AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) – Dec. 20th was NCAA Early Signing Day for College Football, and Auburn officially secured 21 signees to its 2024 recruiting class. Hugh Freeze had made it known that recruiting, especially high school recruiting, would be a major point of emphasis for the Tigers as his tenure as head coach got underway, the early returns on the coaching staff’s efforts appear highly encouraging.
Included in the Early Signing Day acquisitions is Auburn’s prospective quarterback of the future in 4-Star QB Walker White. The 6’3” 215 pound signal caller from Little Rock, AR is the #150 player and #11 QB in the nation and chose Auburn over Clemson and Ole Miss. Auburn also secured a protector for White in 4-star offensive lineman DeAndre Carter (#129 recruit, #5 IOL) from Mater Dei HS in California.
The highlights of the class, though, are in the players White will be throwing to. Auburn signed its highest-ever rated receiver class, led by the second and third composite 5-star receiver signees in program history in Cam Coleman (#4 recruit, #2 WR) and Perry Thompson (#31 recruit, #10 WR), keeping both Alabama products in-state. Coleman and Thompson are joined by 4-star wideouts Malcolm Simmons (#240 recruit, #41 WR) and Bryce Cain (#242 recruit, #42 WR), also both from Alabama, as well as major transfer portal signee and potential top of the depth chart receiver for 2024 in Robert Lewis from Georgia State.
As for the defensive side of the ball, Auburn secured meaningful commitments at all three levels of play. 4-Star EDGE Jamonta Waller (#82 recruit, #6 EDGE) from Picayune, MS highlights the Tigers’ defensive line and EDGE signees. Waller is joined by 4-Star defensive lineman Amaris Williams (#79 recruit, #12 DL) from Clinton, NC, who announced his flip from Florida to Auburn the morning of Early Signing Day; as well as 4-Star EDGE TJ Lindsey (#308 recruit, #37 EDGE). The Tigers also secured signings from 4-star LB Joseph Phillips (#106 recruit, #7 EDGE) from Tuskegee, AL and 4-star DL Malik Blocton (#411 recruit, #46 DL) from Pike Road, AL, along with Kansas transfer DL Gage Keys, a former 3-star recruit.
The linebacking core also received a significant boost, headlined by 4-Star Linebacker Demarcus Riddick (#45 recruit, #4 LB) from Clanton, AL. 3-Star Linebacker D’Angelo Barber (#541 recruit, #49 LB) also signed with Auburn over Ole Miss and Arkansas. Barber was a part of a State Championship team at Clay-Chalkville HS in Pinson, AL. The final LB addition for Auburn was announced by Coach Freeze himself at his press conference: Duke transfer Dorian Mausi. Mausi, a former 3-star recruit, recorded 62 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and an interception this season for the Blue Devils. He received a run defense grade of 52.5, pass rush grade of 58.4, and a pass coverage grade of 67.2 via PFF.
Finally, in the secondary, 4-Star Cornerbacks Jalyn Crawford (#214 recruit, #19 CB) from Lilburn, GA and A’Mon Lane-Ganus (#380 recruit, #29 CB) from Moody, AL have both signed with the Tigers. The cornerback duo won’t be alone, though, as Auburn also added 4-Star Safety Kensley Faustin (#438 recruit, #46 S) from Naples, FL. Joining Faustin in the back end are 3-Star Safeties Kaleb Harris (#646 recruit, #69 S) from Alabaster, AL and 3-Star JUCO transfer Laquan Robinson (#14 JUCO recruit, #1 JUCO S) from Holmes C.C. in Greenville, AL.
After Early Signing Day, Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class has moved up to eighth in the nation and fourth in the SEC behind only Alabama, Georgia, and Texas. Despite that, Coach Freeze and the Tigers aren’t finished. 5-Star DL LJ McCray did not sign with Florida the morning of Early Signing Day despite being expected to, and Auburn remains a main player in his recruitment. Another top target for Auburn is 5-Star WR and current Alabama commit Ryan Williams, who joined Cam Coleman and Perry Thomphson on their most recent visit to Auburn on Dec. 17th.
National Signing Day is Feb. 7th, and Auburn can be expected to make big pushes for both McCray and Williams before then. Overall, Hugh Freeze’s first Early Signing Day has been an overall success for an Auburn program that hasn’t signed a top 10 class since the 2020 class that finished seventh in the nation.
