Auburn is officially on the board in the 2021 class, and Bruce Pearl’s staff did it in a big way. The Tigers went back into Georgia where they have had great success in recent years and secured a commitment from five-star power forward Jabari Smith.
Smith, the No. 4 ranked prospect in the 2021 Rivals150, is the fifth five-star prospect to commit to Auburn since Bruce Pearl took over in 2014. He’s also the highest ranked prospect in the Rivals.com era to choose the Tigers. With this commitment, the Tigers now have a streak of three straight years of landing a five-star prospect out of the Peach State after signing Isaac Okoro in the 2019 class and Sharife Cooper in the 2020 class.
A 6-foot-9 forward, Smith is one of the more versatile prospects in the class. He’s a capable ball-handler, makes jump shots out to three-point range, and his added strength over the last couple years has made him a much tougher player playing in the paint.
The Georgia native chose Auburn after also considering Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, North Carolina and Tennessee. His only official visit went to Tennessee, but he made unofficial visits to Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech before the extended dead period started back in March.
