Auburn Loses Long-Time 2026 4-Star Edge Rusher Commit to SEC Foe

Harris is ranked as the No. 12 edge rusher in the class of 2026, per 247Sports, while On3 lists him as the No. 99 overall player in the cycle. The Jemison, Ala., native is also rated as the No. 7 prospect from the state of Alabama by On3.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder committed to Auburn in July of 2024, making him the Tigers’ inaugural pledge of their 2026 class. Sitting around the top-100 mark in most platforms’ national player rankings, Harris was Auburn’s third-highest-rated commit behind four-star edge rusher/outside linebacker Jaquez Wilkes and, most recently, five-star safety Bralan Womack. 

Although Harris has been committed for longer than anyone else, Auburn fans felt the momentum starting to shift over the past few months. Tennessee and Florida made a strong push to flip him from the Tigers, especially Josh Heupel and the Vols, who eventually won him over. 

Fawcett posted a graphic last week regarding Harris announcing he would make his “Final Decision” on Sept. 1, likely raising concerns among the Auburn coaching staff that they wouldn’t retain his commitment.

Wilkes, also a highly coveted in-state product, is the only other edge rusher in Auburn’s 2026 class. He’s listed as a linebacker on 247Sports’ recruiting profile, but the four-star has demonstrated his ability to play both.

Auburn now sits at No. 51 in 2026 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings, dropping from No. 35 with the decommitment of Harris. The Tigers also have the No. 14-ranked class in the SEC, boasting just 12 commits in the class. 

Following a disappointing performance in recruiting for a majority of the summer, Freeze and the Tigers seemed to have turned it around in recent weeks. 

With the crucial commitments of Wilkes, Womack, and four-star wide receiver Jase Mathews, the Tigers found themselves inching their way back up the 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings over the last month or so. However, Harris’ departure is a considerable blow to their standing, and Freeze will have to continue to dig out of a hole in order to return to the top of the rankings – where Auburn has managed to finish in the past two cycles.