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Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Auburn continued the nation’s hottest recruiting streak Saturday night with a pledge from four-star in-state defensive end Jared Smith, No. 28 in the 2025 ESPN 300.
Smith, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound edge rusher from Alabaster, Alabama, marks the Tigers’ eighth commitment across the 2025 and 2026 class since the start of the program’s Big Cat Weekend on July 27. He picks Auburn over finalists South Carolina, Ole Miss, Georgia, Florida State and USC, and lands with the Tigers as the second-ranked member of Hugh Freeze’s incoming class behind four-star cornerback Blake Woodby, No. 22 in the 2025 ESPN 300.
Smith told ESPN that his list of finalists was narrowed to Auburn, Ole Miss and South Carolina heading into Saturday’s commitment. Choosing from a list of top programs, Smith pointed to proximity to home and the energy of the Tigers’ on-campus recruiting event last weekend among the pulls that secured his pledge to Auburn.
“It was cool seeing all the guys commit,” Smith said. “Seeing all those guys having fun. Talking to players. It was really cool. Just having that energy and that culture — it’s what really stood out to me.”
With his pledge, Smith becomes the fifth addition in the last seven days to the nation’s 14th-ranked recruiting class, per ESPN.
Woodby, the third-ranked cornerback in the 2025 class, gave his pledge to the Tigers on his visit to Auburn last weekend. The Tigers followed Woodby’s commitment by flipping a pair of Alabama commits, securing commitments from former Crimson Tide pledges Derick Smith and Antonio Coleman. On Monday, Auburn landed a pledge from four-star safety Anquon Fegans (No. 36 in the ESPN), Smith’s teammate at Alabaster’s Thompson High School.
Upon Smith’s announcement Saturday night, Auburn is now up to 13 ESPN 300 commits in the 2025 cycle.
The Tigers’ recent momentum has also reached the 2026 class as three 2026 prospects gave their pledges to the program last weekend, headlined by four-star defensive end Hezekiah Harris (No. 51 in the ESPN Junior 300) along with outside linebacker JaMichael Garrett (No. 123) and inside linebacker Shadarius Toodle (No. 150).
Smith began his high school career at Spain High School in Hoover, Alabama, before transferring to Thompson last fall. He carries elite length and quickness off the edge, and Smith sets his sights on Auburn encouraged by the vision laid out by Tigers defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and defensive edge coach Josh Alridge.
“They see me as a true pass rusher,” Smith said. “First, second and third down. I’m going to be that guy.”
With Smith’s pledge, Auburn is now up to six top-100 commitments in 2025, including five on defense between Woodby, Smith, Fegans, safety Eric Winters (No. 85 in the ESPN 300) and defensive tackle Jourdin Crawford (No. 91), climbing fast as the hottest program on the recruiting trail in the 2025 cycle.