Things have gotten a lot more interesting around the starting quarterback position at Auburn. A major shake-up is brewing, which has got people talking. Jackson Arnold has been put on high alert. The five-star quarterback prospect in the class of 2023 is transferred to Auburn after having played two seasons in Oklahoma. But now, a national analyst is throwing out a five-star warning. You know, things are about to get spicy. Auburn HC Hugh Freeze has conveyed a message that’s turning heads now, making the quarterback’s room temperature hotter. Buckle up. The ride would be wild…

Selecting the most exceptional, talented, and adaptive individual for the QB spot is essential. After all, they are the ones who control the pace of the game and are in one of the most crucial positions. In this regard, the national analyst J.D. PicKell mentioned, “You’re talking about 2026 in the context of in a lot of ways. It potentially be Deuce Knight’s team… the bottom line is he is the future…” The Auburn football team has officially inked 2025 five-star quarterback Deuce Knight. And he is the highest-rated QB that the team has ever signed in the recruiting-site era, as per 247Sports’ rankings. 

Knight had a roller-coaster 2023 season, transferring to Lipscomb Academy in Nashville just to return to his home school in George County in the middle of the season. In 2024, he gained 2,256 passing yards with a completion rate of 58%. He made 25 touchdowns across 10 games and threw only 5 interceptions. Despite the changes, he felt he had improved considerably and had cemented his stock as one of the best quarterbacks in the country. However, in Auburn, other players can give competition to the dual-threat quarterback, like Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold.

“I believe in Jackson Arnold. He’ll be good. I think what you saw last year from Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma would be wise to have some backup plans. Not saying that you don’t commit to Jackson Arnold. Still, I think if he wins the job and you feel confident about him, you go with him,” said PicKell, highlighting his concerns with Arnold’s game of last year. In 2024, Arnold played 10 games, gained 1,421 passing yards, and landed 12 TDs, completing 154 out of 246 attempts with a completion rate of 62%. Statistically, it’s quite impressive and makes him formidable competition for Knight indeed. However, someone still found some flaws in his gameplay.

Analyst Cooper Petagna said of Arnold’s play that “it’s been pretty uneven: In five starts for Jackson Arnold, he’s turned the ball over nine times. That’s not good enough for OU football coach Brent Venables, and that is not good enough for an Oklahoma team that is trying to navigate a very difficult, tough SEC schedule. And quite honestly, Arnold wasn’t good enough against Tennessee.“ This makes it certain that Arnold has had a hard time reading defenses and making decisions. This sums up the concern of national analysts for Auburn with Arnold. 

Thus, PicKell highlights having a backup in case anything goes wrong. He also mentions, “Do you want to just throw Deuce Knight in there cold and run the base offense? If he can do it, awesome. But if you have some packages that you can roll with him, build around that for the duration of the game if you don’t get to go with Jackson Arnold. All I’m saying is 6’4, 213 [lbs], dynamic athlete, great thrower of the football I think he needs to play, especially if he’s your future…”

The competition for the quarterback position certainly kicked off after we saw turbulence in Arnold’s career. Now, the competition between Knight and Arnold is getting to a new level with the new addition of a player. We are yet to see who finally secures the position and plays for the starting quarterback in Auburn. 

Auburn’s QB1 battle intensifies beyond Jackson Arnold and Deuce Knight

Hugh Freeze is overseeing a tough competition to win the starting quarterback position. During spring ball, Knight and Arnold are competing on campus. Freeze has mentioned the word “great” to highlight how the competition is going. He also said, “Get Ashton [Daniels] here this summer and hopefully, it adds a third guy to it. Excited to see the competition. We knew that when we got two full recruiting classes here, that would start being the case. I think it’s right.”

Adding Ashton Daniels will only intensify the existing competition between the two, making it hard for Freeze to choose. The three-star quarterback hasn’t yet joined Auburn. But he will participate in summer workouts before putting the pads on in the fall. We will get some highlights there. He played for Stanford last season and made 10 TDs over 1,700 yards with a completion rate of 62%. Currently, Auburn stands in the 13th position in the SEC. Translation? They need to forge a stronger team to compete. 

The quarterback position would certainly be a determining factor, as Auburn needs a big 2025 season. Thus, getting the decisions right for Freeze would be critical with the trio. What do you think? Who will be the promising quarterback and claim the starting spot? Hold on to your seats tight because there’s a lot more to unwind.