Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin have been making a strong effort lately to secure defensive talent for the 2026 recruiting class. Although most prospects haven’t made their decisions yet, Auburn remains a serious contender for several top-tier recruits.
One of those is five-star safety Jireh Edwards from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who recently included the Tigers among his top five choices.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Jireh Edwards plays for St. Frances Academy in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and has already racked up 37 scholarship offers. His current top five schools include Auburn, Texas A&M, Oregon, Maryland, and Georgia.
Edwards recently took his first visit to Auburn, and it seems the trip left a positive impression on him.
“This is a real part of my decision,” Edwards said, according to Rivals’ Caleb Jones. “I would never think the guys like Blake Woodby, Bryce Deas, Durrell Robinson, Darion Smith would ever lead me wrong. So, that’s some good guys. I definitely look up to them.”
Edwards played alongside several of those mentioned during his time at St. Frances Academy and says he looks up to many of his former — and possibly future — teammates. That connection is a big reason why Auburn holds such a prominent spot on his list of top schools.
“[The Tigers are] at the top of my list, right there with Texas A&M, Oregon and Georgia,” Edwards said. “They do a really hard job. I can never sit over a school because the next day, Auburn will come text me and tell me some good stuff. Auburn will always have that love for me.”
Last season, Edwards was part of the nation’s top high school defenses with St. Frances. He had 92 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, six pass break ups and three forced fumbles. He played in the Under Armour All-America Game.
Leave a Reply