Auburn adds to big haul, flips 4-star QB from ND
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Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Four-star quarterback Deuce Knight, ESPN’s No. 2 dual-threat passer in the 2025 cycle, flipped his pledge from Notre Dame to Auburn on Wednesday night, bolstering Hugh Freeze’s pursuit of the nation’s top class while delivering another blow to the Irish’s recruiting efforts.
Knight, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback from Lucedale, Mississippi, is ESPN’s No. 76 prospect in the 2025 class and lands with the Tigers at the end of a long-rumored courtship. Initially committed to Notre Dame since September 2023, Knight is now the fifth-highest-rated member of Auburn’s 2025 class.
After taking multiple visits to Auburn over the summer and in the early weeks of the regular season, Knight is now the 15th ESPN 300 prospect committed to the Tigers in 2025. He is the program’s seventh top-100 addition since June 1, following the likes of cornerback Blake Woodby (No. 22 in the ESPN 300), defensive end Jared Smith (No. 28), safety Anquon Fegans (No. 36) and Alabama athlete flip Derick Smith (No. 38). Auburn’s 2025 class was at No. 4 in ESPN’s latest team rankings before Knight’s pledge, and the Tigers now will be in contention with Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia for the nation’s No. 1 class if the program can maintain this collection of players through the start of the Dec. 4 early signing period.
Word around Knight’s potential flip had bubbled since late summer, and his decommitment represents another hit to Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman’s 2025 class after the Irish lost four-star safety Ivan Taylor, another top-100 pledge, to Michigan during the summer. Because of Knight’s flip, the Irish are expected to pursue a 2025 quarterback in the closing months of the cycle.
Knight completed 53.2% of his passes for 2,047 yards and 17 touchdowns at George County (Mississippi) High School last fall. He added 494 rushing yards and 11 rushing scores in his junior season, and Knight has led George County to a 2-3 start this fall.
Auburn visits No. 5 Georgia in Week 6 while Freeman and the Irish are off on Saturday.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th home run of the season Saturday night in the fifth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 9-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ohtani hit a solo shot 417 feet to center off starter Chris Bassitt to give the Dodgers a three-run lead.
“That was one of those swings where he was behind the ball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He stayed into the ground. I know he and the hitting guys have been working on some things mechanically. That was as good of a swing as you’re going to see.”
Ohtani was not made available to the media.
The two-way Japanese star reached 40 homers for the fourth time in his career — and the third straight season — after winning MVP awards in each of the previous three years he did it.
He is the third player with multiple 40-HR seasons in the American League and National League, joining Jim Thome and Mark McGwire.
He did it this time in his 115th game, the fewest needed to reach the mark in a season in Dodgers history.
With 45 regular-season games left, Roberts was asked if he thought Ohtani could reach 55.
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” Roberts said. “Guys like Shohei always look for something to motivate them. He likes round numbers. I know 50 is on his radar. We’ll see how it goes.”
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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