Wednesday wasn’t a good day for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers. Sophomore wide receiver Malcolm Simmons was arrested on charges of assault, domestic violence, and strangulation or suffocation, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Simmons’ bail has been set at $20,000.
Auburn sophomore wide receiver Malcolm Simmons was arrested on domestic assault charges involving strangulation or suffocation, according to Lee County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office records posted online Wednesday night. https://t.co/zwUNtOUkkT https://t.co/zwUNtOUkkT
— Reuters Sports (@ReutersSports) July 17, 2025
Malcolm Simmons is the second Auburn player in eight days to be arrested, after linebacker DJ Barber’s arrest in the city of Dadeville, Alabama, on charges of drug trafficking. Barber was detained at a traffic stop, with two and a half pounds of marijuana, THC vapes, digital scales, marijuana packaging, $1,897 in US currency, and a Glock 19 9mm pistol being found in the vehicle. He has already been dismissed from the team.
Barber was also about to enter his sophomore year, but unlike Simmons, he played a reduced role in the 2024 season. He only played one game last year.
In his true freshman season, Malcolm Simmons recorded 451 receiving yards in 40 catches with three touchdowns. He’s a former four-star recruit who was ranked as the 29th best wide receiver in the nation for the class of 2024 by 247Sports. He was expected to be a starter during the 2025 season and was even mentioned by coach Hugh Freeze as a potential key piece during the SEC media days.
While there’s been no full statement from Auburn, a spokesperson from the school did tell the press:
“We are aware of the situation, are gathering the facts, and will address the situation.”
Four-star recruit commits to the Auburn Tigers
In better news for the Alabama program, offensive tackle Wilson Zierer has committed to the Auburn Tigers. Zierer is considered the 27th-best offensive tackle in the country and 37th-best overall recruit in the state of Georgia for the class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Zierer announced his commitment through his X account, with a video of him wearing an Auburn Tigers t-shirt and jumping into a swimming pool. He simply added the following caption:
“Committing to Auburn,” Zierer wrote.
COMMITTING TO AUBURN. pic.twitter.com/PbvicI996p
— Wilson Zierer (@WilsonZierer) July 17, 2025
The Tigers beat Alabama and Florida to get his services, in a considerable recruitment coup. Wilson Zierer’s older brother, Kilian Zierer, also played for Auburn between 2020 and 2022.
Wilson is originally from Germany, but played high school football at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee in Rabun Gap, Georgia.
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