The Auburn Tigers made the headlines this week once they lastly have been capable of flip excessive four-star quarterback Deuce Knight from the Notre Dame Combating Irish, getting the headliner of their 2025 recruiting class nicely earlier than Nationwide Signing Day.
This transfer had been flirted round for some time, however Knight lastly shut down the rumors with the announcement that he had flipped to Auburn, offering the Tigers with their lone quarterback within the Class of 2025.
Knight now could be on the forefront of a Prime 3 class within the cycle, with the Tigers trying to push for the general No. 1 class in 2025 with plenty of main recruitments nonetheless open.
How did we get right here and what sort of participant is the four-star quarterback?
Knight’s recruitment
Boasting 25 scholarship gives, Knight initially bought a suggestion from Auburn again in January of 2023 and Notre Dame again in March of 2023 in the course of the time when his recruitment actually began to take off.
Forward of his junior season, each faculties gave the impression to be part of the main target for the four-star quarterback, as he took a late summer season go to to Notre Dame earlier than finally pledging to the Combating Irish in September of 2023.
Knight supplied Notre Dame with an elite quarterback commit within the 2025 class after they landed four-star C.J. Carr within the 2024 class, cementing the long run on the place.
However, the Auburn buzz by no means died down and Knight didn’t draw back from his connection to the varsity, because the quarterback took a number of unofficial visits to Auburn to begin the season earlier than lastly taking an official go to with the Tigers final weekend.
Shortly after, the four-star pulled the set off on his choice, de-committing from Notre Dame and verbally committing to Auburn in an enormous recruiting win for head coach Hugh Freeze.
What sort of participant is Deuce Knight?
Knight has been one of many extra heralded quarterback recruits within the Class of 2025, incomes a consensus excessive four-star star standing from plenty of recruiting websites.
Knight is likely one of the high dual-threat choices within the nation, standing at 6’5”, 205 kilos, whereas being able to take off along with his toes on any given play. A left-handed quarterback, Knight is an elite athlete, which supplies him a excessive ceiling if he can proceed rising into his bodily body, whereas refining his expertise as a quarterback.
The George County quarterback began the season off nicely, having an environment friendly efficiency in a blowout win over East Central earlier than tossing for 5 touchdowns in Week 2. Whereas a current harm has hampered him, he’s proven flashes of the potential that has made him such a excessive recruit already in 2024.
He’s coming off a 2023 season the place he threw for two,047 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions via the air, whereas additionally contributing almost 500 yards and 11 touchdowns on the bottom.
What’s subsequent for Auburn?
Knight’s dedication is a significant recruiting win for Hugh Freeze’s workers, as they’ve locked up a high participant at an important place in soccer.
At the moment holding the No. 3 class within the nation, Auburn isn’t near performed, and wish to flip plenty of gamers or rise to the highest with some open commitments.
A reputation that has been floated out there may be fellow Mississippi recruit five-star vast receiver Caleb Cunningham, who’s seen as the highest participant within the state, and is at present dedicated to Alabama.
However, Auburn has different targets on their board as nicely, with five-star offensive lineman Andrew Babalola remaining as one of many high uncommitted recruits within the class, and the Tigers appear to be firmly within the combine there, with Knight’s dedication possible serving to their efforts to land a few of these high gamers.
4-star operating again Ousmane Kromah’s choice will come this weekend, with the Tigers being a finalist there as nicely looking for one other again for his or her 2025 class.
Total, regardless of their present report, Auburn is primed for fulfillment sooner or later, with their 2025 class doubtlessly main the cost, because of a giant dedication from Deuce Knight.
