Football News: 8-12-2026
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Dudley Dent
Aug 12, 2026, 7:58:22 AM (5 days ago) Aug 12
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 8-12-2026
Auburn wide receiver Christian Neptune reveals silver lining to offseason injury:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-wide-receiver-christian-neptune-reveals-silver-lining-offseason-injury
On the Plains with Tae Meadows: ‘Living out my dream’:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/08/11/on-the-plains-with-tae-meadows-living-out-my-dream
Who is standing out for Auburn at safety during preseason camp?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/who-is-standing-out-for-auburn-at-safety-during-preseason-camp.html
How many safeties does Tim Banks plan on rotating in Auburn football’s secondary?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/how-many-safeties-does-tim-banks-plan-on-rotating-in-auburn-footballs-secondary.html
Why Tim Banks Believes Auburn's Safety Room Has Plenty of Depth Entering 2026:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-tim-banks-believes-auburn-safety-room-has-plenty-of-depth-entering-2026
Why Auburn Co-DC Tim Banks Believes This Key Player Is ‘A True Leader’:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-auburn-co-dc-tim-banks-believes-this-key-player-is-a-true-leader-champ-anthony
What Champ Anthony’s return means for Auburn’s safety room:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/what-champ-anthonys-return-means-for-auburns-safety-room.html
AnQuon Fegans describes his growth from last season: ‘Everything really slowed down’:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/anquon-fegans-describes-his-growth-from-last-season-everything-really-slowed-down.html
Why This Coach is ‘Not Enamored’ With Auburn’s Byrum Brown:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-this-coach-is-not-enamored-with-auburn-qb-byrum-brown
Will Bo Nix play in Broncos’ preseason opener? What Denver QB, head coach had to say:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/08/will-bo-nix-play-in-broncos-preseason-opener-what-denver-qb-head-coach-had-to-say.html
NFC West squad signs former Auburn LB Eugene Asante before season:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/08/11/auburn-football-nfl-free-agency-eugene-asante-cardinals/91258487007/
Auburn wide receiver Christian Neptune reveals silver lining to offseason injury
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Auburn wide receiver Christian Neptune is one of five USF wide receivers to follow the Tigers' new head coach Alex Golesh to the Plains. He has been one of the most talked-about receivers throughout the offseason, but he hasn't been able to show off his full potential yet while still recovering from a shoulder injury that required surgery in the spring.
Though spring practice and summer workouts are tough to miss with an injury, especially for a player who is new to the program, Neptune has maintained a positive attitude and used the experience to grow as a football player and as a leader on the team.
"It allowed me to not only grow physically but allowed me to grow mentally in the game," Neptune said, per Auburn 247. "It also allowed me to grow as a teammate. You know, you got young guys like DeShawn [Spencer] who had crazy production this past spring. Being able to be in his ear to help him and guide him has been nothing but a blessing. So, it's all how you look at it, and I see it as a positive."
There has been much discussion about whether or not the Auburn football wide receiver corps, made up mostly of USF transfers, will be able to hang in the SEC, but wide receivers coach Kodi Burns expects his group will be able to go out and do their thing this fall. According to Neptune, going up against the Tigers' defense has been good preparation as he gets back in the groove.
"I'm continuing to just dissect the defense. Being full speed, making full-speed decisions," Neptune said, per AL.com. "Slowly getting my reps and reps back in with the defense. We're playing the best defense in the nation right now. Just understanding how to do that and do anything that KB wants me to do. If I have to play the inside, the outside, if I have to be a scout guy, whatever it is — just doing it to the best of my ability."
For now, Neptune is anxiously waiting for the time when he can remove his orange no-contact jersey and get back to playing full speed with his teammates. He reports that the trainers expect the jersey to come off soon, and that Neptune will be healthy and ready to go for the start of the season in September.
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On the Plains with Tae Meadows: ‘Living out my dream’
When former Troy walk-on running back Tae Meadows looks back on how far he has come in his football career and what he has accomplished, he’s proud of what he sees.
Set to graduate from Auburn University in May 2027, Meadows started playing contact football around the age of 7 originally as a defensive back, where he felt influenced by both his father and older brother.
