It's decision day for one of the top players in the state of Alabama. 4-star edge rusher Jaquez Wilkes, a priority target for the Auburn football program, is set to announce his commitment decision this afternoon.
From Wadley, Alabama, under an hour away from Auburn's campus, Wilkes is ranked as the No. 90 overall player and the No. 11 edge rusher in the recruiting class of 2026. He is the No. 6 recruit out of his home state, and keeping him there will be a big goal for head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff.
Wilkes is set to announce his commitment in his high school gym this afternoon and will choose between his top five schools, which are Auburn, Alabama, Texas A&M, Miami and Florida State. Going into decision day, Auburn football seems to be the favorite, and Wilkes has one 247 Sports Crystal Ball projection to become a Tiger. He took official visits to only two schools— Auburn and Texas A&M.
After missing out on a few recruiting targets and losing a couple of commits over the past few weeks, landing Wilkes could give the Tigers some upward momentum, which they badly need. He would be the second in-state player to choose Auburn so far.
Wilkes would be the second edge to commit from the class of 2026 after 4-star Hezekiah Harris. The Tigers' recruiting class of 2026 is currently made up of 10 commits and is ranked No. 75 overall and No. 15 in the SEC, just ahead of Missouri.