Auburn Named Finalist for No. 3 Recruit in Mississippi

The Auburn Tigers last had a winning season in 2020 (6-5) under former head coach Gus Malzahn. 

Current head coach Hugh Freeze still has yet to secure a winning season, but is trying to change that through recruiting. On3's Hayes Fawcett reported Auburn as a finalist for four-star defensive lineman Nolan Wilson on Thursday. 

The other finalists were the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels, Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators. 

Freeze is fresh off a 5-7 season with Auburn's bowl hopes coming down to the "Iron Bowl." Alabama won 28-14, and the Tigers missed out on a second-straight bowl game under Freeze. 

Wilson is the No. 4 defensive lineman in the On3 Industry Rankings and is listed as a four-star prospect. Wilson is also the No. 3 recruit from Mississippi in the 2026 class. 

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine does not favor Auburn at the moment. Alabama is the favorite at 29.5%, followed by Ole Miss (21.6%), the USC Trojans (18.5%), Auburn (12.4%) and Florida (6.3%). 

The Tigers' 2026 class is highlighted by four-star edge rusher Hezekiah Harris, four-star receiver Devin Carter, four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle and four-star linebacker JaMichael Garrett. 

Auburn has met with the defensive lineman once so far, having an unofficial visit with Wilson on March 28. The Tigers have scheduled an official visit set for June 6. 

Wilson also plans to have official visits with Alabama (May 30), Ole Miss (June 13) and USC (June 20). 

Auburn had quite the scare on Sunday, as On3's Steve Wiltfong predicted the Tigers would lose Toodle by way of the flip to the Georgia Bulldogs. Toodle had an official visit with Georgia on May 16. 

However, it was not all bad as Auburn made the top eight for international prospect Valdin Sone out of Malmo, Sweden. 

The Tigers face the Baylor Bears to open the 2025 season on August 30. 

Related: Auburn's Ranking in Joel Klatt's Post-Spring Top 25 Revealed

Auburn Named Finalist for No. 3 Recruit in Mississippi first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025