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"That could be my quarterback": Four-star 2026 class TE is excited to pair up with incoming Auburn QB Deuce Knight

Modified Mar 24, 2025 15:07 GMT

Auburn fans expect to get another Cam Newton in incoming freshman quarterback Deuce Knight. The former five-star recruit has also caught the attention of 2026 four-star tight end Xavier Tiller, who was in Plains on Saturday.

"I liked Deuce Knight, he’s a really good quarterback," Tiller told On3. "The way he’s throwing it, and he just got here not too long ago–that could be my quarterback.”

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Tiller holds more than 30 scholarship offers, but Auburn remains a strong contender due to its offensive system.

"I love the offense, for real," Tiller told Auburn Sports. "The way they use tight ends. I'm a tight end, so they get tight ends at the ball. You see they get tight ends at the ball, across the middle. They send them on routes, not just flat routes, stuff like that."

Tiller was previously committed to Texas A&M for three months but reopened his recruitment in February. He is ranked as the No. 10 tight end in the 2026 class, according to On3 Industry Rankings.

Deuce Knight has three tight ends for him in the 2025 class: Hollis Davidson, Ryan Ghea and Preston Howard. Tiller could be a key addition for the Tigers in the 2026 cycle.

Can Auburn secure Xavier Tiller for Deuce Knight?

Xavier Tiller is a polished route runner with reliable hands and the ability to block defensive ends, but he still has plenty of untapped potential. The tight end could be a key weapon for Deuce Knight in Auburn’s offense, and he holds the Tigers in high regard.

"Just the family, just the culture they got over here," Tiller told On3. "Auburn will always be a home."

On3 projects Auburn as the frontrunner in Tiller’s recruitment, giving the Tigers a 92.1% chance of landing him. Tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua has been leading Auburn’s recruiting efforts for Tiller.

"That's one of the best college coaches that recruit me right now," Tiller told Auburn Sports of Aigamaua. "He recruits me hard. Even after I committed to A&M, he hit me up. Even after I decommitted, he still hit me up."

Tiller is set to visit Auburn for Big Cat Weekend on April 5 and has an official visit scheduled for June 6-8. Hugh Freeze and his staff will need to make a strong final impression during these visits to secure his commitment.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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