Five-star wide receiver Perry Thompson changed his commitment to Auburn on Saturday, choosing the Tigers over Alabama, their biggest rival. Thompson, who originally committed to the Crimson Tide more than a year ago, made the announcement during Auburn’s “Big Cat Weekend” recruiting event.
Thompson, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 202 pounds, is the highest-rated recruit in Auburn’s 2024 recruiting class. Although he did not initially receive a scholarship offer from Bryan Harsin’s staff, Freeze and his team quickly rectified that in January. It took six months for the Tigers to convince Thompson to switch from Alabama.
Freeze appeared alongside Thompson in a live Instagram broadcast organized by Auburn players and other recruits.
Thompson, who hails from Foley, Alabama, is ranked as the 14th best prospect nationally and the fourth best wide receiver, according to 247Sports. He officially visited both Auburn and Alabama in June, with his most recent visit to Auburn being unofficial.
“What really stood out to me was how the coaches built a bond with me and made me feel like family,” Thompson told Auburn Undercover after his official visit. “Everything on campus just feels like home, it feels good. We have built a strong bond. Every time I come up to campus, we can connect and there’s a strong relationship there.”
During his junior year at Foley, Thompson had over 1,000 receiving yards and caught nine touchdowns.
“He is a physical prospect on offense who knows how to use his frame and play with strength as a receiver and as a runner in the open field,” wrote Cooper Petagna, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, in a scouting report. “He displays excellent leaping ability and can adjust within a wide catch radius. He tends to play more vertically than in-breaking when running routes, but he also shows the ability to make linear progress downfield. He consistently produces yards after the catch, and he can play through contact effectively as a receiver and with the ball in his hands. He also has a physical nature in his play on defense and special teams.”
Thompson is the second high-profile recruit to switch to Auburn this week. He follows four-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick, who decommitted from Georgia and committed to Auburn on July 26.
