After UGA LB flip, ‘might not be long’ before Auburn lands ‘biggest’ recruiting target

After flipping Demarcus Riddick from Georgia to the Plains, it “might not be long” before the Auburn football program lands its biggest target, current Alabama commit Perry Thompson out of Foley, according to Auburn Daily’s Jack Singley.

“The next commitment might not be long as what many view to be the biggest target for Auburn, Perry Thompson,” Singley prefaced before saying, “Thompson commits on the 29th, and like Riddick would be a five-star addition to the 2024 class.”

Thompson could be Hugh Freeze’s defining achievement of Big Cat Weekend 2023, the coach’s first at the helm of the Tigers. Flipping the first UGA commit to AU since 2015 could be the 1 in a 1-2 punch that concludes with stealing the state’s No. 1 offensive player in 2024 right from Nick Saban.

Demarcus Riddick’s high school coach: Auburn football getting someone who can enhance the program

Marvin Morton, the head coach at Chilton County High School, spoke highly of Riddick following the linebacker’s decision to re-route to AU — claiming that Riddick is a player who can “enhance the program” however long he’s there.

“They will getting a guy that’s a high character kid, he works hard,” Morton said (h/t AL.com). “They’ll be getting a kid that I believe is going to enhance the program from a game standpoint, but also in the locker room standpoint as well. He brings that positive energy into the locker rooms. I mean, he’s doing that right now with my current team. And, you know, he’s a big culture guy too.”

As the first five-star high school commit in the Freeze era, Riddick has already enhanced the Tigers’ recruiting pitch to guys the coaching staff wants to see at games this fall. If Thompson joins him, there will be top-down excitement across the football program that will keep the team, the support staff, and the fanbase’s optimism sky-high by Week 1.