Auburn added to its 2024 signing class on Wednesday, when four-star forward Jahki Howard made the call for the Tigers. The Overtime Elite standout chose Bruce Pearl’s program over schools such as Arizona State and Georgia Tech. Below, Rivals takes a look at what Auburn is getting in the long, athletic Howard as well as what it means for the bigger picture.
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2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Top 130
2026 Rankings: Top 65
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WHAT AUBURN IS GETTING
Howard has improved a lot over the last calendar year and seems to have put a less-than-stellar 2021 at Donda Academy firmly in the rearview. The Rivals150 forward has become a much more reliable shooter in the last 12-15 months and was efficient in the EYBL this season, shooting 56 percent from the floor in 17 games. He averaged 16.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while doing so and maintained the same high-level athleticism and ability to play above the rim that made him a top-line prospect early in his high school days. Howard still isn’t the model of consistency, as his game lends itself to streakiness, but his recent trajectory is encouraging to say the least. His size and agility have allowed him to take strides as a disruptive defender. His build could lend him tremendous versatility on that end of the court down the road. Howard has the tools to be an NBA prospect and looks every bit of a future pro from time to time. He’ll need to refine his ball-handling and become a more consistent and steady offensive performer he hopes to reach his lofty ceiling, however.
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WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE TIGERS
Howard is a risk-reward prospect that seems to be improving exponentially at the right time. A player’s coach such as Bruce Pearl could be the perfect fit for the athletic wing, as he’s had some problems meshing with a couple more traditional coaches in the past. The 6-foot-7 forward joins an Auburn class that also features his grassroots teammate, point guard Tahaad Pettiford. The two worked well together on the circuit this summer and had some impressive moments on what was an up-and-down season for their new Heights Lightning squad. Howard currently plays in Atlanta’s Overtime Elite League, where he’ll encounter other elite level prospects on a day-to-day basis. The hope is the elevated OTE competition level will help him become more consistent from both an effort and long-range shooting standpoint.
