Mountain Brook running back Cole Gamble has been one of Alabama’s most productive players over the last two seasons, rushing for over 4,200 yards and 69 touchdowns for the Spartans.
Schools have taken notice, with Army, Navy, North Alabama, SE Missouri, Stetson, UAB, Samford, UT-Martin, and Eastern Michigan all offering scholarships. But Gamble had another goal in mind: to play for the Auburn Tigers.
That will now happen when Gamble revealed his decision to join Hugh Freeze’s program as a preferred walk-on, choosing Auburn over nine other offers including walk-on options from Alabama and Florida.
“Auburn has been a dream school for me since I was in high school,” Gamble tells Auburn Undercover. “To be honest, I grew up an Alabama supporter, but playing at Auburn looked more appealing to me since it would be unique. Alabama is somewhat of its own machine. Everyone at Auburn is extremely pleasant, and I feel confident in my ability to contribute. “The staff has been fantastic.”
When deciding on Auburn, he evaluated the possibility to contribute as a walk-on. With a lengthy history of successful walk-ons on the Plains and opportunities for substantial playing time, Gamble said it was absolutely something he considered before choosing the Tigers.
“It was 100 percent a factor,” Gamble stated. “When you examine the three schools and how they will treat walk-ons, Auburn was clearly at the top of the list. That certainly played a role.”
Gamble, a punishing runner with the speed to go the distance, has played an important role in the Mountain Brook attack throughout his career. As a 6-1, 205-pounder, he can easily shift to defense, but he might play a significant role on Auburn’s special teams in the future. He stated he’d do anything to help the team win.
“It’s just going to work out when I get on campus,” he added. “Things will shake around during practice. I’d be delighted to play anywhere, especially on special teams, where I could cover kicks and make big hits.”
Gamble is set to come to Auburn early in the summer to prepare for his debut season with the Tigers. When he arrives on campus, he will join a 2024 group that includes a large number of high prospects eager to come in and compete right away, with the goal of making a significant jump in year one. Gamble stated that he is willing to do anything he can to make it a reality.
“I’m super excited,” he remarked. “We’re obviously heading up, especially with the incoming recruiting class and a lot of talented in-state kids. The receivers are clearly great. After playing against them, I’ve wanted to play with a lot of other people.”
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