Auburn football: Decision coming soon for in-state linebacker

It’s a busy summer for the Auburn football program as they begin hosting camps, competitions, high schools, and recruits on campus.

Earlier this week, the Tigers hosted a 7-on-7 camp that brought Clay-Chalkville High School to the Plains, and in that group are several recruiting targets. 4-star WR Mario Craver, 5-star CB Jaylen Mbakwe, and 3-star LB DJ Barber were all on campus.

According to Auburn Rivals, a decision is coming soon for Barber, who is ranked as the #60 linebacker in the recruiting class of 2024 and is the #32 recruit out of the state of Alabama. He and his teammates are being recruited hard by head coach Hugh Freeze and the new staff, and Barber reports that the Tigers are at the top in his recruitment:

"“It’s always cool being around Coach Freeze, cause he’s just a cool, calm and relaxed guy,” Barber said. “Being up there on the balcony with him, it really just builds on top of that home experience that you feel here at Auburn, and knowing that you’re like a big family and something that you can be a part of.”"

Barber has a good relationship with the Tigers’ linebackers coach Josh Aldridge, and is already planning to get back on campus again before his visit for Big Cat Weekend at the end of July.

Though the LB stated that he would like to have his final decision by the end of the month, he will visit a number of other schools this summer and into the fall. Both Georgia Tech and Arkansas will receive official visits this month, and he plans to make his way to Texas A&M, Auburn, and Ole Miss for official visits during the 2023 season.

Though the signing period is a long way off, Barber is already getting a glimpse of what it would be like to play for Auburn football alongside some of his high school teammates, and it seems that the Tigers are in a good position to land the linebacker in their class of 2024.