BREAKING: In-state 4-star OT Carde Smith commits to Auburn
Four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith has committed to Auburn.
Smith, who attends Williamson High School in Mobile, Ala., announced his decision Wednesday on social media. He chose the Tigers over his other finalists, Mississippi State and Florida State.
“I love it at Auburn,” Smith said. “It feels like home. I love the coaches, players, the culture … everything about it.”
Smith’s commitment comes less than two weeks after his most recent visit to Auburn. He and his mother, along with Williamson head coach Antonio Coleman, made a weekend visit to the Plains. Smith met extensively with offensive line coach Jake Thornton and head coach Hugh Freeze.
He also got to watch the Tigers practice and kept a close eye on Thornton and the offensive line.
“I liked the intensity,” he said. “Coach Thornton is a great coach. I like the way he interacts with his players, tells them when they’re wrong, pulls them to the side.
“(The offensive line) were great. I can’t wait … hopefully I can be out there with them one day.”
Freeze played big role in Smith’s commitment
Smith also liked what he heard from Freeze, and not so much on the football side of things.
“We talked about life,” he said. “We didn’t really talk about football. We talked about life and how he would develop me as a man and as a football player at the same time. It’s great, you have to have people on your side to lean on when times get rough. Your head coach will always be there when nobody else is.”
Although committed to the Tigers, Smith on Tuesday told On3’s Phillip Dukes that he still planned to take other visits. He has a visit scheduled to Florida State on April 20 and an official visit to Mississippi State set for June 22.
“My recruitment is still 100 percent open,” he told Dukes. “It’s just as of right now (Auburn) is the school that felt like home.”
The On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, ranks Smith the No. 261 overall recruit in the country and No. 16 in Alabama. He also ranks the No. 24 offensive tackle in the class.
Smith, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, is commitment No. 10 in Auburn’s 2025 class. He also is the fourth offensive lineman, joining four-star tackle Tavaris Dice, three-star tackle Spencer Dowland and three-star interior lineman Tai Buster.
