Hugh Freeze is off to a good start as Auburn’s head coach.

His work on the recruiting trail has been impressive during his first few months on the job. On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren published an analysis of every first-year head coaches’ performance on the recruiting trail so far.

Freeze has cast a wide net with the transfer portal, adding 18 players so far. He also helped Auburn sign 2 of its top prospects in the class of 2023: 4-star defensive lineman Keldric Faulk and 4-star cornerback Kayin Lee.

Here’s some analysis on Freeze’s work so far, via VanHaaren:

Freeze finished the 2023 cycle strong and added quality pieces that should improve the Tigers’ roster immediately. Auburn is also in the mix for a few big 2024 recruits as well, including five-star athlete K.J. Bolden (No. 15) and wide receiver Cameron Coleman (No. 7), who both have the Tigers in their top lists.

As VanHaaren noted, how the 2024 class finishes out will be crucial for Freeze’s success moving forward. Auburn currently has 5 commitments in that class so far.

For the 2023 season, Auburn will be hoping to take a step forward in Year 1 under Freeze. Last season, Auburn missed bowl eligibility for the first time since 2012.