Five-star wide receiver Perry Thompson flipped his commitment to Auburn Saturday afternoon, spurning Alabama -- the Tigers' biggest rival -- in the process. Thompson, who committed to the Crimson Tide more than a year ago, announced his latest decision while on a visit to Auburn's "Big Cat Weekend" recruiting event.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Thompson is the highest-ranked commit in Auburn's 2024 recruiting class. Though he wasn't offered a scholarship under Bryan Harsin's staff, Freeze and his group rectified that quickly in January. It took the Tigers six months to convince Thompson to jump ship from Alabama.
Freeze joined Thompson on a live Instagram broadcast put on by Auburn players and other commits.
The moment at Big Cat today when 5-star WR Perry Thompson flipped from Alabama to Auburn (via Micah Riley-Ducker’s IG live).
— Nathan King (@NathanKing247) July 29, 2023
Players started doing flips into the pool after. pic.twitter.com/GSMRU21XPU
A product of Foley, Alabama, Thompson ranks as the No. 14 prospect nationally and No. 4 wide receiver, according to 247Sports. He took official visits to both Auburn and Alabama in the month of June, with his latest visit to The Plains being an unofficial.
"Really the coaches building a bond with me and making me feel like family," Thompson told Auburn Undercover after his official visit. "Everything on campus just feels like home, it feels good. Oh yeah, we built a strong bond. Every day I come up to campus we can just connect and there's a strong relationship there."
Thompson had more than 1,000 yards receiving and hauled in nine touchdowns as a junior at Foley.
"Physical prospect on the offensive side of the ball that understands how to utilize his frame and play strength as a pass catcher and as a runner in the open field," wrote 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna in a scouting report. "Flashes excellent leaping ability with the ability to adjust within a wide catch radius. Plays more vertical than in-breaking as a route runner while showing the ability to get linear down field. Appears to exhibit good run after catch production, displaying the ability to consistently play through contact as a route runner and with the ball in his hands. Has a physical nature to him at the receiver position that is apparent when evaluating him on the defensive side of the ball and special teams."
Thompson is the second high-profile prospect to flip to Auburn this week. He follows four-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick, who backed out of his pledge to Georgia and committed to Auburn on July 26.
