Recruiting season is heating up, and it’s giving a whole lot of heartburn for Auburn. Now Hugh Freeze might want to keep some antacids on deck. Just when he thought he had a grip on two of his top targets, the rug got yanked from under him. Five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho and five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys, two prized recruits in the 2026 classes, are out here sending Freeze straight to the shadow realm—leaning hard towards SEC rivals. This ain’t just a loss; it’s a double whammy that might have the Auburn faithful sweating bullets.

If you’re a coach in the SEC, landing a five-star offensive tackle is like finding a golden ticket—the only problem is, Auburn’s got no Wonka luck with Immanuel Iheanacho. The Georgetown Prep (Md.) standout has been switching up his leaderboard like a DJ spinning tracks, and right now, Hugh Freeze’s Tigers aren’t even in the top two. Georgia and Oregon? They’re running the show, and Maryland is creeping up like an uninvited party guest.

Iheanacho, a self-proclaimed ‘Trench Leader,’ has made it clear—he’s looking for culture, real vibes, and no fake recruiting talk. “I’d probably say how all the players fit. A bigger student feeling,” he told On3. “I don’t talk to all the players a lot, so being able to see how the players really feel, obviously certain situations are different. Seeing how certain coaches are genuinely.” Translation: No cap, no fluff—just a squad he can call home. And right now? Oregon is sitting on the throne, with Georgia lurking right behind. The man literally called Oregon as #1 and Georgia as #2 for his recruitment.

His love for Oregon ain’t just about the coaching staff or game plans—it’s deeper than that. “I just love the whole dynamic. The whole campus at Oregon, the practice fields, how the weight room is set up,” he told On3. “I love the strength and conditioning coach down there, it was straight love when I got down there. The gear is amazing, that’s not the most important part, but the gear is amazing.” Look, we all know Nike’s influence is real, but when a five-star is gushing over the drip, you know the Ducks are doing something right.

Steve Wiltflong from On3, “Georgia is slightly behind Oregon for Iheanacho,” but don’t sleep on Georgia. The Bulldogs have been stacking elite recruiting classes for years, and if Kirby Smart flips the switch, this race ain’t over yet. As for Auburn? Let’s just say Freeze is on the outside looking in, and the window is closing fast.

Tristen Keys ditching Hugh Freeze and Auburn for Alabama and Tennessee?

If losing one five-star wasn’t bad enough, Hugh Freeze just caught another stray. Tristen Keys, the electric wideout from Hattiesburg High School (Miss.), was once seen as an Auburn lean—but now? Alabama and Tennessee are running point, leaving Auburn holding the bag. And to make matters worse, even Texas A&M is still in the mix in the noble pursuit of Tristan Keys.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 179 pounds, Keys is a problem on the field. During his junior season, he torched defenses for 839 yards and 12 tuddies on just 40 catches—man’s out here averaging 21 yards per grab. And that’s not even touching his sophomore numbers. Simply put, he’s just diabolical, and the big dogs in the SEC know it.

Keys has already been vibing with Alabama and Tennessee, and he’s got reasons to back it up. “The fans are loud, they give great support and they made a lot of progress already under coach [Mike] Elko.” He said about Texas A&M. But let’s be real—if Alabama or Tennessee put the full-court press on him, A&M might just be a bystander in this battle.

Let’s talk facts—Auburn fans were hoping Freeze could secure both Iheanacho and Keys as foundational pieces for the Tigers’ future. Instead, they’re watching these two five-stars flirt with SEC rivals like it’s a high school drama series. Georgia and Oregon got Iheanacho on speed dial, while Alabama and Tennessee are throwing the full playbook at Keys. Not just that. These two SEC rivals are definitely on Iheanacho’s fav list, too, as he’s been highlighting his relationship with them.

Now Freeze might have to pull out every trick in the book to stay in the race. But as of now, it’s looking rough. And in the ruthless world of SEC recruiting, there ain’t no second-place trophies. Auburn’s gotta tighten up, or these Ls are gonna keep stacking. Hugh Freeze and the Tigers finished 5-7 in the 2024 season; they better have something up their sleeve—because right now? Freeze is catching strays left and right, on & off the field.