Auburn among top programs in pursuit of 2028 RB Anthony Howard Jr.

The class of 2027 is at the front of the college football recruiting world, but it is never too early to start building for the future.

Auburn football is gaining ground in the recruitment of one of the top running backs of the 2028 recruiting class. Anthony Howard Jr., a three-star running back from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, has trimmed his prospective schools to seven, with Auburn making the cut. There is still plenty of time for Alex Golesh, Joel Gordon, and the rest of the Auburn coaching staff to win Howard over, but they now have a clearer picture of who they will need to battle to land his signature. Outside of Auburn, Howard is considering Miami, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, and Ohio State.

In a recent interview with Rivals' Chad Simmons, Howard said his interest in these seven schools stems from each program's success in developing running backs. Outside of his interest in development, Howard says the environment of each program and university will play a major factor in deciding where he goes.

Howard is the No. 26 running back from the 2028 class and is No. 50 among Florida prospects in the cycle, according to 247Sports. As a 10th grader in 2025, Howard rushed for 77 yards on 15 carries over six games. However, he will have the opportunity to progress in 2026 following the departures of Louisville signee Lekhy Thompkins and USC signee Tyson Park, who have recently graduated from IMG Academy. Howard, along with Georgia commitment Jayden Wade, are the top returning rushers for IMG, with Wade set to return as IMG's starting quarterback this season.

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