Focusing on defense, Meadows went on to play tackle football in middle school and at Handley High School in Roanoke, Alabama. It wasn’t until his sophomore year when he transitioned to offense.
“They moved me to running back to see how things went and everything turned out perfectly in my favor,” Meadows said.
In 2020, Meadows was an important contributor to Handley’s state championship win over Gordo High School where he rushed for 264 yards, earning AHSAA Class 4A MVP honors.
Meadows recorded more than 2,000 rushing yards alongside an outstanding 33 rushing touchdowns that season.
He earned a spot at Troy and spent the past four seasons with the Trojans, playing in 22 games with 10 starts and running for 741 career yards with seven touchdowns. He earned a scholarship his final season at Troy and following a breakout year in 2025, he decided to transfer and enrolled in Auburn in January 2026.
Being excited to be at Auburn would be an understatement.
“My dream school was Auburn growing up,” Meadows said. “My family was originally Alabama fans, shoot dang near my whole city. But now I see my family all buy Auburn jerseys and everything. They are so happy to see me doing something that I grew up wanting to do and living out my dream at Auburn.”
Growing up in Alabama, the importance of the in-state rivalry has been ingrained into Meadows’ life.
“The Iron Bowl means a lot to me,” Meadows said. “The whole city of Roanoke came together to watch when I was growing up and now having the opportunity to play in that game – this was something that I have been dreaming about since I was really young.”
Now on the Plains, Meadows has enjoyed getting to build a brotherhood with his teammates, including his fellow running backs. He doesn’t take team bonding for granted and has loved to share his favorite hobby with his teammates – fishing.
“It’s been a brotherhood since I got here,” Meadows said. “I introduced the running back room to fishing and a majority of the time we go bass fishing when we can. But I’ve taken them catfishing, too, which they like more because they catch more.
“If I didn’t play football in my free time, it would be straight fishing,” Meadows added. “I could just go to AG’s (Alex Golesh) house and fish if I wanted to.”
Whether he’s out on the football field or casting a line, Meadows still has his sights set on his top goal after graduation, a chance to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. Then, once his playing days are done, he’s interested in coaching.
“My brother (Malik Meadows) played and then coached at Faulkner University out of Montgomery, which inspired me and makes me want to pursue it when I’m done playing,” Meadows said.
That desire to coach comes out when he’s in the running back room.
“For me, I want to be the best man I can be on and off the field,” Meadows said. “I want to be the best mentor for the younger guys that come in because we have a couple of walk-ons in the room and I know what it feels like to be them when I first started out.”
As a senior whose collegiate career is ending, Meadows has had time to reflect on his road to Auburn and how the challenges have helped him become a better player and a better mentor to younger players just starting out.
“The challenges that I had to overcome was learning a different playbook every year, figuring out a new coach and staff,” Meadows said. “Coach Golesh is my third coach and my advice for the younger players and walk-ons is just stay down, stay grounded. There are going to be moments where you feel extremely down, tired, overwhelmed, but I always fall back to what my dad has always told me: God gives his hardest battles to his toughest soldiers.”
With his first season on the Plains and final season of college football quickly approaching, Meadows looks back on his football accomplishments and accolades throughout his entire career with pride.
“Man, I overachieved my goals,” Meadows said. “I never thought would I play football at an SEC school, especially starting out my career as a walk-on. I bet on myself and it worked out.”
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Who is standing out for Auburn at safety during preseason camp?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
With few transfers and impact newcomers, Auburn’s safety room has largely flown under the radar this offseason.
It’s not the Tigers’ biggest strength, but it’s not necessarily seen as a weakness either. Auburn’s safeties were inconsistent last season, but the Tigers returned most of their contributors and brought in experienced safeties coach Tim Banks.
Banks, who spent the last five seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, spoke to reporters after practice on Tuesday and was asked which players are standing out in his room.
“I don’t know about separating, but Eric Winters has done a tremendous job,” Banks said. “We’re playing him all over the field and he’s been awesome. Champ Anthony has been really good. Every one of those guys has their spots that you would expect.”
Winters is a sophomore who already had chances to contribute as a true freshman last season. He wasn’t a regular starter, but flashed his potential as a former four-star recruit out of in-state Enterprise High School.
