Alex Golesh just landed his 1st punch in the Iron Bowl rivalry securing top in-state 2027 recruit

Alex Golesh has yet to coach Auburn in an Iron Bowl, but the newly instated head coach of the Tigers is already making his mark on the rivalry. 

On Thursday, Golesh landed a commitment from Donivan Moore, the top-rated recruit from the state of Alabama in the 2027 high school class according to 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman from Hueytown, Alabama, is the 72nd-ranked player in the country and is Auburn’s second commit in the 2027 class. 

4-star DL Donivan Moore commits to Auburn’s 2027 recruiting class

Alabama had offered Moore, along with many of the SEC’s other powerhouse programs, but his connection with Auburn and defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams proved too strong in the end. However, Kalen DeBoer’s 2027 class, with four commits, still outranks Auburn early in the process, including in-state four-star edge Jabarrius Garror, the state’s No. 3-ranked player. 

While not disastrous for Alabama, this commitment is a bit of statement from Golesh. At USF, Golesh and his staff developed a reputation as great talent scouts on the recruiting trail, punching above their weight in a state where the top-ranked recruits have Florida State, Florida, and Miami to choose from. Those recruiting chops have translated to the SEC, and higher-ranked players like Moore. 

Auburn has not won the Iron Bowl since 2019, but under Hugh Freeze, the Tigers were able to assemble talented rosters. There are serious NIL resources to work with on The Plains, but Freeze continually got the quarterback position wrong between Peyton Thorne and Jackson Arnold, which, along with plenty of golf rounds, ultimately doomed his tenure.

Golesh’s veer-and-shoot offense, similar to the one Josh Heupel runs at Tennessee is a clear improvement from what Freeze, once an innovative play-caller, was running with the Tigers the last three seasons. Plus, Golesh has his quarterback as Byrum Brown followed him from USF for his final year of eligibility. 

With Golesh in place, Auburn appears to be more formidable in both the short and long term with his new-age offense and recruiting ability. None of it truly matters until the two teams take the field in Bryant-Denny Stadium this fall, but for now, Golesh just landed his first punch against DeBoer and the Tide.