Auburn appears to be the frontrunner for Mobile (Ala.) Cottage Hill Christian Academy’s 2026 four-star linebacker, Shadarius Toodle, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).
Chad Simmons, On3’s Director of Recruiting, has recently updated his expert prediction to favor Auburn, joining Auburn insider Jeffrey Lee. The RPM now gives Auburn a strong 97.5% chance of landing Toodle.
Last month, Toodle narrowed his list to 10 schools, including Auburn, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Carolina, and Texas A&M. He emphasized the importance of consistent communication and strong relationships with coaches as key factors in his decision-making process.
“Toodle stated, “These schools made my top 10 because of how they kept in contact with me. Relationships are important to me and when I visit, I focus on my interactions with coaches.”
Ranked as the No. 64 overall prospect, No. 4 linebacker, and No. 3 recruit from Alabama in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, Toodle also considers coaching quality, player development, championship success, and academics in his evaluation.
He is set to visit Auburn again this weekend for ‘Big Cat Weekend,’ the Tigers’ annual summer recruiting event. Last year’s Big Cat Weekend saw commitments from notable 2024 recruits such as elite wide receiver Perry Thompson, top-100 linebacker Demarcus Riddick, and four-star wide receiver Malcolm Simmons.