Auburn Still Searching for 2026 Quarterback Amid Pressure on Freeze to Deliver
As the 2026 recruiting cycle rolls on, Auburn football still has a major gap to fill: they don’t have a quarterback committed. The Tigers currently have seven pledges in their 2026 class, but none at the most important position.
Earlier in the process, head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff had their sights set on 3-star QB Travis Burgess out of Georgia. However, Burgess committed to North Carolina last week, prompting Auburn to pivot to new targets. Now, the coaching staff appears focused on two 4-star quarterbacks.
Auburn Eyes Duckworth Over O’Neal in QB Race
One of those targets is Jaden O’Neal, an Oklahoma native and current Oklahoma Sooners commit. O’Neal is ranked the No. 14 quarterback nationally and the top prospect in Oklahoma for the 2026 class. The other—and seemingly preferred—option is Landon Duckworth, from Jackson, Alabama. Duckworth holds a higher national ranking and also brings the appeal of being an in-state player. He is ranked No. 6 among quarterbacks and No. 5 overall in Alabama, according to 247Sports.
As reported by Auburn Tigers on SI, Auburn is showing more interest in Duckworth due to his higher rankings and local ties:
“Comparing the two quarterbacks to each other, Duckworth is ranked higher by 247Sports. Nationally, Duckworth is 51st while O’Neal is ranked 204th… It should be no surprise why the Tigers are aiming a little more towards Duckworth, who also plays in Jackson, AL.”
Duckworth has the résumé to back up the hype. Last season, he passed for 3,439 yards and 39 touchdowns while also rushing for 648 yards and 12 more scores, leading his team to a state championship. He plans to visit Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida State, and Ole Miss before the end of June.
Hugh Freeze Under Pressure to Turn Talent Into Wins
Meanwhile, head coach Hugh Freeze is entering a critical third year at Auburn. Despite boosting the program’s talent level and significantly improving recruiting—landing back-to-back top 10 classes—Freeze has yet to deliver on the field. Auburn has finished with losing records in both of his first two seasons, and the team appeared to regress in 2024.
Many fans expressed concern earlier this month when Freeze remarked that making a bowl game was a key goal, seeing it as a low bar for a program like Auburn. When asked this week what would define success in 2025, Freeze gave a broad, non-committal answer:
“I don’t get into that,” he told The Montgomery Advertiser. “You never know—injuries, the way the ball bounces… But there should be improvement made in those critical situations that cost us some games last year.”
Freeze stressed the difficulty of competing in the SEC, noting that expectations can shift based on things like injuries and competition. However, the expectation from fans and stakeholders is clear: Auburn needs to be competitive in every game and show tangible progress.
With a new-look quarterback room, an influx of transfer talent, and the foundation of elite recruiting classes, the pressure is squarely on Freeze to translate offseason gains into on-field results. If not, his job security could continue to erode.
Auburn kicks off its 2025 campaign against the Baylor Bears on August 29.
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