Auburn Tigers Looking to Turn a Strength Into a Superpower

Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers have reshaped their pass rushing corps and are looking to add more with edge rusher CJ May.

Auburn Tigers edge coach Josh Aldridge is building a formidable unit. / John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

It certainly doesn't require a deep dive into the Auburn Tigers edge rushing room to quickly ascertain that it's quickly becoming a position of relative strength.

5-star Amaris Williams was the headliner of an edge class in 2024 that also included Jamonta Waller and 6'2, 250-pound linebacker Joe Phillips among others.

Jakaleb Faulk is the second-highest rated recruit in Auburn's current top-10 recruiting class according to 247Sports.

Having said that, stockpiling guys who can get after the kind of multi-threat quarterbacks they will face this season, would indeed be a peachy scenario. One interesting recruit who might provide just that further injection of dynamic pass rushing ability is linebacker CJ May, from Highland Home High School (Ala.)

May is teammates with Faulk and backed out of a verbal commitment to join Notre Dame back in February, and it sure sounded like the 4-Star recruit was looking to stay a bit closer to home than South Bend, Ind.

"I am from Alabama. I am in the country and I have to find the best place for me," May told On3's Chad Simmons. "When I make my decision , it has to be a place I can be happy at and live at for the next 3 - 4 years, so that is what I am looking for now."

Thankfully for Auburn, May included the Tigers on his final list of four programs he will be giving serious consideration to joining, via his own social media account.

Final 4‼️ Where’s home⁉️🏡 @SquadronFB @AllGasDrRush @ALLGASTRNG @ALLGASATHLETES #Final4 pic.twitter.com/6w52DTSCIU

— CJ “Slim Reaper🃏” MAY (@CJMAY0) June 24, 2024

Amongst the quartet which May name checked, there was of course the Tigers, but also Louisville, Syracuse and Washington. Furthermore the 145th ranking recruit in this cycle, according to 247Sports, also has previous offers from Georgia, Texas A&M and Ole Miss currently sitting in his inbox.

Auburn might need to do some more intensive hands on recruitment work with May if they really want him, that's because he appeared to be leaning towards what the Louisville Cardinals  had to offer him previously.

"I have been building a relationship with the staff for over a year now, and it gone very well," May informed the Louisville Report after completing his official visit. "We talk a little bit of everything. It's bigger than just football. They call me and my parents multiple times weekly just to check in and see how we are doing. We obviously talk football, and where I fit into the future of Louisville Football." 

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been chasing down some of the top in-state talent with the same relish that May pursued quarterbacks last year at Highland Home. While playing as a junior, May registered 7.5 sacks and had a nifty10 tackles for loss - he also added two forced fumbles to go with an interception return for a touchdown.

If May liked the personal touch the Cardinals previously afforded him, then it's highly likely that Freeze will also be well aware of what appeals to the talented youngster during the recruitment drive.

Even if it was to flame out, Auburn can already count on an edge unit which happens to rank as a consensus top-10 group in the country. Therefore, Freeze and Co. can pretty much take a free swing for the fences if they come to sell May on their vision, and all the time safe in the knowledge that they have a secure safety net already in place.