Auburn has landed one of its biggest defensive commitments of the cycle. Four-star EDGE from James Pace of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic chose Auburn after an official visit that removed any remaining doubt about where he wanted to play his college football.
Pace ranks as the No. 155 prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking and gives Auburn another blue-chip defender in a class that continues to gain momentum.
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The Tigers already led entering the visit.
By the time the weekend ended, Pace was ready to shut things down.
“Auburn was actually already my number one,” Pace told Rivals. “When I went up there, I definitely didn’t think I was going to go up there and commit though. They just answered all my questions and I kind of went with my gut.”
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The feeling started during an earlier spring trip.
The official visit confirmed it.
“The first time I went up there, I focused on the feeling. The second time, it felt like home for sure. I got to see everything.
“The people in the programs just embraced me with open arms. Coach Golesh let me meet his family. Everybody showed me they really cared and that they wanted me there.”
Pace also loved the football culture surrounding Auburn.
“It felt good,” he said. “It makes me feel ready to play ball. Everywhere I go, gas stations, stores, it’s Auburn all the time. They’re definitely all about football up there, and that’s somewhere I want to be.”
Pace believes in the new staff on the Plains
The relationships with head coach Alex Golesh, defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and EDGE coach Coleman Hutzler all proved critical.
“Coach Hutzler is a great guy, a family man, just like us,” Pace said. “Everything just fell into place with them. There’s nothing bad about it.
“I love Durkin’s defense too. He knows how to scheme well. Then Coach Golesh is someone I believe in.”
Golesh’s vision for the program also resonated.
“He told me he sees a lot in me and believes I can come in and make an impact,” Pace said. “I definitely believe in him. I think he can get Auburn back to the top and competing with Georgia, Alabama and those schools. Coach Golesh is going to win at Auburn.”
Pace spent time talking with current players during the visit and wanted to know whether the culture he saw from coaches was authentic.
The feedback he received helped solidify his decision.
“A lot of coaches fake it when they want you to go there,” Pace said. “I asked players if it was real, and they told me it’s the same every day. I could tell it was genuine.”
When it came time to choose a school, three things separated Auburn from the competition.
“The relationships were huge,” Pace said. “The brotherhood was huge too. I’m looking for relationships that last your whole life because football won’t last forever.”
Pace also liked Auburn’s environment away from football.
“I know the type of person I am,” he said. “Auburn is football and school. I wanted somewhere I could keep the main thing the main thing.”