The college football recruiting world is buzzing about the class of 2027, but smart programs know it's never too early to build for the future. Auburn football is making an early splash in the race for one of the top running backs in the 2028 recruiting class: Anthony Howard Jr.

A three-star standout from powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Howard has narrowed his list of potential schools to seven—and the Auburn Tigers have made the cut. While there's still plenty of time for head coach Hugh Freeze and his staff to win him over, they now have a clear picture of the competition: Miami, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, and Ohio State are all in the mix.

In a recent interview with Rivals' Chad Simmons, Howard shared what's driving his decision. "Each program's success in developing running backs really stands out," he said. Beyond on-field growth, he emphasized that the overall environment of each school and university will play a major role in his final choice.

Howard is currently ranked as the No. 26 running back in the 2028 class and No. 50 among Florida prospects, according to 247Sports. As a 10th grader in 2025, he rushed for 77 yards on 15 carries over six games. But with Louisville signee Lekhy Thompkins and USC signee Tyson Park now graduated from IMG, Howard is poised for a bigger role in 2026. Alongside Georgia commit Jayden Wade—who will step in as IMG's starting quarterback—Howard is one of the top returning rushers for the nation's premier high school football program.

For Auburn fans, this is an early but important signal: the Tigers are already planting flags in future recruiting classes, and they're not backing down from elite competition.