Of all the new additions to Auburn men's basketball's roster for the 2026-27 season, freshman Caleb Williams could make the biggest impact.

The 6-5 guard scored 14 points in Auburn's 80-68 win over Samford in an exhibition at Neville Arena on Thursday, following an 11-point effort in last week's game with Alabama in "The Feud." Williams' progress over Auburn's final two preseason games is an encouraging sign for Auburn head coach Steven Pearl, who pointed out after Thursday's game that Williams has gotten more comfortable on the floor since he scored only four points in Auburn's preseason opener against Florida State.

Pearl also gave Auburn fans a taste of what to expect from Williams as the season gets underway next Wednesday.

"(Williams) doesn’t play like a freshman, which is very encouraging," Pearl said postgame. "He is going to continue to grow and get better. He is incredibly coachable, which it really helps when a freshman is willing to take the coaching the way he does."

Williams has also caught his teammates' attention during preseason play. Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford says Williams listens to the advice he and his teammates share, and is always working to improve.

"He started to get his confidence throughout these games, and we told him, ‘play your game, be yourself’. If you feel like you got the shot, take that shot," Pettiford said. "He is probably one of the hardest workers on this team. He's always in the gym. One guy that you know, whenever the time is up, he's going to be ready to play.”

Williams signed with Auburn as a four-star shooting guard in the 2026 recruiting cycle and is poised to make an immediate impact for the Tigers this season, especially now that Mantas Rubštavičius is no longer a part of Auburn's roster. Williams, the youngest player on Auburn's experienced roster, will get a chance to prove his worth this season, beginning next Wednesday when the Tigers face Southeastern Louisiana in Neville Arena.