Four-star LB Shadarius Toodle signs with Auburn

Auburn is the endgame for 4-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle. He inked with the Tigers Wednesday, on the first day of the Early Signing Period.

THE TOODLE FILE

Position: Linebacker — Mike/Will

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds

Hometown (HS): Mobile, Ala. (Cottage Hill Christian Academy)

On3 Industry Ranking: (90.57) No. 260 overall, No. 12 linebacker, No. 13 in the state of Alabama.

Commitment Date: July 27, 2024 AND Oct. 14, 2025

Chose Auburn over: Georgia

Time of enrollment: January

Notable: Toodle initially pledged to the Tigers in July 2024 at Big Cat Weekend. Georgia never went away in his recruitment, and at one point, Toodle flipped his commitment to UGA following all of his summer official visits. Even as a Georgia commit, Toodle couldn’t stay away from Auburn and visited several times this fall. He flipped his commitment back in favor of Auburn in October.

Quotes: “Home is where the heart is and my love for Auburn never faded.” (via Hayes Fawcett)

“I love it,” he said of the Alex Golesh hire. “I can’t wait to come in and work.”

“I feel like Coach Durkin is doing a great job defensive-wise. Coach Durkin is the main reason why I flipped back. Because of the family aspect of it.”

PINK’S ANALYSIS

During his senior year, Toodle has filled out his frame to 220+ pounds. He could play heavier than 220 without losing a step as well. Toodle could be a 240-pound linebacker before it is over. Toodle brings a lot of mass when he hits. He makes stops, when he is in the right position, and never loses ground on a tackle.

Toodle is not necessarily a speedy linebacker, but he has great body control, balance, and a high athletic ceiling to go with it. He’s quick on his feet, but probably lacks the long speed as a linebacker, making him a nice fit at Mike backer as he learns how to sift through traffic in the box.

I think Toodle is one of the more physically imposing recruits in the class of 2026. That is why Georgia wanted him and did the work to flip his commitment at one point during his recruitment. The standard has been raised for Auburn’s linebackers under DJ Durkin. I think Toodle has a skillset that translates well to the current group. He can earn early playing time in a specific role–probably the backer that walks up to the edge at times and keeps things turned inside, but is more apt to play off the line. When his eyes are trained for Mike, he will more than likely fit in that position.