From having a recruiting class ranked in the 80s to having its head coach’s golf game scrutinized, Auburn football has advanced significantly.
Auburn’s 2026 class was ranked 89th in the nation when Hugh Freeze and athletic director John Cohen spoke to the media on July 2. On August 1, when schools could start making formal written offers to high school prospects in the class of 2026, Cohen frequently assured reporters that things would start to change.
The calendar change didn’t suddenly solve Auburn’s problems transitioning to revenue sharing and the shifting NIL scenario. But since Cohen first mentioned that date, the Tigers have risen 54 spots in the 247Sports rankings.
The Tigers’ first five-star pledge in this class, five-star safety Brandon Womack’s commitment to Auburn on Thursday, was the cherry on top. Womack’s choice was made about two weeks after Auburn was selected by four-star wide receiver Jase Mathews, which raised the Tigers’ ranking.
Since Cohen’s remarks in July, the NIL and recruiting environment have already changed, in addition to Auburn’s recruiting success.
The College Sports Commission essentially welcomed collectives back into the fold on July 31 by issuing new guidelines on NIL. The former Auburn-affiliated collective, On To Victory, amalgamated with WarEagle+, the university’s premium content program, resulting in recent changes to Auburn’s NIL collective.
It’s hard to assess how much of an impact these adjustments have had on Auburn’s high school recruiting efforts, especially because the players who recently committed to Auburn aren’t there yet.
During preseason camp, Freeze told reporters that he’s still figuring out what Auburn can and should provide high school athletes. Additionally, he asserted that since August 1, many colleges have not sent out written offers.
I’m rather certain that the transfer child has earned the right to be told that you’ll be getting some outside NIL deals. During a press conference on August 6, Freeze stated, “And provide examples of what has happened in the past for a similar player at that position.” Given that Deloitte cannot do that until they arrive on campus, how can you possibly tell that to a high school student?
How someone can honestly and truthfully state, “What does Deloitte say about those deals and the value of them for a high school kid?” is what I don’t get.
The modifications to WarEagle+ are the main illustration of Auburn’s increased efforts to give its players third-party NIL chances. More recently, Auburn formed a new cooperation with Yella Wood.
According to the statement, the agreement will increase Auburn’s student-athlete brand exposure at the start of the collegiate athletics revenue sharing era by placing Pate Dye Field and the YellaWood logo on the Jordan-Hare Stadium 25-yard lines.
The first indication of such came from the video Auburn published to announce the agreement, which showed Eric Singleton Jr., Jackson Arnold, Cam Coleman, and Keldric Faulk standing in front of the new logo.
What comes next for Auburn’s 2026 class after two significant recruiting victories since August 1st and the new NIL efforts?
The anticipated class size is a crucial contextual factor to take into account while determining that response. The 2026 signing class was never anticipated to be as large as the 2025 one, considering how youthful Auburn’s current squad is.
There were 26 players in that class; this one should be much smaller. Auburn may only add five more players before signing day, with 13 players already committed.
Auburn’s recruiting class ranking will suffer from having such a small class, but it might be just what the team needs. What transpires on the field during that time will probably determine how it develops between now and December.
For AL.com, Peter Rauterkus writes about Auburn athletics. You may email him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus.
