Once one of the most exciting days of the year for fans has now turned into a real snooze fest. National Signing Day is greatly overshadowed by the similarly named National Early Signing Day. Auburn has a brand new head coach in Hugh Freeze, and excitement is in the air. Signing 18 during the early signing period, Auburn followed it up with a lone signee on Wednesday.
In terms of a positional breakdown, Auburn signed 1 QB, 1 WR, 6 DL,1 RB, 5 DB(3 CB and 2 S’s), and 6 OL between both signing periods. Auburn went to the transfer portal to fill the remaining needs.
When all is said and done, Auburn’s class is ranked as so:
So, I would say that Hugh Freeze finished his first recruiting class as Auburn’s head coach pretty well. He started his busy 3 weeks in the 60’s in recruiting and finished in a consensus top 20 class. Freeze knows that future classes will have to be even better but this has to be the best you could of asked for.
But enough about what Freeze has done. Let’s see who he has brought to the Loveliest Village on the Plains starting with the lone signing day signee then the early day signees.
Signing Day Signee
Jeremiah Cobb
(RB, 5-11, 185; Montgomery Catholic Preparatory; Montgomery, AL.)
After taking the starting RB spot his sophomore year, Cobb recorded back-to-back 2,000 yard seasons. Finishing last season with 1,700 yards with almost 60 fewer attempts then years before. Racking up a total of 6,320 yards and 73 touchdowns and catching 51 passes for 1,142. Cobb became coach Cadillac’s main target in the 2023 class.
Early Signing Day Signees
Hank Brown
(QB, 6-4, 195; Lipscomb Academy; Nashville, Tenn.)
Record-setting quarterback from a championship program … led the Lipscomb Academy Mustangs to a perfect 13-0 record and the 2022 Tennessee D2-AA state championship under Coach Trent Dilfer … passed for 3,264 yards, 47 touchdowns (fifth in Tennessee state history) and a 73.3 completion percentage as a senior … also played basketball
Wilky Denaud
(DL, 6-4, 295; John Carroll HS; Fort Pierce, Fla.)
Four-star prospect along the defensive line who as a senior helped the John Carroll Rams and Coach Mickey Groody to a 10-2 record while tallying 79 tackles and 5.0 sacks … tallied 55 tackles, including 14 for loss with 3.5 sacks and an interception as a junior … No. 32 defensive lineman in the country by Rivals … top 80 overall prospect in Florida … state qualifier as a junior in the shot put, placing 13th at the Florida 1A meet … also averaged 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds for John Carroll as a junior while helping the team to a 22-5 record and the state 3A basketball tournament
Keldric Faulk
(DL, 6-5, 240; Highland Home HS; Lapine, Ala.)
Athletic, long pass rusher who is best off the edge … played for Highland Home High and Coach Will Pouncey … led the Flying Squadron to a 13-2 overall record and the semifinals of the 2022 AHSAA 2A state playoffs … East team in 2023 All-American Bowl … 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … ASWA first team all-state … consensus four-star recruit … rated as high as the No. 79 player in the country by Rivals … consensus top 15 player in Alabama by On3, ESPN, Rivals and 24/7 … top 15 defensive lineman by Rivals, On3 and 24/7 … also a basketball letterman
JC Hart
(CB, 6-2, 180; Loachapoka HS; Auburn, Ala.)
Long, athletic defensive back with a high football IQ … helped Loachapoka and Coach Reco Newton to a 9-2 record and the Class 1A playoffs second round … 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … registered 63 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions as a junior … ASWA first team all-state … rated as high as the No. 24 player in Alabama by On3 and the No. 32 player at his position by Rivals … father Corey Hart played linebacker at Marshall from 2007-09
Colton Hood
(CB, 6-1, 175; Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy; McDonough, Ga.)
Impact player on both sides of the ball who projects as a corner … helped the ELCA Chargers reach the second round of the Georgia state playoffs … 2022 Region 5-2A Athlete of the Year for Coach Tanner Rogers … finished with 40 tackles and three interceptions in 2022 … On3 rates him among the top 30 prospects in Georgia … top 75 at his position by Rivals, 24/7 … also a basketball and baseball letterman
Quientrail Jamison-Travis
(DL, 6-4, 280; Iowa Western CC; Minneapolis North HS; Minneapolis, Minn.)
No. 1 juco prospect from the state of Iowa and No. 3 juco defensive lineman nationally … NJCAA first team All-America at Iowa Western … helped the Reivers and Coach Scott Strohmeier to a NJCAA national title, adding 4 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in the national championship game … in 2022, tallied 45 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks … in 2021, had 45 stops, 6.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks … played for Coach Charles Adams at Minneapolis North High, leading the Polar Bears to the Class 2A state title game as a senior … all-state and all-metro … 19 sacks and 21 TFL in 2019 … played organized basketball just his senior season after a twitter video of him breaking a rim on a dunk during a pickup game caught the attention of head coach Larry McKenzie … scored 27 points and 11 rebounds in the Twin City Championship game
Stephen Johnson
(OL, 6-4, 315; Whitewater HS; Fayetteville, Ga.)
Powerful lineman who finished with 74 tackles, including six TFL, 4.0 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a senior in 2022 … helped Whitewater High go 8-3 and reach the Georgia state playoffs … part of the 2021 Wildcat team that went 11-2 in 2021 and reached the Georgia state quarterfinals … two-time all-region second team honoree for Coach Chad Frazier
Tyler Johnson
(OL, 6-6, 300; Natchitoches Central HS; Natchitoches, La.)
