Elba (Ala.) four-star Alvin Henderson didn’t choose Auburn when his decision rolled around on April 11. Penn State beat the Tigers, but that only fueled Hugh Freeze, Derrick Nix and Co. to charge that much harder to keep the blue-chip burner in state.
Auburn continued to make Henderson a top priority. He returned to The Plains and continued to communicate with the staff. Freeze’s efforts have now paid off, as the 5-foot-9, 165-pounder has flipped to the in-state school from the Nittany Lions.
“Auburn is home,” he told On3. “I really appreciate Penn State and I love it up there and their coaches, but Auburn is home. It always has been.”
Freeze never let up and it paid off.
“Coach Freeze made me feel like a top priority. Since he got there, he has recruited me hard, he has made me feel special and I knew he wanted me from the time he got there.”
That relationship with Freeze has never wavered as the Tigers skipper continues to target elite in-state talent. Henderson sees the vision and is now the latest blue-chipper out of Alabama to join the AU class that’s pushing for top-five status.
“I believe in Coach Freeze. I love how he recruited me and I trust him as a coach. Auburn almost beat Alabama, they played Georgia very tough and he is now recruiting top players and building the program up. He is a great person, he is a great coach and he is getting Auburn back,” Henderson said.
When Carnell Williams left Auburn, Henderson had a little hesitation. Over time, Nix has shown that he can help take him to the next level. Penn State showed him plenty throughout his recruitment, but in the end, staying in Alabama and playing for the in-state program won out.
“Auburn is a great school and they are going in the right direction,” Henderson said. “Coach Derrick Nix is a cool coach, we are building a relationship and Coach Freeze is doing a lot of good things.
“Auburn has great fans, the atmosphere is wild and I love a lot of things about Auburn. They recruited me hard and they have put a lot of time and effort into me. The Auburn coaches have shown a lot of love.”
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