Assessing Auburn’s Progress in Class of 2023
BY HARRISON TARR
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN ––
The Auburn University football program has seen a multitude of highs and lows over the course of the past year; a season of promise seemingly crashed and burned following the injury to starting quarterback Bo Nix, rumors swirled regarding first-year head coach Bryan Harsin and personnel turnover has been the only constant.
Since the drama began to die down surrounding the program, Harsin and company have been able to go to work on preparing for the upcoming campaign and — more importantly — building for the future. That future begins with the precise assembly of commitments from the class of 2023.
As it stands, the Tigers have received just four commitments in this year’s recruiting cycle, placing them at No. 68 in Division I, per 247 Sports. With that being said, there is a long time between now and the early signing period; very few expect Auburn to pull a recruiting class ranked outside of the top-25.
For now, the orange and blue need to concentrate on assembling the right pieces.
Despite speculation surrounding Auburn’s ability to win games in 2022, most agree that the team’s strong point lies on the defensive side of the ball; Owen Pappoe and Nehamiah Pritchett will return for their senior seasons, Jaylin Simpson will likely round out the cornerback position and the majority of the remaining Tiger secondary has more than one year of eligibility.
With a solid returning core behind the front, Harsin and company will likely look to add two or three linebackers for future depth; Jaiden Ausberry remains at the top of the itinerary. The four-star Baton Rouge native could be a make-or-break for the 2023 defensive class.
When it comes to the defensive line, the orange and blue has its work cut out for it. As it stands, Auburn has no commits at the position and has yet to show a definitive game plan for filling future holes. Three-star Joshua Horton has remained among the Tigers’ list of targets; other names have been listed as on and off the list periodically.
There are currently more question marks than clear answers on the offensive side of the ball; the receiving core is certainly the biggest unknown of them all. With the likes of Shedrick Jackson, Ja’Varrius Johnson and Ze’Vian Capers all set to depart after this season, there are plenty of snaps for younger players to earn.
Granted, Auburn did acquire both Dazalin Worsham (Miami) and Koy Moore (LSU) through the transfer portal and earned a commitment from Central-Phenix City’s Karmello English, relieving some stress to build for the future. Another addition may prove beneficial.
More important than just filling up a receiving room, Auburn is making strides to set itself up for success at the tight end position. After adding Micha Riley-Ducker from Bellevue West in the 2022 class, all attention turned towards earning the commitment of four-star Jelani Thurman. According to many, Thurman has — and continues to be — the Tigers’ first-choice in the TE department and have set themselves up to land a commitment from the Langston Hughes standout.
As for the current state of the offensive line, Auburn has earned just one commitment: Auburn High School’s Bradyn Joiner. Beyond that, the orange and blue are in desperate need of help in protecting their backfield. Look for an increased presence in this department both at the high school level as well as the transfer portal.
In the midst of the recruiting dead-period, Harsin and his staff have the opportunity to reevaluate where they believe they stand in terms of the class of 2023. As mentioned already, there is a wealth of time between now and the beginning of a signing period which may prove crucial to the second-year coach’s success at Auburn.