One of the top defensive linemen in the 2026 recruiting class is officially on flip watch.
Corey Wells, the 4-star defensive lineman out of Petal HS in Petal, Miss., is currently committed to Texas, but he will be back in Auburn this weekend visiting Hugh Freeze and his staff as the Tigers take on Ball State.
“They’ve been recruiting me and my brother (Chris Wells) hard — every day,” Wells told Rivals. “It really picked back up after I committed. Auburn has stayed on me.”
247Sports has the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Wells as the 27th best defensive linemen in the 2026 class. His brother, Chris Wells, is a 6-foot-3 EDGE who is a 3-star recruit and currently committed to South Alabama. Auburn defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams has been key in keeping these two interested in the Auburn program.
“Our relationship is good," Corey Wells said. "He was one of the first coaches I really talked to and met with when I started getting recruited. He came to my school, got to know me, and he’s always kept it real. Coach Vontrell always asks about my family, and he reminds me that I’m still at the top of his board.”
From 247Sports' scouting report on Corey Wells:
"3-4 defensive lineman primarily positioned as a nose tackle that wins with brute force and above average play strength at the point of attack. Hovering around 6-foot-5 and 300-pounds, the Mississippi native utilizes his size, length and power exceptionally well, outleveraging opposing offensive linemen consistently off the line of scrimmage. Still somewhat raw in his movement skills, Wells will more than likely need a year or two to develop from a technical standpoint to maximize his potential as a staunch run defender that can continously take on and defeat double teams. A better athlete than given credit for off the hoof, the Petal High School standout projects as a high level impact starter at the Power Four level that will more than likely need a year or two of coaching before adding significant value at the collegiate level."
Auburn has two straight home games in Jordan-Hare Stadium before returning on the road to start SEC play at Oklahoma.