Recruiting recap: Auburn football adds tight end, misses on safety

Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. (15) defends Auburn Tigers tight end Micah Riley (84) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. (15) defends Auburn Tigers tight end Micah Riley (84) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It was a mixed bag for Auburn football recruiting over the holiday weekend.

On July 4, the Tigers added another player to their recruiting class of 2026. 3-star tight end Kentrell White chose Auburn football over Virginia Tech and announced his decision on Friday.

"It's Auburn because if I want to go big I need to play at a big school where I can make big plays at Auburn," White said, per Auburn Undercover. "I'm very close with all the coaches. It's close to home and I'm home. I'm excited to just build a bond with the boys on the team and hopefully win a championship."

From Atlanta, Georgia, White is ranked as the No. 63 tight end in the class of 2026 and is the No. 123 recruit out of the Peach State. He officially visited Virginia Tech this summer but took several trips to the Plains throughout the spring. He is the seventh commit in the Tigers' 2026 recruiting class.

The news was not so good the next day when 5-star safety Jireh Edwards announced his commitment to Alabama. The 5-star safety from Baltimore, Maryland, was a top target for head coach Hugh Freeze and the Tigers, especially after having recruited multiple players from Edwards' high school in the previous year's recruiting class. However, Edwards told 247 Sports he grew up an Alabama fan and always knew it was the school he would end up choosing.

At the beginning of July, the Auburn football recruiting class of 2026 contains seven commits and is ranked No. 86 overall.