The Auburn football program has had a lot of recruiting success since Big Cat Weekend. After securing a trio of 2026 commitments for next year, the 2025 commitments began to pour in, beginning with 4-star cornerback Blake Woodby. The Tigers persuaded two recruits to switch from in-state foe Alabama, wide receiver Derick Smith and defensive lineman Antonio Coleman, then a few days later, 4-star safety Anquon Fegans joined.
This weekend, 5-star edge rusher Jared Smith committed, adding to the positive news. Smith, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, attended Thompson High School and is currently teammates with recent AU commit Anquon Fegans.
Smith conducted a commitment ceremony in Birmingham on Saturday, and a banner stated that he will choose between USC, South Carolina, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, and Ole Miss. After proclaiming his commitment to Auburn football, the banner was flipped to reveal a photo of Smith as a small child happily holding up an Auburn hat while surrounded by family members dressed in Alabama colors, as shown in AL.com’s Ainslie Lee’s tweet:
Pictured: A young Jared Smith going against the grain.
Auburn soon. pic.twitter.com/kY3WdOo4gT
— Ainslie Lee (@ainslielee_) August 4, 2024
Auburn has always been home for Jared Smith.
“I’m an underdog,” Smith told AL.com. “Every time the Iron Bowl came up, everyone said Alabama was going to win, and I was like, ‘Nah, I’m going to go with Auburn.’ And then the Kick Six occurred. “It just started there.”
The Tigers had been the front-runner to sign Smith for some time, courtesy to the efforts of linebackers coach Josh Aldridge and head coach Hugh Freeze, and Smith’s visits to the Plains helped cement the deal.
“Man, it’s just the people,” Smith explained to Auburn Undercover. “Just the people, culture, and environment. I want to be a member of the best recruiting class right now. That’s about it.
Smith is regarded as the #2 edge in the 2025 recruiting class and the #2 recruit from the state of Alabama. Auburn football now has commitments from eight of the top ten athletes in the state, and its recruiting class for 2025 is ranked fifth overall. Smith officially becomes the highest-ranked player in the Tigers’ class, surpassing defensive lineman Malik Autry.
