Auburn fans have been riding that recruiting high like it’s a sugar rush at Toomer’s Corner. But the crash? It might be coming faster than folks expected. While Hugh Freeze has been puffing his chest out with those top-10 back-to-back classes, one elite ‘26 commit just threw a curveball that’s got Tigers fans sweating bullets. We’re talking about the crown jewel of Freeze’s linebacker haul—who just made a trip to Athens. And let’s just say… Kirby Smart isn’t playing fair.

So here’s the tea. Shadarius Toodle—No. 9 linebacker in the nation, No. 168 overall, and a straight-up menace from Mobile, Alabama—committed to Auburn last July. It was a big dub for Hugh Freeze at the time. Fast forward to this weekend, and suddenly the boy’s all smiles in Athens with Kirby Smart, chopping it up with former Dawgs linebacker Jalon Walker, and calling Georgia his “No. 1.” Yeah… you read that right. Auburn’s prized commit just handed the Dawgs all the green light to flip him.

Toodle didn’t just visit Georgia—he fell head over cleats for it. “Georgia is really making a hard push for me,” he said. “It was great meeting Jalon Walker. Everyone was saying we was twins… Georgia linebackers, their background talks for itself.” Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann rolled out the NFL blueprint, the Butkus Award receipts, and showed Toodle exactly how fast Athens can become a launchpad.

Now, if this were just your typical “let-me-see-my-options” visit, Auburn fans could breathe easy. But when On3’s Steve Wiltfong drops a crystal ball flip prediction, it isn’t just smoke—it’s a whole arson warning. Wiltfong doesn’t throw those predictions out lightly. And the fact he’s leaning Dawgs means Hugh Freeze is officially on “flip watch.”

Well, here’s the catch—Toodle still has visits lined up. Michigan (May 30), North Carolina and Florida (June 6), Auburn (June 13), and Baylor (June 20). But per Chad Simmons, the LB has called off his visits to the Tar Heels and Gators. Freeze has one last shot at redemption when the linebacker touches back down on the Plains next month. But momentum? It’s sliding Georgia’s way like a slick pair of cleats on wet turf.

Let’s be real: if Toodle flips, that’s a major gut punch to a ‘26 class that was supposed to be Freeze’s crowning jewel. Auburn’s currently sitting around No. 15 nationally per ESPN with five ESPN 300 kids. Losing Toodle would sting bad, especially when it’s your backyard kid being poached by a rival that already eats good every signing day.

This wouldn’t just be a recruiting loss. It’d be a momentum killer—an optics blow. Georgia just missed on 5-star OT Jackson Cantwell, so flipping Toodle would feel like a big-time bounce-back for Smart’s crew. And for Auburn? Well, they’d go from “we’re cooking” to “who’s still on the board?”

Hugh Freeze: “I’m Not a Fool”

Now, Hugh Freeze isn’t dumb. He sees the smoke. He hears the noise. And he knows this isn’t just about 4-star flips or NIL whispers—it’s about winning, period. “I’m not a fool. I think we have to go to a bowl game,” Freeze admitted on Next Round Live. Translation: the clock is ticking. The seat? It’s starting to warm up.

Through two seasons on the Plains, Freeze is 11-14. That’s not exactly what boosters had in mind when they cut ties with Bryan Harsin and bet on a preacher with a playbook. Auburn hasn’t sniffed a winning season since 2020, and the Tigers are 22-28 over their last 4 years. That’s barely Vanderbilt numbers, and we’re talking about a program with BCS trophies in the case.

Look, Hugh Freeze isn’t ducking accountability, though. “I inherited a program that didn’t have a Top 25 recruiting class for four years,” he said. “We’ve had now two full recruiting classes, both of them ranked in the Top 10.” Fair enough. The man has brought talent to the Plains—2024’s class ranked No. 10, and 2025 landed at No. 8 behind just Texas, Georgia, Bama, and Florida in the SEC. The HC’s been grinding on the trail, no question.

But all that glitters on signing day doesn’t mean jack if you’re watching bowl games from home in December. Freeze knows it. Fans know it. The SEC doesn’t hand out participation trophies for hype. And let’s keep it a buck—this isn’t about Hugh Freeze just surviving. It’s about Auburn demanding relevance again. Fans are tired of being a punchline, tired of getting dragged on message boards, and tired of watching Georgia, Bama, and LSU throw parades while they’re stuck rebooting every fall. The third-year expectations are crystal clear: no bowl game in 2025? It might be curtains. Freeze can’t survive another 5-7 finish while rivals are flipping his recruits and laughing from the playoff sidelines.

This isn’t 2010. Auburn can’t just live off Cam Newton nostalgia while Kirby Smart’s building a Death Star in Athens. The Toodle situation proves that. Georgia isn’t scared to take your recruit, take your pride, and take your playoff spot in the same year.

Toodle said it himself—“Georgia’s linebackers background talks for itself.” Schumann’s résumé isn’t just paper—it’s straight gold. Twelve linebackers were drafted. Three Butkus Award winners. One NFL conveyor belt with zero breaks. Auburn? Still trying to find its next real star since Derrick Brown and Smoke Monday left the scene.

So here we are: Freeze is back in the lab, trying to hold the class together, win over fans, and flip the narrative. But the road ahead? It isn’t smooth. Not in the SEC. Not when Kirby is cooking. And especially not if Shadarius Toodle ends up barking instead of roaring.