

Indeed, the upward trajectory in terms of recruitment coups can be seen in vibrant technicolor, via 247Sports' Recruiting Rankings. After Alvin Henderson's commitment earlier this week, Auburn has a Top-5 class in the country, good for third in the SEC behind rivals Alabama and Georgia who check in at No. 2 and No. 4 respectively.

Rewind to the start of this month and we would find the Tigers occupying the 10th spot on the 247 rankings, but Freeze and his team have subsequently been on a serious tear - leaping all the way up to fifth.

You certainly don't need to be any kind of college football genius to work out that the holy grail of recruitment tends to lead to successful programs,especially in the long run.

In particular, Henderson's decision to decommit from the Nittany Lions has served notice that Freeze is not scared to go the extra mile to turn hearts and minds.

Funny thing being, Henderson touched down with not only high praise for his new head coach, but with a promise that he would do his bit to convince fellow recruits to join him.

So it has been proved rather quickly, and via the social media platform of Auburn's brand new offensive weapon reached out to 5-Star wide receiver from Choctaw County High School, Caleb Cunningham.

Auburn family let @calebcunning13 know what team in the state he needs to be playing for 🦅! Come home bro 🦅🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/yTaKoG8hQH

— "𝐀" 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 2️⃣ 𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 (@AlHenderson_1) June 24, 2024

Cunningham certainly would be a nifty addition to the Auburn offense, and you often find that once the ball gets rolling in the recruitment game, it's pretty darn hard to stop.

Covering all the angles in this recruitment window is clearly gaining that exact kind of positive momentum. It will be up to Freeze and his staff to turn recruiting momentum into wins on the football field. If and when that happens, the sky's the limit for the Auburn Tigers.