Big, aggressive offensive lineman who displays both physical and mental skills … played for Natchitoches Central and Coach James Wilkerson … Blue-Grey All-American Bowl invitee … named Central Louisiana’s No. 1 offensive lineman by CenLa Preps … four-star recruit by Rivals … On3, ESPN and 24/7 place him among the top 35 state prospects … rated as high as No. 16 player in Louisiana and No. 25 offensive tackle by Rivals … also a basketball letterman
Bradyn Joiner
(OL, 6-2, 330; Auburn HS; Anniston, Ala.)
Athletic big man who led the Auburn High Tigers to a 12-2 record and 7A state championship game appearance in 2022 … 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … No. 15 on AL.com A-List playing for Coach Keith Etheredge … 2020 ASWA Class 6A first team all-state (OL) and 2021-22 ASWA Class 7A first team all-state (DL) … rated No. 1 center in the country and No. 156 overall as a four-star player by Rivals … top 25 player in Alabama by Rivals and ESPN … previously played at Oxford (Ala.) High
Kayin Lee
(CB, 5-11, 185; Cedar Grove HS; Ellenwood, Ga.)
Speedy defender who hits with power …led the Cedar Grove Saints to an 11-3 overall record in 2022 and a AAA Georgia state runner-up finish … first team all-region honoree for Coach John Adams … selected for All-American Bowl … AJC Super 11 … ranked a top 25 player in Georgia by 24/7, Rivals, ESPN, On3 … also a track and field letterman
Connor Lew
(OL, 6-3, 280; Kennesaw Mountain HS; Acworth, GA)
Hard-working offensive line prospect who played center for Coach Caleb Carmean at Kennesaw Mountain High … the Mustangs went 7-3 in 2022 … 2023 All-American Bowl invitation … AJC Super 11 … first team all-region … rated among top 50 overall prospects in the state of Georgia by 24/7, On3 and ESPN … Rivals and ESPN rate him a top 10 interior line recruit … also a wrestling letterman
Terrance Love
(S, 6-3, 195; Langston Hughes HS; Fairburn, Ga.)
Versatile defensive back with good size who guided the Langston Hughes Panthers to a 15-0 record in 2022, culminating with the GHSA 6A state championship … finished with 69 tackles as a senior playing for Coach Daniel Willliams … consensus four star recruit … listed in the top 25 at his position nationally according to Rivals, 24/7 and ESPN … On3 puts him among top 35 prospects in Georgia
Izavion Miller
(OL, 6-6, 320; Southwest Mississippi CC; Wooddale HS; Memphis, Tenn.)
Big-bodied juco lineman who exceled in both pass protection and run blocking … played for Southwest Mississippi CC and Coach Cliff Collins from 2021-22 … started in eight of nine games in 2022 … 2022 NJCAA All-Region 23 Team … 2022 First Team All-MACCC … 2022 JCGridiron Preseason First Team All-America … top 12 juco player overall by On3 and 24/7 … top 5 juco offensive tackle and No. 4 juco player in Mississippi by 24/7 and On3 … attended Wooddale High School in Memphis, Tenn.
Darron Reed Jr.
(DL, 6-5, 260; Carver HS; Columbus, Ga.)
Talented defensive line prospect who earned first team all-region honors as a senior for Coach Pierre Coffey … helped the Carver Tigers reach the Georgia Class 3A state quarterfinals … finished with 8.0 sacks and 33 total tackles … ranked a top 20 prospect in Georgia by 24/7 and Rivals … four-star rating from On3, ESPN and 24/7
Sylvester Smith
(S, 5-11, 195; Munford HS; Munford, Ala.)
Versatile defensive back with experience all over the field … led Coach Michael Easley’s Munford Lions to the first round of the 2022 AHSAA 4A state playoffs … two-time ASWA first team all-state (2020, 2022)… 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … 42 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 2 PBU and 5 INT as a senior … also played QB … rushed for 1,735 yards and 24 TD and completed 47 of 93 passes for 606 yards and 7 TD … four-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 24/7 … rated as high as the No. 101 player and No. 5 safety in the class by Rivals … top 20 player in Alabama and top 25 safety in the country by ESPN, Rivals and 24/7 … also a basketball letterman
Daquayvious Sorey
(WR, 6-2, 190; Chipley HS; Campbellton, Fla.)
Versatile pass catcher with elite ball skills … as a senior, helped the Tigers and Coach Marcus Buchanan to an 11-1 record … 1,121 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022 … 546 receiving yards with eight scores as a junior while also returning two punts for TDs … also tallied 28 tackles, nine PBU and four interceptions on defense in 2021 … three-sport athlete who also played basketball and ran track … fifth in high jump at FHSAA 1A state track meet as a sophomore … top 30 receiver nationally according to 24/7 and ESPN
Clay Wedin
(OL, 6-6, 295; Carrollwood Day School; Tampa, Fla.)
Starting offensive lineman for Carrollwood Day School playing for Coach Marshall McDuffie … helped the Patriots to the Class 2A state playoffs in 2022 … No. 22 interior offensive lineman nationally according to 24/7 … four-star prospect according to 24/7 and Rivals … No. 11 rated offensive lineman in the state of Florida according to Rivals
Brenton Williams
(DL, 6-4, 245; Opelika HS; Opelika, Ala.)
Physical pass rusher who is best showcasing his speed off the edge … played for the Opelika High Bulldogs and Coach Erik Speakman … registered 55 tackles, 10 TFL, 4 sacks in 2022 … 2022 AHSAA South Region All-Star and first team Clas 7A all-state … OA News all-area … AHSAA North-South All-Star Game … ESPN, On3 top 25 player in Alabama … also a basketball letterman
