Ranking Auburn’s 2025 class so far
Auburn has already hit the ground running with the 2025 class. So far, the Tigers have 16 commitments, the No. 12 class in the country, and No. 6 in the SEC.
This ranking is one man’s opinion and is for fun. It’s tough to put someone in last place on these as Auburn, once again, has a talented class top to bottom so far. Everyone loves a good ranking. We will update this list as the Tigers’ 2025 class continues to grow.
The updated list with the commitments of Hollis Davidson and Jacobe Ward.
No. 1: S – Eric Winters, Enterprise (Ala.)
Winters can serve so many roles on the defensive side of the ball. He is a three-level player who can play in man coverage on just about every player on the field. His skillset is nearly limitless and he has experience playing quarterback, too. An elite football IQ, elite skillset, and playmaking ability. Winters is a monster addition for Auburn.
No. 2: OT – Tavaris Dice, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes
Dice, as we have said, is one of the most physically impressive recruits in the 2025 class, period. He moves to the top of our list with Jourdin Crawford being right on his heels. For now, it seems that Dice checks so many boxes for Auburn, but most of all, he’s got the traits to be an early contributor on the offensive line… and that is not an easy task.
No. 3: OT – Broderick Shull, Bixby, Ok.
This is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in this ranking process. I want to put Shull at No. 1, but I am a firm believer that Dice will be every bit as advertised on the next level. I do, however, think Shull has a higher ceiling, but that’s more of a bet at this point if that makes sense. I think he will reach it, but there is no 100 percent guarantee. Even with such a high ceiling, he is already very good as well. Shull is elite in my opinion, so putting him at No. 2 was tough.
No. 4: DL – Jourdin Crawford, Birmingham (Ala.) Parker
Crawford comes in at No. 2 behind Dice, but could easily re-take that No. 1 spot before it is over. He is a problem on the interior which is something Auburn has needed badly recently. Not only does he stop the run, he can get after the quarterback, too. Crawford can be dominant and take over games. He is our top pick on the defensive side for now.
No. 5: DL – Malk Autry, Opelika Ala.
Autry keeps adding good weight to his elite frame. Right now, Autry is well north of 300 pounds and still moves extremely well. His junior tape is less important to me at this time compared to what I saw from the Under Armour Camp. I like that Autry showed up to Auburn’s practices and studied the defensive line pretty intently. Autry has gone up in my book and I expect his senior tape to take a jump as well. He has since made another jump, this time over Faulk, which was very hard to do. With his combination of size and athleticism, his ceiling is just getting higher and higher.
No. 6: LB/Edge – Jakaleb ‘JJ’ Faulk, Highland Home (Ala.)
The ceiling for Faulk is as high as anyone in this class, and it really isn’t that close. Just like his older brother, Faulk’s best football is way ahead of him. The younger Faulk is more apt to play in space than his brother. He can play inside backer or on the edge. He is a unique athlete with plenty of speed for his 6-foot-4 230 pound frame and can fly around the field. Faulk has elite potential. He and Lockhart are very close at the moment. Based on how the senior seasons go, this battle will be monitored closely.
**NEW No. 7: OL – Jacobe Ward, Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military
Ward is on my baller list, for sure. Watching his film is good enough, but seeing him in person, you would be shocked how well he carries 340+ pounds. Ward is a mauler and has good enough feet to make it as a pass protector in the SEC. I love this pickup for Auburn and think he is severely underrated.
No. 8: CB – Donovan Starr, Brentwood, Tenn., Ravenwood
Another really tough call to make here. Both Starr and Williams are speedsters. Williams has the more explosive highlights, but Starr has small nuances on tape that show the potential to be elite. He probably has a slight edge in pure speed, too. I am very impressed with the speed and stick-and-go ability that will translate so well to playing corner. So, Starr gets the nod for now. But, it was super close.
No. 9: RB – Alvin Henderson, Elba, Ala.
Henderson is built about as well as any high school back in the country. He is considered in the smaller back category for Auburn, but he is already close to filling out his frame, and that is not a bad thing. Henderson has elite burst and acceleration. He is a strong back, too. I like the combination of size and acceleration. Henderson could develop a lot more skills on the college level, too.
**NEW No. 10: TE – Hollis Davidson, Peachtree City (Ga.) McIntosh
Davidson was ranked high in my class ranking the first time around. Now, with a few more additions to the class, Davidson still holds a spot in my top ten. He is a receiving threat as a tight end and works better as a flex option on the next level–but, he has the size of a traditional tight end. Davidson is a strong addition and should be a weapon as a flex tight end/receiver.
No. 11: CB – Devin Williams, Buford, Ga.
There probably isn’t better game film on this entire list than Devin Williams. Not to mention, Williams is doing it all against some of the best talent in the state of Georgia. Remember, though, it is not about how good a player is today.. what can they be at Auburn? I think Williams will be good at Auburn, but his lack of great size and length will keep him a little lower on this list for now. As far as playmaking ability, Williams would be top two with Jourdin Crawford in that category right now.
No. 12: OL – Tai Buster, Kannapolis (NC) AL Brown
For now, we see Buster as a developmental offensive lineman with very high upside. Now, that very well may change when he gets to his senior year. He seems like he is primed to make a jump on the film. Right now, for me, I am relying on flashes of brilliance along with some other film that doesn’t blow us away. With consistency in his game might come a rise in my rankings. The future outlook, nonetheless, for Buster is big.
No. 13: S/LB – Bryce Deas, Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy
Deas is a tough case study for us. On film, his athleticism is evident, but where exactly does he fit? Most of the evidence is of him playing on the edge. He is not big enough to be an edge player, but bigger than a typical defensive back, too. Maybe linebacker is in his future. Three-level players are rare and Deas is one of those. Still, we need to see more before putting him high on the list. The potential is very intriguing.
No. 14: CB – Dante Core, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Core is a bit of a wildcard for me. I personally could see him being a good nickel or safety player on the next level. I could also see him playing well at corner. I don’t see the pure speed in him like I see in Starr and Williams, but there is plenty of gamesmanship. I like Core and think he has a different skillset altogether as a corner. He certainly has the length and frame to add to.
No. 15: TE – Ryan Ghea, Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton
Ghea is low on the list for now, but he is another with big potential. Right now, he is more of blocking tight end with the ability to make plays in the field, too. Ghea is tall and rangy. As he develops, he will become more of receiving threat and mismatch problem. He will have to continue to improve his raw power to be a good blocker on the next level. I will say, Ghea has a chance to make a move for me because, much like Malik Autry, he keeps growing. Elite frame.
No. 16: OL – Spencer Dowland, Athens (Ala.)
Dowland has an good frame and great raw power. He comes in last on the list as he is still learning how to get his pad level down and get consistency with his feet. Dowland is going to put his opponent on the ground more times than not and has a tough mentality, but the technical aspect of his game has a ways to go. That raw power may translate to playing on the interior as his feet and other technical things are still coming along.
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