Auburn Tigers Pushing for Blue-Chip 2027 RB

Standing at 6-foot, 180 pounds, St. Augustine, Fla., Roberts is ranked as the No. 15 running back and No. 212 overall player in the 2027 class, according to Rivals. The same metric lists him as the No. 21 prospect from the state of Florida, but also the top running back from the Sunshine State.

Before transferring to The Villages (Fla.) Charter School for 2025, Roberts spent his sophomore season at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, where he rushed for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns on 42 carries in addition to three receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown, per 247Sports.

Roberts announced his original frontrunners in early August – Auburn, Florida, Washington, Ohio State, and Michigan – but recent events have altered the list.

According to Fawcett’s report on X, the Florida Gators had been a “longtime favorite” to land the four-star, but the firing of head coach Billy Napier last Sunday played a large factor in his decision to eliminate them from his Top 5.

“I don’t want to go to a school that doesn’t have coaching stability as of right now,” Roberts said to Rivals.

Although the Tigers appear to be a heavily considered option, Roberts’ comment on his decision to remove Florida certainly won’t make Auburn fans feel confident about their chances to ultimately secure his commitment, especially considering he’s a 2027 recruit.

Hugh Freeze is likely one of the next coaches on the chopping block, and like Napier’s was for a considerable amount of time, Freeze’s seat is as hot as it’s ever been during his time at Auburn.

If coaching stability is a deal-breaker for Roberts in his criteria for electing a school, Auburn may face an uphill battle.

Most, if not all, of the fanbase wants Freeze gone, and the discontent with him worsened after the Tigers’ recent 23-17 gut-wrenching loss to Missouri in double overtime. As Freeze himself said in the postgame press conference, Auburn simply cannot figure out ways to win games, and it’s been extremely evident in the last four games.

After two and a half seasons on the Plains, Freeze boasts a 14-18 overall record as head coach, including a 5-15 record in SEC games. He is also 1-12 against ranked opponents, with the lone win coming last November over Texas A&M in four overtimes.

Furthermore, Freeze is just the third head coach in Auburn football history to have a losing record on his home turf, as he is currently 9-10 inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

And it’s not due to a depleted roster or lack of talent, which is the most frustrating part for fans. Auburn has the pieces necessary to compete with the teams it has lost to in the last month, but inconsistent play-calling and lack of execution have haunted the Tigers, particularly in late-game situations.

Overall, the Tigers find themsevles in a challenging position as a program. The uncertainty of Freeze’s future at Auburn is definitely a main area of concern for recruits, but if it can’t even find success with the talent it currently has, what purpose does good recruiting serve?

As of right now, Auburn has just one commitment in its 2027 class: four-star safety Jaylen Scott. However, if Roberts were to elect the Tigers further down the road, he would be the second-highest-rated recruit of the class and could provide a spark for Freeze and company in an attempt to build for the future.