Yes, it is only November 2023. But Auburn is already getting started on its 2026 recruiting class.

Kail Ellis, an offensive lineman from Cartersville, Georgia, announced his commitment to Auburn with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. He is Auburn’s first class of 2026 pledge.

Ellis is a sophomore in high school and is listed at 6-4, 285 pounds. He does not yet have a ranking within the 2026 class, per 247Sports. It being so early in that recruiting cycle, 247Sports has only ranked the top 100 for 2026.

Auburn coaches will spend the period between the Iron Bowl last weekend and the upcoming bowl game hitting the recruiting trail hard. Signing Day for the 2024 class is approaching on Dec. 20.

Looking ahead to Auburn’s 2024 roster, Auburn has 12 offensive linemen. Of those 12, five are seniors or those using their extra year of eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the classes currently stand, Auburn has one offensive lineman in its 2024 class and three its in 2025 class before adding Ellis in 2026 today.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]