The state of Alabama's No. 1 overall recruit from the class of 2025, Parker's Na'eem Offord, will see his recruitment decision come down to Oregon, Ohio State, and Auburn football "at the last minute." According to his father, it's a three-horse race between the Ducks, Buckeyes, and Tigers.
Offord represents one of two players ranked in the top 10 in the state of Alabama who hasn't yet committed or flipped to Hugh Freeze's program. Certainly, the corner's commitment could influence EDGE Zion Grady, a star at Enterprise, to consider making it a perfect 10/10 for Freeze in the state for next year.
Tiger fans have to like the idea of this coming down to the last minute. Where there's hesitancy, the easiest solution is the path of least resistance. Joining teammate Jourdin Crawford on the team most people he knew growing up were fans of is the easiest decision. As nice as hiking the Cascade Mountains sounds, the state of Oregon, especially closer to the coast, is as far away from life in Birmingham as it can get. Ohio State has a proof of concept under Ryan Day, with three College Football Playoff appearances, but there's uncertainty surrounding whether or not the Buckeyes have been spending money on the right players. Nick Saban asked that question himself.
Auburn represents a chance to propel his home state's true home team to unforeseen heights and make Offord a hometown hero. That's worth more than getting lost in the shuffle in Eugene and Columbus.
Hugh Freeze can get biggest Auburn football recruiting win with Na'eem Offord
Offord has a crystal ball to Auburn, but nothing is settled yet. Until it is, this will be a war between Freeze and two of the richest programs in the country.
If Freeze can nab Offord, it'd be his crowning moment on the Plains. The more Offord continues to be indecisive, the better chance AU has of keeping him in-state.
It's a hard decision for the young man, but it really isn't.