Hugh Freeze's Auburn reportedly seeks first 2026 D-Line prospect in three-star Rutgers commit

Auburn has yet to secure a defensive line commitment for the 2026 class with Hugh Freeze and his staff scouting talent to fill that gap. One of their latest targets is Tavian Branch, a three-star defensive lineman from Riverside High School in Taylor, Pennsylvania, who is committed to Rutgers.

Auburn’s defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams offered Branch a scholarship on Saturday. The prospect shared the news on X:

"I received an offer from Auburn University @CoachKingWill."

Branch has climbed in the Rivals Industry Rankings, moving from No. 61 to No. 58 among defensive tackles in the 2026 class. He committed to Rutgers in June, choosing the Scarlet Knights over Oklahoma, Penn State, Notre Dame, Alabama and Florida.

“The biggest thing about Rutgers is their consistency," Branch told On3 following his commitment. "They stayed consistent with me from the beginning. Rutgers made me feel wanted.

“Rutgers is a program on the rise, they have great coaches and it is a place I will have a chance to lay early at. I think it is a great fit for me.”

Branch initially stated his recruitment was "shut down" after committing. If Freeze and his staff remain persistent, the Tigers may still have a shot at flipping him.

Auburn also offered Texas A&M commit Kaeden Johnson last week

Last week, Auburn sent an offer to four-star athlete Kaeden Johnson, who has been committed to Texas A&M since June 14. The Texas native from Fort Bend Marshall in Missouri City is a legacy prospect, as his father, Spencer Johnson, played for the Tigers in the 2000s before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

Kaeden shared the offer news on X:

"#AGTG Blessed to receive a D1 offer from my dad’s Alma Mater, Auburn University!"

Standing at 6'5" and weighing 230 pounds, Johnson combines athleticism and quickness with a physical playing style. He is the No. 18 athlete in the 2026 class and the No. 57 recruit in Texas, according to On3.

Kaeden Johnson plays quarterback for his high school and Auburn has no quarterback commit in the 2026 class, making him a priority piece.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash