"Made an effort to connect with me on a deeper level": Three-star, 6'1 prospect speaks out on snubbing Hugh Freeze's Auburn for Michigan State

Auburn has taken a recruiting loss to Michigan State, as three-star cornerback TJ Umenyiora, who listed the Tigers among his top two choices, committed to the Spartans on Saturday. The Atlanta native visited MSU officially from June 6-8, following earlier visits to Northwestern on May 9, Mississippi State on May 29 and Auburn on June 10.

Hugh Freeze's program was seen as the frontrunner given Umenyiora's close proximity to campus and his family ties to the program. However, after a meaningful conversation with his family, Umenyiora opted for Michigan State.

"It was a very tough decision, but ultimately it came down to who was recruiting me the hardest, and what felt like home to me," Umenyiora told On3.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back was partly recruited to MSU by secondary coach Blue Adams.

“Coach Blue made an effort to connect with me on a deeper level than just football and that meant a lot,” Umenyiora said.

TJ Umenyiora ranks as the No. 63 cornerback in the 2026 class and the No. 99 prospect in Georgia, according to Rivals. He also plays basketball and maintains a 3.5 GPA. Umenyiora is the son of former NFL star Osi Umenyiora, a Troy alum and two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion from his NFL career.

Auburn is building momentum with four-star QB Landon Duckworth

Auburn has landed five-star quarterback Deuce Knight for the 2025 recruiting class. As for the 2026 class, the Tigers have yet to secure a quarterback commitment, but they remain a strong contender for four-star QB Landon Duckworth.

Duckworth made his official visit to Auburn from May 30 to June 1 and returned to campus again this past weekend.

"I thought I needed to come back and see the coaching staff and get a better relationship with them," Duckworth told On3.

According to Rivals' Caleb Jones, Deuce Knight is also playing a role in Auburn's efforts to land Duckworth.

"Duckworth spent more time with quarterbacks coach Kent Austin, assistant Jesse Stone, head coach Hugh Freeze and freshman quarterback Deuce Knight," Jones reported. "All four have been instrumental in Auburn's recruitment of Duckworth and the main reasons why he's considering the Tigers."

Duckworth was previously committed to South Carolina before decommitting last June and still has the Gamecocks in his top two, along with Auburn.