Auburn Tigers Lose Five-Star Commit Nathaniel Marshall to Michigan as Early Signing Day Nears
As Early National Signing Day approaches, the Auburn Tigers have suffered a significant recruiting setback. Five-star defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall has flipped his commitment back to Michigan after being committed to Auburn since August 23. This marks a second flip for Marshall, who initially committed to the Wolverines on April 22 before switching to Auburn.
Ranked as the No. 26 player nationally, the No. 2 player at his position, and the top prospect from Illinois by Rivals, Marshall was a major get for Auburn in the 2025 recruiting cycle. His decision to return to Michigan keeps him in Big Ten territory rather than heading south to the SEC.
This marks another blow for Auburn’s recruiting momentum after a strong stretch earlier in the year. On November 30, four-star offensive tackle Travis Dice flipped his commitment to Florida. November also saw decommitments from cornerback Dante Core, who flipped to Ole Miss, and offensive tackle Spencer Dowland, who chose Mississippi State—a program that went winless in SEC play in 2024.
These recruiting losses come on the heels of a disappointing 5-7 season for Auburn under head coach Hugh Freeze. After reaching a bowl game in Freeze’s first year, the Tigers regressed in his second season, missing out on postseason play. The struggles on the field are raising questions about Auburn’s ability to maintain its early recruiting dominance, as recruits inevitably take notice of a program’s trajectory.
Despite these setbacks, Auburn still boasts one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, currently ranked fifth by 247 Sports. However, Michigan, ranked seventh, continues to thrive under a new head coach and is fresh off an upset win over No. 2 Ohio State to close their regular season. Meanwhile, Auburn’s season ended with a disappointing 28-14 loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
As Freeze looks to steady the program, retaining its remaining top commitments and delivering results on the field in 2025 will be essential for Auburn to compete in the fiercely competitive SEC.
