Auburn Falls Short in Pursuit of Top 2027 Athlete Tae Walden Jr.
Auburn’s recent recruiting momentum hit a small bump on Wednesday as four-star athlete Tae Walden Jr. announced his commitment to Oregon, choosing the Ducks over Auburn, LSU, Georgia, and Ole Miss.
Walden, a standout from Collierville, Tennessee, is regarded as one of the nation’s premier prospects in the 2027 class. He is ranked as the No. 4 athlete nationally and the No. 3 overall player in Tennessee, making him one of Auburn’s top recruiting targets.
The Tigers remained firmly in the mix throughout his recruitment, particularly after Walden changed his visit plans in May to spend more time with Auburn’s coaching staff. Despite that interest, Oregon had been viewed as the favorite for much of the process, and the Ducks ultimately secured his commitment.
Auburn supporters hoped the Tigers could pull off another recruiting surprise after head coach Alex Golesh and his staff recently landed several high-profile prospects, including Deshawn Hall. This time, however, the comeback effort fell short.
Even with Walden choosing another program, Auburn’s 2027 recruiting class remains in excellent shape. Earlier in the day, four-star defensive lineman Marquis Evans committed to the Tigers, adding another blue-chip prospect to an already impressive group.
Following Evans’ pledge, Auburn’s 2027 class climbed back to No. 9 nationally after briefly sitting at No. 10 as other programs added commitments during the recruiting cycle.
The Tigers have already assembled one of the nation’s most balanced classes, with commitments spread across nearly every position. Their group includes a quarterback, three wide receivers, two running backs, four offensive linemen, a tight end, two defensive linemen, three edge rushers, two linebackers, four safeties, two cornerbacks, and a five-star kicker.
Evans’ commitment also appears to lessen Auburn’s need to continue pursuing four-star defensive lineman Karlos May, who has recently emerged as a strong Ohio State lean after previously being linked closely with the Tigers.
Although missing out on Walden is a disappointment given his talent and Auburn’s strong push, it does little to diminish what has been an outstanding recruiting stretch. With one of the country’s top-ranked 2027 classes already in place, the Tigers remain well positioned to continue building one of the nation’s premier recruiting groups under Alex Golesh and his staff.
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