Auburn named a finalist for top-five 2026 defensive lineman
Auburn football has had recent success in recruiting quality defensive linemen such as Malik Autry, Jourdin Crawford, Malik Blocton, and Keldric Faulk. Auburn is now in the mix to secure another one in the 2026 recruiting cycle following a top-five reveal.
Nolan Wilson, a four-star defensive lineman from Picayune, Mississippi, dropped his top-five schools this week, which included the Auburn Tigers. Auburn remains a heavy threat in Wilson's recruitment, joining Ole Miss, Florida, Miami, and Alabama.
'I was able to narrow it down based off of the relationships that I have with the coaches, the like I have for the school and how they said that they would develop me and use me,' Wilson said in a recent interview with On3.
Relationships are a key driver in Wilson's recruitment, and Auburn has two excellent tools to support this area. Auburn defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams has been a force in Auburn's recruitment recently, and it helps that Hugh Freeze landed one of Wilson's high school teammates during the 2024 cycle.
'The relationship that I have with Coach Vontrell King-Williams, my former teammate Jamonta Waller, the atmosphere of the Auburn games, and how they said they'd use me as well," Waller said of Auburn and the relationships he has built within the program.
The four-star defensive lineman has not set a commitment date yet, but will begin his official visit tour next week at Alabama. He will visit Auburn during the weekend of June 6 before rounding out June with visits to Ole Miss and Miami. Wilson is the No. 4 defensive lineman from the 2026 cycle according to On3's Industry Ranking, and is a top-five overall recruit from Mississippi by every major recruiting outlet.
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