Even as Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze clings to his job with everything he has left, the Tigers' leader has continued to push for some of the top recruits in the country, and it is still paying off.
Most recently, Freeze and the Tigers found themselves in the final three schools for a three-star edge rusher in the class of 2026: Chris Carbin.
Carbin, a prospect out of Georgia, only recently became a focus of Auburn's recruiting efforts since the program extended him an offer on Oct. 24 of this year. Despite the late entrance into his recruiting process, the Tigers found themselves within his final three schools.
Chris Carbin down to top 3 schools
Earlier this week, On3 recruiting expert Hayes Fawcett announced that Carbin had narrowed down his candidate pool to the Auburn Tigers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Florida State Seminoles.
As of now, On3 and Rivals have Carbin leaning toward his home-state team, giving the Yellow Jackets a 94.2 percent chance to land his commitment. However, the Tigers earning a spot in his final three schools less than a week after offering him is a great sign for Auburn.
So far, Freeze has landed 14 recruits from the class of 2026, including five-star safety Bralan Womack and five-star linebacker Jase Mathews. Currently, Auburn's upcoming class of prospects ranks 24th in the country and No. 11 in the SEC, a step back from the class of 2025.
Last recruiting cycle, Freeze was able to bring in the No. 8 class in the nation, headlined by five-star quarterback Deuce Knight, four-star defensive lineman Malik Autry, and four-star edge rusher Jared Smith, which led the Tigers to a fifth-place ranking in the SEC recruiting standings.
If Freeze can land a three-star prospect like Carbin, it could do wonders for Auburn's class of 2026 and could help the Tigers' head coach keep his job for at least another week or so.