First-year Auburn coach Alex Golesh edged Georgia to win another high-profile recruiting battle on Monday with a commitment from four-star safety Chance Gilbert, No. 29 in the SC Next 300.
Gilbert, a 6-foot, 170-pound defender from Sharpsburg, Georgia, is ESPN's No. 3 safety and the third-ranked prospect in the state of Georgia in the 2027 class. He announced his commitment to the Tigers following official visits to Auburn and Georgia over the past two weekends.
Gilbert lands as the Tigers' highest-ranked pledge under Golesh, whose first-year staff has now prevailed in a series of tight recruiting battles this spring. Auburn beat Miami to coveted running back prospect Myson Johnson-Cook (No. 34 overall) in April, then surged past Notre Dame to the commitment of four-star offensive tackle Layton von Brandt (No. 40) last month. In Gilbert's case, Golesh and the Tigers ventured into Georgia to swipe a priority in-state recruit from Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart in a head-to-head battle of SEC rivals.
Gilbert announced his commitment hours after four-star offensive guard Reed Ramsier (No. 288) gave his verbal pledge to Auburn. All told, the Tigers have added 14 prospects in the 2027 class since April 1, a group that includes all seven of the program's SC Next 300 pledges in the cycle. Gilbert now ranks as the headliner among three top 300 defenders in Golesh's debut class alongside defensive tackle Donivan Moore (No. 170 overall) and outside linebacker Isaac McNeil (No. 276), who committed to Auburn over Alabama, Florida and Georgia on June 2.
The Tigers continue to target elite defenders in the 2027 cycle this spring, including five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, ESPN's No. 7 overall recruit. Four-star defensive ends Chris Whitehead (No. 47 overall) and James Pace (No. 82) are another pair of priority targets.