Auburn Recruiting: The Tigers Must Win Battles In Georgia

To sign a top 10 class, Auburn must do well in Georgia

Herbert Scroggins / Brian Smith-Auburn Daily

Auburn’s Georgia recruiting efforts will be pivotal for the Tigers landing a top-10 recruiting class.

If the Tigers land prospects like Carrollton (Ga.) High School quarterback Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis and a few other talented prospects that are brought to light below, this could even be a top-five recruiting class.

Let’s begin with Lewis, the #1 recruit for Rivals and for ESPN. Recent intel has Georgia landing fellow quarterback recruit Ryan Montgomery. If Georgia gains a verbal commitment from the Findlay (Ohio) High School passer, it will be interesting to see if that impacts Lewis’ decision. Many believe the Dawgs are a threat to sign Lewis.

Alabama, Colorado, and Southern California are the other teams Auburn is battling. There’s some growing optimism that the Tigers are in the thick of the race. A long way to go, but the Tigers have a shot and they have come a long way in the Lewis sweepstakes.

Two prospects from Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military Academy need to be on the radar for Auburn fans. Each will officially visit the Plains.

Edge defender Herbert Scroggins could be a pass rusher or true outside linebacker at the college level. Seeing him last fall in person, he more than just passes the eye test; he runs like an SEC linebacker should run. North Carolina, Miami, and Auburn will each receive official visits from Scroggins and he could take more.

Offensive lineman Jacobe Ward is a mauler. His HUDL film shows quick feet and tremendous power. With Auburn’s need for offensive linemen, Ward would be a quality addition to the 2025 recruiting class. South Carolina is a team to watch, along with Auburn. Look for Ward to end up in the SEC. With his 6-foot-4 and 330-pound frame, his stock is rising.

Speaking of offensive linemen, Auburn would pull the upset for highly-talented offensive tackle Josh Petty if he ends up signing with the Tigers. 

The Roswell (Ga.) Fellowship Christian offensive tackle is coveted by programs across the country like Auburn, Florida State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and more. He is going to officially visit Auburn so there’s a chance. 

Moving to receiver, Travis Smith is a prospect who’s familiar with visiting Auburn and will take an official visit. Georgia is the perceived favorite for the Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake pass catcher. This is another chance for the Tigers to pull an upset to help it sign a top-10 recruiting class.

The other wide receiver to watch from the Peach State is CJ Wiley from Milton (Ga.) High School. His April 7 visit to Auburn would his official so the Tigers are a program Wiley is quite familiar with. 

Landing Wiley and/or Smith would be great for the Tigers as each player possesses the size and raw athleticism to be a starting SEC receiver.

Moving to running back, Ousmane Kromah hails from Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County. A versatile performer who catches the football as well as he runs over a linebacker, Kromah is a recruit who’s been racking up offers across the country since early in his prep career. UGA, FSU, Tennessee, and many others are in the race and it's hard to say how much of a shot Auburn has.

Kromah did take an unofficial visit to the Plains already, but the Tigers are considered to be outside his top group. Watch out for the Bulldogs here.

If AU really wants to make a splash, flipping Southern California edge rusher Isaiah Gibson would be a great way to do it. Coming from Warner Robins (Ga.) High School, Gibson is coveted by the likes of Auburn, UGA, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and more. He’s one of the nation’s best prospects regardless of position.

At safety, Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass has Jontae Gilbert. He’s been to Auburn this spring and the Tigers would do well to sign him. Clemson, UCF, Tennessee, South Carolina, and other top programs are all in the race as well. Gilbert’s unofficial visit to Auburn came on April 2.

As the prime recruiting season is now upon Auburn, the Peach State prospects above will be a vital part of whether or not the Tigers sign a top-10 recruiting class.