Do you remember December 15, 2021? If you follow recruiting, probably so. If not, let me paint you a picture. Bryan Harsin was the head coach at Auburn at the time. The 2021 recruiting cycle was his first full cycle as head coach. He had a year under his belt at this point but failed to sign a top-20 class for the first time since 2009, according to the 247 sports composite rankings.
Even in the previous year, when Auburn only had an interim head coach, they still finished inside the top 20 in recruiting. Now, you know the rest of the story. The following fall would come, and Harsin would not make it until the next early signing day.
Those days, however short or long ago they may seem, are gone. Enter current Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. Last year, Hugh Freeze was announced as head coach of the Tigers on November 28, 2022, and had just a few weeks to recruit before early signing. Despite the time crunch, Freeze landed Auburn multiple top recruits and put Auburn back into the top 20 in recruiting again.
A year later, Freeze and his staff have had plenty of time to recruit. They put their foot on the gas and did not let up. On Wednesday, they signed an impressive haul of recruits that gave Auburn the 8th best class in the country according to the 247 sports composite rankings. It's the Tigers best class since 2015, and there are still multiple Auburn targets that have yet to sign.
Two of those targets are 5-star players. LJ McCray is the first and is a 5-star defensive lineman. The other is Ryan Williams, who is a 5-star receiver. McCray is currently committed to Florida, but as of Wednesday afternoon, he had not signed with the Gators, and Auburn continues to try to flip him. Williams is currently committed to Alabama, but Auburn is looking to flip him as well. He will not sign until February.
Freeze took over a failing program. A program that, for years, prided itself on being one of the premier college football programs in the country was suffering. Even Freeze did not realize the extent of talent deficiency a once-proud program had. Freeze, however, did not point fingers. Instead, he has gotten to work to try and return the Tigers to where they believe they belong.
Last year's class was a start, but this year's recruiting cycle sets the tone for the future. Auburn is not going to be afraid to recruit with the "biggest and baddest" in the sport. Just in this cycle, Auburn won major recruiting battles over conference and national foes.
The Tigers flipped 5-star WR Perry Thompson from Alabama, and they flipped 4-star LB Demarcus Riddick from Georgia. Competing and beating your biggest rivals is a huge step in eventually beating them on the field. Auburn didn't stop there, though. They flipped 5-star WR Cam Coleman from Texas A&M, 4-star Edge Jamonta Waller, and 4-star DL Amaris Williams from Florida.
Auburn's results on the field this season were not overly special. They competed, though, and Freeze and his staff were able to share their vision for the program. Auburn fans and coaches alike are hopeful this recruiting class will begin the turnaround for Auburn football.
Recruiting does not guarantee on-field success (i.e., Texas A&M), but it is a guarantee that you will not have success without impact players. Auburn gained impact players in this year's recruiting class. Is it enough to immediately put Auburn in the playoff picture next season? No, but it is certainly enough to make a difference and will help the Tigers improve.
So, what's next for Hugh Freeze and Auburn? First, recruiting never ends. Although most everyone signs on early signing day, there are still a few players out there who did not. Auburn will continue to recruit those players.
The transfer portal is still open as well, and Auburn will look to add whatever remaining pieces it needs to next year's roster from there. After that, they'll turn their full attention to the class of 2025. The Tigers are off to a good start with their 2025 class, but they will need to continue to build it. One class will not be enough to get back to the elite level of college football as Auburn desires, nor will one class be enough to keep you there. It has to be done year after year.
Oh, and finally, Auburn still has a bowl game on December 30th before this past year's season is completely finished.
The 2024 signing class is a huge step in the right direction for Freeze and Auburn. The dreadful December days of 2021 are long gone. Auburn football is back, and they're back with vengeance. No longer are they a team others can take lightly on the recruiting trail, and soon they will not be on the field either.
