Auburn Loses 4-Star WR to SEC Rival

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Grant Bricker | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 8:21 PM ET

The Auburn Tigers did not have a good June when it came to the 2026 recruiting class.

Auburn lost linebacker Shadarius Toodle to the Georgia Bulldogs and receiver Devin Carter to the Florida State Seminoles. Florida State also took 2026 tight end Xavier Tiller from the Tigers.

July did not get off to a hot start either, as On3's Hayes Fawcett reported Tuesday that four-star receiver Denairius Gray flipped to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Gray had been committed to head coach Hugh Freeze and Auburn since January. The Wildcats had Gray in Lexington for an official visit on June 6.

Auburn now has six commits from the 2026 class.

Gray is the No. 51 receiver in the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2026 class. He hails from Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Auburn's 2026 class now consists of four-star edge rusher Hezekiah Harris, four-star athlete Peyton Falzone, three-star inside offensive lineman Parker Pritchett, three-star safety Wayne Henry, three-star running back Eric Perry and unrated offensive tackle Nikau Hepi.

After being inside the top 10 at one point, Auburn's 2026 class now ranks No. 74 overall via On3 Sports. The class achieved its highest ranking, No. 8 overall, earlier in the year.

Head coach Hugh Freeze has consistently recruited well since joining the program in 2023. He had top-10 classes for 2024 and 2025.

There is still time for Auburn to recover, but it will be a steep climb.

The Tigers have yet to have a winning season under Freeze, as he enters the 2025 season with an 11-14 record.

Auburn faces the Baylor Bears in its season opener on August 29.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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