CBS Sports Ranks Auburn Football Recruiting Top of 'Panic Index'

Things aren’t going well for Auburn football’s recruiting this offseason, and honestly, that’s an understatement. Head coach Hugh Freeze, whether through an unwavering confidence in his previously 5-7 team, or just as a coping mechanism, seems to be too preoccupied with his golf game to worry about recruiting– the very thing he promised Auburn.

It’s showing, too– CBS Sports ranks Auburn’s “Panic Index” at a four, the highest of any team at the current moment. CBS Sports’ Will Backus starts with the fact that Auburn’s recruiting is being compared to the likes of Oregon State, who currently have the same number of recruits as the Tigers.

Also, Freeze is staring down the barrel (or the fairway) of the loss of not one, but two four-star commits in the month of June, including a four-star receiver who “jumped ship for a Florida State team that went 2-10 last season,” despite constant reassurances that Auburn was the place for him.

Even Auburn’s current recruits seem to be losing interest, Backus notes, as Coach Freeze’s top commit, Hezekiah Harris, has been seen flirting with top programs like Tennessee and Florida.

So, what in the world is happening on the Plains?

It starts with the fact that the Tigers simply haven’t been winning. A 5-7 record in 2024 is great for the pitch of “come be the difference-maker,” but only if the coach is there to make the pitch– a losing team with a coach who doesn’t visibly care isn’t quite the top pick for elite recruits.

There is hope, though; the Falzone flip proves that Freeze may have just woken up to reality and is looking to make the difference he promised, but only time will tell.

Auburn's recruiting class of seven commits is currently ranked No. 81 in the country. Last season, Freeze and company finished with the No. 6 recruiting class in the country, bringing in multiple top players at their positions.

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