Could Auburn football steal Georgia OL commit Ryqueze McElderry?

The Auburn football coaching staff has been recruiting like crazy in the weeks leading up to National Signing Day on February second. With only one offensive lineman signed to the recruiting class of 2022 and nearly the whole offensive line returning for another season on the Plains, the Tigers seem to have turned their OL recruiting hopes to the class of 2023.

Auburn football received its first and only commitment so far for the recruiting class of 2023 from Bradyn Joiner, an interior offensive lineman out of Auburn High School. The 4-star is currently ranked as the #14 IOL in the class of ’23 and the #16 prospect out of the state of Alabama.

However, the Tigers’ coaching staff is already looking to add to the offensive ranks of next year’s class with Georgia Bulldogs commit Ryqueze McElderry. Auburn offered McElderry on January 26 after offensive line coach Will Friend visited the lineman’s school, Anniston High, in upstate Alabama.

On3 Sports’ Jeffrey Lee reports that McElderry plans to visit the Plains this Saturday for the Tigers’ Junior Day, which will be his second visit after he was present for the Iron Bowl in November. Though McElderry told Lee he was “locked-in” with Georgia, the IOL is still taking visits and looking at other programs.

Aside from Georgia, the Tigers’ biggest competition for the lineman could actually come from Nick Saban. The UA head coach has both visited and hosted the 3-star recruit, and McElderry told Bama Insider his family members are big fans of the Tide. McElderry’s high school teammate Antionio Kite committed to Alabama in December and has been consistently trying to pull McElderry away from the Dawgs.

Coach Will Friend is working to establish a strong relationship with the lineman, and if the Tigers can impress McElderry with Junior Day and the idea of early playtime, it’s possible the staff could flip the Georgia commit.