Auburn football rumors: NYC-based 4-star DE likely choosing Tigers

Nick Eason has been hard at work making sure his DL is a position of strength in Derek Mason’s defense and it seems likely to pay off as the Auburn football defensive line is looking like it will get a huge boost for the Class of 2022.

Queens-based product Kaleb Artis, a high school senior-to-be at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, New York, is looking likely to land with the Tigers according to recent reports.

Artis is being heavily pursued by regionally relevant schools like Boston College, Rutgers, and Penn State, but it looks like the allure of the SEC and the south could be too great for Artis to ignore.

According to Jake “Jboy” Crain, Artis is poised to pick the Plains as the potential launching pad to one day playing professionally:

The DL has added Marcus Harris out of Kansas, Tony Fair from UAB, and Northwestern’s Eku Leota so far through the transfer portal this season, while the Class of 2022 has seen 43 separate offers sent out.

So far, five 5-star DL recruits have been offered by the program for 2022. Only one has made their decision, though, with Mykel Williams out of nearby Columbus, Georgia choosing USC. 22 offers have been sent out to 4-star recruits.

Artis is the #80-ranked recruit at his position and the #4-ranked recruit in the state of NY for the Class of 2022. While his level of competition is not as high as recruits the Auburn football staff typically recruits, he has overcome serious pitfalls after having his junior season severely compromised due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If Artis is indeed migrating south, Fly War Eagle welcomes the six-foot-four, 290-lb Yankee to the Plains!