Hugh Freeze Makes Concerning Admission on Auburn's NIL Budget
It has not been a good week to be an Auburn Tigers fan.
On Wednesday, five-star recruits Earnest Rankins and Cederian Morgan committed to the Florida State Seminoles and the Alabama Crimson Tide, respectively, with each prospect having Auburn on their shortlist heading into the week.
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Auburn is not only struggling to land commitments, but they are also failing to keep those who had previously pledged their allegiance to The Plains. With 2026 four-stars Denarius Gray and Shadarius Toodle denouncing their commitments from Auburn in the past week, the Tigers are now ranked 89th regarding the 2026 recruiting class, per 247Sports.
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze.© Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK
Auburn houses just six hard commits, highlighted by four-star edge rusher Hezekiah Harris and four-star quarterback and former Penn State Nittany Lions commit Peyton Falzone.
For head coach Hugh Freeze, who finds himself in the crosshairs of fans after the program's latest setbacks, he believes the NIL era is to blame. According to Justin Hokanson of On3, Freeze says Auburn is "really low" on NIL funds compared to other top programs that are in play for their recruits.
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Freeze also emphasized that his staff continues to operate under the rules and guidelines presented by the NCAA and Congress, which he feels other teams may not be as law-abiding. Nevertheless, Freeze has a belief in the program's direction, with a top-ten recruiting class in 2026 not out of the picture.
Auburn AD John Cohen hints that August 1 — the first day players can sign NIL deals — as a chance for the Tigers to flip recruits.
Related: Auburn Lands Former 5-Star Recruit Out of Transfer Portal
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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