When Alex Golesh was hired as the new Auburn head football coach, the word “retention” was thrown around quite a bit. A lot of experts were claiming Auburn needed to keep together a roster that had lost seven games for two consecutive seasons. While that could have been a goal for Golesh and his staff, Auburn lost a large number of players due to transfers.
Then, Golesh was tasked with not necessarily rebuilding the roster, but retooling what Auburn would look like in 2026. The Auburn coaching staff did a good job of adding talent with high school recruiting and the transfer portal. ESPN ranks the group of Auburn newcomers at No. 18 in college football. ESPN ranks wide receiver Brady Marchese and linebacker Jaquez Wilkes as their top high school recruits. They believe Marchese could play a role for Auburn during his freshman season, and Wilkes was one of the top prospects in Alabama as a four-star player. He was rated as the No. 6 player in the state and nationally ranked as the No. 5 linebacker in the country.
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Due to the players who exited the program through the transfer portal, Auburn had to add talent that could make an impact. Golesh brought in several players from South Florida, including top transfer portal quarterback Byrum Brown. The addition of Brown gives the Tigers instant credibility at the most important position on the field. Auburn also added Baylor running back Bryson Washington. The ESPN article heaped praise on cornerback Andre Jordan. In 28 games for UCLA in had 57 tackles over three seasons.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football lands in ESPN’s top 25 newcomer rankings
