Former Alabama commit, 4-star ATH Derick Smith, has flipped to Auburn football
After a massively successful Big Cat Weekend, the good news keeps rolling in for the Auburn football program. The Tigers added a trio of commits to their recruiting class of 2026, and the commits from the class of 2025 keep coming.
4-star ATH Derick Smith, an Alabama commit since early March, made his way to the Plains for Big Cat Weekend on Saturday, and notably skipped the Tide's cookout event the following Sunday. The writing seemed to be on the wall, and the big news broke late on Monday morning.
BREAKING: Four-Star ATH Derick Smith has Flipped his Commitment from Alabama to Auburn, he tells me for @On3Recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 29, 2024
The 6’1 185 ATH from Selma, AL had been Committed to the Crimson Tide since March
Ranked as the No. 2 ATH in ‘25 (per On3)https://t.co/nPpMmJrvHe pic.twitter.com/kQ2x0CQLva
From Selma, Alabama, Smith is ranked as the #2 ATH in the recruiting class of 2025 and is the #3 prospect out of the state. Smith committed to the Tide as a defensive back, but has the ability to play on both sides of the ball. Both wide receivers coach Marcus Davis and safeties coach Charles Kelly have been involved in Smith's recruitment to the Plains and have told the ATH he could play either position. The Tigers are hoping Smith will choose to play wide receiver, though.
“But they really want me at wide receiver,” he said, per Auburn Live, which is fine with Smith. “I love Coach (Hugh) Freeze and how he develops good receivers in the NFL. He said he can develop me to be next.”
Smith is the second Alabama commit to flip to Auburn football this weekend after 4-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman, who flipped between the in-state rivals multiple times throughout his recruitment before finally settling on Auburn football.
The Tigers' recruiting class of 2025 now holds 20 commits and is ranked #7 overall. Smith is classified as a wide receiver on Auburn's roster and is the fourth most highly-ranked commit.