Four-star Dylan Cardwell is fifth member of Auburn class

No coach in college basketball has had more success recruiting in Georgia over the past several years than Bruce Pearl. Add another prospect to his pipeline to the Peach State as four-star center Dylan Cardwell has become the latest Georgia native to pick Auburn.

One of the top available post players in the country, Cardwell’s commitment solidifies the front court for the Tigers for the next few years. At 6-foot-10, he’s steadily improved his low-post game and his conditioning throughout his high school career. His size and length help him excel at protecting the rim and he’s tough on the boards with his strong hands.

Assistant coach Wes Flanigan also played a big role.

“I’ve been talking to (Flanigan) for a while now,” Cardwell told Rivals.com in April. “He’s a solid guy, a great father figure. I like how close he is with his son (Auburn freshman Allen Flanigan) and how his son has actually developed a whole lot under his and (Pearl’s) wings. He got a whole lot of playing time over the season as a freshman.”

Unfortunately, Cardwell was not able to play during his senior year at McEachern (Ga.). He started his career at Evans (Ga.) before transferring to Oak Hill Academy (Va.) for his junior year. After playing with AOT last year in the Nike EYBL, he decided he wanted to transfer back home to Georgia and play with his travel teammates, which includes Auburn signee and five-star point guard Sharife Cooper. The Georgia High School Association never cleared him for eligibility.

Before choosing Auburn, Cardwell had also considered Georgia, Miami, Tennessee, UConn and Vanderbilt at various times in his recruitment. Along with Cardwell and Cooper, Auburn’s 2020 class also includes four-star forward J.T. Thor, four-star forward Chris Moore, and three-star sharp shooter Justin Powell.

With Cardwell in the fold, Auburn's class now ranks No. 7 overall in the 2020 team rankings.