As the early signing period for the 2026 college football recruiting class looms just 26 days away, from December 3 to 5, programs across the country are scrambling to secure commitments amid coaching changes and late flips. The firing of Auburn coach Hugh Freeze on October 26 has put the Tigers' class under scrutiny, with top prospects like four-star safety Bralan Womack reconsidering their pledges, while powerhouses such as Texas, Ohio State, and Texas Tech push for key additions.
Auburn's recruiting class, currently teetering after Freeze's departure, has seen only one defection so far: three-star rusher Eric Perry, who flipped to Memphis. According to ESPN sources, the class is expected to hold steady in the short term under interim head coach D.J. Durkin, similar to how Florida and LSU managed after their own coaching shakeups this fall. However, with a new coaching search underway, uncertainty hangs over the group, particularly at the top.
Womack, ranked as the third-best safety and No. 39 overall in the ESPN 300, had his commitment closely tied to Freeze, sources told ESPN. Now, he's exploring options, with Texas A&M emerging as the primary threat. The Aggies were runners-up when Womack committed to Auburn in August, and he attended their upset win over LSU in Baton Rouge on October 25. Womack is scheduled to visit Texas A&M on November 15, while Ohio State, Florida, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State could also get involved.
Defensive questions abound for Auburn, especially with linebackers Adam Balogoun-Ali, Shadarius Toodle, and Jaquez Wilkes—all top prospects—committed to Durkin, whose future is unclear. Balogoun-Ali told ESPN that Missouri has been in touch a lot, with Georgia and Notre Dame also showing late interest. Toodle, who briefly flipped to Georgia before returning to Auburn on October 14, may see renewed pursuit from the Bulldogs.
Quarterback Peyton Falzone, the No. 7 dual-threat signal-caller who flipped from Penn State in June, is reevaluating his commitment.
I’m navigating this process day-by-day,Falzone told ESPN. Wide receiver Jase Matthews, No. 258 overall, hinted at potential movement, saying to ESPN,
Don't be surprised if I'm on the road when the Tigers are not playing at Jordan-Hare.Matthews has drawn interest from LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M.
Shifting to Texas, coach Steve Sarkisian is bolstering the nation's fifth-ranked class with late targets like offensive tackle Brysten Martinez from LSU and defensive end Jamarion Carlton from Baylor. Both visited Austin for the Longhorns' 34-31 win over Vanderbilt last weekend. Martinez, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound lineman from Gonzales, Louisiana, and ESPN's No. 84 overall prospect, has been committed to LSU since February but is now set for an official visit to Texas on November 22 during the Arkansas game.
According to Martinez's mother, the Texas visit made a strong impression. He remains in contact with Oklahoma and Tennessee but has no other trips planned, positioning Texas to add him alongside commits John Turntine III (No. 47 overall) and Max Wright (No. 39 offensive tackle). For Carlton, No. 96 overall from Temple, Texas, the Longhorns were second when he picked Baylor in July, but ongoing contact from coaches LaAllan Clark and Pete Kwiatkowski, amid Baylor's uncertainty, keeps Texas in play.
Four-star defensive end Jordan Carter, No. 57 overall, decommitted from Texas A&M on November 1, becoming the top uncommitted prospect at his position. Sources expect him to focus on Auburn, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Texas, prioritizing development and playing time. Carter has visited Auburn and Tennessee unofficially, with officials set for Tennessee on November 15, Georgia Tech on November 22, and Auburn for the Iron Bowl against Alabama on November 29. A Texas visit is still being finalized.
The defensive tackle market is intensifying, with top uncommitted prospects like Danny Beale (No. 108 overall), Dylan Berymon (No. 206), and Emanuel Ruffin (No. 30 at DT) drawing attention. Beale, a 6-foot-4, 300-pounder from Cherry Valley, Arkansas, decommitted from Oklahoma State on October 15. Missouri, North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Arkansas are in the mix, with Missouri and Ole Miss seen as frontrunners by ESPN sources.
Berymon decommitted from Texas on Wednesday after five months, opening doors for Mississippi State, USC, LSU, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Purdue, and Texas Tech. Ruffin, from Bessemer, Alabama, left Colorado on Tuesday, with Missouri prominent after a recent visit, but Ohio State now leads, per sources, thanks to assistants Larry Johnson and Miguel Patrick.
Ohio State, with the No. 9 class, recently flipped cornerback Jay Timmons from Florida State and offensive guard Mason Wilhelm from North Carolina. Sources believe Ruffin could be next, with three-star defensive end J.J. Finch from Alabama visiting later this month. Offensive tackle Kevin Brown (No. 78 overall), committed to Penn State, visited Ohio State in Week 10 and has West Virginia as a contender, while Penn State's coaching search looms large.
The Buckeyes also eye three-star quarterback Legend Bey from Tennessee, projecting him as a skill position player, with sources expecting a flip over Texas A&M. Elsewhere, Florida commit Kevin Ford Jr. (No. 158 overall), a versatile edge from Duncanville, Texas, is visiting Texas Tech on Saturday for their game against No. 7 BYU at noon ET on ABC. Ford, still pledged to the Gators post-Billy Napier's October 19 firing, has contact with Clemson, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and USC, including two A&M visits and a USC trip later this month.
Texas Tech, with five-star outside linebacker LaDamion Guyton (No. 13 overall) already committed, could add Ford to bolster their defense. Penn State commit Matt Sieg (No. 162 overall), the No. 14 safety from McDonald, Pennsylvania, is visiting Notre Dame on Saturday for their game against Navy. Sieg, reevaluating after James Franklin's October 12 firing, has seen Indiana and Pitt, with West Virginia next. Notre Dame, which offered late, could pair him with fellow Pennsylvanian Joey O'Brien (No. 63 overall).
Michigan State commit Samson Gash (No. 57 wide receiver), son of former NFL fullback Sam Gash, visits No. 4 Alabama on Saturday for their 7:30 p.m. ET matchup with LSU on ABC. Committed since June, Gash has fielded offers from Alabama and Wisconsin, with the Crimson Tide pushing hard to add him to a class featuring four-star Cederian Morgan (No. 36 overall).
With the early signing period approaching, these developments underscore the volatility of recruiting amid coaching carousels. Programs like Auburn face potential erosion, while Texas and Ohio State capitalize on momentum. As visits continue through November, the shape of the 2026 classes could shift dramatically, impacting on-field futures for years to come.