’25 ESPN 300 DE Smith commits to Freeze, Auburn

Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff WriterAug 3, 2024,

08:35 PM ET Close

Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.Auburn continued the nation’s hottest recruiting streak Saturday night with a pledge from four-star in-state defensive end Jared Smith, No. 28 in the 2025 ESPN 300. Smith, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound edge rusher from Alabaster, Alabama, marks the Tigers’8th commitment across the 2025 and 2026 class because the start of the program’s Huge Cat Weekend on July 27. He chooses Auburn over finalists South Carolina, Ole Miss, Georgia, Florida State and USC, and lands with the Tigers as the second-ranked member of Hugh Freeze’s incoming class behind four-star cornerback Blake Woodby, No. 22 in the 2025 ESPN 300. Smith told ESPN that his list of finalists was narrowed to Auburn, Ole Miss and South Carolina heading into Saturday’s commitment. Picking from a list of top programs, Smith pointed to proximity to home and the energy of the Tigers’on-campus recruiting occasion last weekend among the pulls that protected his promise to Auburn. “It was cool seeing all the guys commit,”Smith said.”Seeing all those guys having fun. Speaking with players. It was actually cool. Just having that energy which culture– it’s what actually stood apart to me. “With his promise, Smith becomes the fifth addition in the previous seven days to the country’s 14th-ranked recruiting class, per ESPN.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Woodby, the third-ranked cornerback in the 2025 class, provided his pledge to the Tigers on his check out to Auburn last weekend. The Tigers followed Woodby’s dedication by flipping a set of Alabama commits, securing dedications from previous Crimson Tide promises Derick Smith and Antonio Coleman. On Monday, Auburn landed a promise from four-star security Anquon Fegans(No. 36 in the ESPN), Smith’s teammate at Alabaster’s Thompson High School.Upon Smith’s announcement Saturday night, Auburn is now as much as 13 ESPN 300 dedicates in the 2025 cycle.The Tigers’recent momentum has likewise reached the 2026 class as three 2026 potential customers offered their promises to the program last weekend, headlined by four-star defensive end Hezekiah Harris (No. 51 in the ESPN Junior 300)together with outdoors linebacker JaMichael Garrett(No. 123)and inside linebacker Shadarius Toodle(No. 150). Smith started his high school career at Spain High School in Hoover, Alabama, before moving to Thompson last fall. He carries elite length and quickness off the edge, and Smith sets his sights on Auburn encouraged by the vision set out by Tigers protective

organizer D.J. Durkin and protective edge coach Josh Aldridge. “They see me as a true pass rusher,”Smith said. “Initially, second and 3rd down. I’m going to be that guy.”With Smith’s promise, Auburn is now as much as six top-100 commitments in 2025, including 5 on defense between Woodby, Smith, Fegans, safety Eric Winters(No. 85 in the ESPN 300)and defensive

take on Jourdin Crawford( No. 91 ), climbing fast as the hottest program on the recruiting trail in the 2025 cycle.