Auburn Tigers football coach Hugh Freeze added Jovon Hubbard, whom he worked with in Lynchburg, Virginia, for the Liberty Flames, to his recruiting staff as assistant general manager under GM Will Redmond.
But the Oxford, Mississippi, native isn't done yet.
According to Footballscoop's John Brice, Freeze and Co. have a "notable NFL executive" on their radar to follow up the Hubbard hire.
"The impending addition of Hubbard is a strong hire for Auburn, which has been scrutinized for its current very deliberate pace on the recruiting trail; the Tigers have 11 current commitments, according to 247Sports and including their highest-rated pledge, Jaquez Wilkes, who joined the class Monday. Four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone also committed less than a month ago, signaling some momentum on the trail for the program," Brice wrote.
"Additionally, in recent days, multiple sources told FootballScoop that Auburn isn't done bolstering its personnel, recruiting and scouting staff; the Tigers have had in-depth conversations with a notable NFL executive this month, FootballScoop has learned."
Freeze's urgency just ahead of August makes sense. On August 1, new NIL regulations will be rolled out, and college football will fundamentally change. Again. Finding the best minds to navigate this minefield is crucial. Especially since he'll have the kind of institutional backing lacking at other SEC schools like Kentucky, which are prioritizing basketball.
He also needs to do everything right off the field to keep his job. Two straight losing seasons and a stated public goal of merely reaching a bowl game have many in the Auburn family fed up with his empty platitudes about progress and culture.
We'll see what NFL executive name pops out of the hat soon, assuming Freeze gets his man. Continuing to bring in fresh minds, especially when the current group's progress is stalled, is the best way to shake things up.