Auburn's Recruiting Momentum Feels Different Under Alex Golesh

The Auburn Tigers are once again seen as having one of the best recruiting classes in the country, but the way they are going about making it happen this cycle feels different. 

Sure, former head coach Hugh Freeze worked hard to bring top recruits to the Plains and help Auburn build some top classes in the SEC, but as we know, it didn't translate into much winning on the field. In fact, while Freeze was at the helm, the Tigers hoisted a 15-19 record over three seasons and lost the only bowl game they qualified for in 2023. 

Fast forward to this offseason, and new head coach Alex Golesh has pushed the Tigers to the 8th best recruiting class in the country, according to On3/Rivals. Although these industry rankings always seem to be the easiest way to evaluate a recruiting class and the direction of a program inside college football, there is a bigger reason why Auburn fans should be excited about what is being built on the Plains. 

Auburn has certainly picked up momentum this offseason on the recruiting trail, winning big time battles for highly rated prospects such as Myson Johnson Cook, Isaac McNeil, and, most recently, Reed Ramsier from other top programs across the country. Still, it's the culture building that's the most interesting part inside this class so far of this new regime. This could be the start of long-term success. 

Across social media, many of Auburn's current commitments have embraced the role of recruiters themselves. Players like Johnson-Cook, Ramsier, and Leighton von Brandt are all publicly pushing the Auburn brand and encouraging other top players with offers to get on board. 

In this age of college athletics, it feels different. When players are not technically a part of the program until signing day in early December, you hardly see this many players buy into a place, especially with a first-year head coach. 

However, it sounds like they're already a part of the team.

NIL usually dominates the discussions, and although the Tigers can compete financially, they choose to focus on creating strong bonds and relationships during these official visits. While the rest of the programs inside the SEC and college football battle over how to outspend the others, Auburn's new staff seems to have a clear picture of how they want to navigate this new "wild wild west". And it involves finding a type of player that is interested in elite development, playing at the highest level inside the NCAA, but most importantly, the possibility of truly building a brotherhood that will last a lifetime.