Listed at 6-feet, 215 pounds, Winters is arguably the most physical player in Auburn’s safety room. He’s the heaviest in the group and is comfortable playing in the box.
“He’s going to be one of the bigger safeties in the country, and he’s playing that way,” Banks said of Winters. “He’s playing with some violence. The slot blocking him should be a mismatch for us, and you’re starting to see that. I’m excited for him.”
Anthony was the other player that Banks mentioned by name, which isn’t a major surprise early in camp. Injuries have hampered Anthony in each of the last two seasons, but he’s the unquestioned leader of the safety room.
He’s a versatile player too, having played nickel and corner during his time at Auburn to go along with his capabilities at safety. Having him back for another season was big for the group for both of those reasons.
“He could easily slide out at corner and bring us some versatility there, as well,” Banks said. “He’s been banged up a ton. To finally see him healthy and hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
Versatility has been a strength of the group overall, not just Anthony. Banks said they’ve made a point to have players play multiple positions during camp, which gives the secondary flexibility.
AnQuon Fegans and Sylvester Smith-Reed are two more major contributors who bring that versatility, but have been limited in the early stages of preseason camp. Kaleb Harris also returns after starting in each of the past two seasons, and said he’s also been cross training at multiple positions.
Auburn may not have an All-SEC caliber player in the group -- at least not one who has emerged already-- but the depth and versatility are the group’s biggest strengths.
Banks hopes those traits will pay dividends this season.
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How many safeties does Tim Banks plan on rotating in Auburn football’s secondary?
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Auburn football faces a stiff safety competition heading into the second week of fall camp.
Safeties coach Tim Banks addressed the media Tuesday morning to discuss the competition at the position and how he plans to rotate the depth chart.
“You’d like to be able to play six guys,” Banks said. “Four on a hash and two at the star position. I think that’s important in this day and age of football. We talk a lot about getting what you deserve, and if you’ve got a bunch of good players that can play, we’ll find roles for them. We’re going to play as many as we can.
“This game is matchup driven and you want to put the guys in the best position to be successful. A lot of times that’s on us to figure out where our best matchups are and put those guys there so they can attack.”
Veteran safeties Champ Anthony, Sylvester Smith-Reed and Kaleb Harris bring the most experience to the group under defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
As freshmen last season, sophomores AnQuon Fegans and Eric Winters proved they could play at the SEC level, contributing in key situations during conference play.
Banks also highlighted freshmen Wayne Henry and Damonte Tabb as players who are coming up through the ranks in the Tigers’ secondary.
“Wayne’s a worker. I know he’s not real big in stature, but you’re talking about a tough kid. He’s super quick, he’s extremely competitive, he comes from a great program,” Banks said. “He’s been exactly what we were hoping he’d be. Now, he’s been a freshman, so there are some things he needs to continue to grow, areas he needs to grow in.
“Tabb, for a kid who didn’t get here until the fall, I think it’s starting to slow down for him a little bit. You’re starting to see the athleticism show up a little bit. We do think the future is bright for both of those young guys.”
Auburn returns to practice Wednesday morning and will be in full pads.
“It’s ball, right? That’s what it is -- particularly at the safety position,” Banks added. “We’ve got to quarterback the defense and get guys lined up. I tell them all the time: It’s up to us to get guys on the ground. No one notices when the D-line is rolling and the linebackers, but they notice when the safeties aren’t. It’ll be fun tomorrow, and guys are excited for it. So am I.”
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Why Tim Banks Believes Auburn's Safety Room Has Plenty of Depth Entering 2026
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers will look to continue their success at the secondary in 2026. First-year co-defensive coordinator of the program, Tim Banks, tends to agree.
While also being the position coach of the safeties entering next season, the former Tennessee defensive coordinator believes that that group has the capability of shining for the Tigers in the first season under Alex Golesh. The Tigers will look to improve on the bottom-half finish in passing yards allowed per game in the SEC last season by their group.
Fortunately, Banks believes that there’s plenty of depth within the group entering 2026.
“You like to be able to play, you know, six guys, you know, four on the hash and two at the start position,” he said on Tuesday. “I think that’s important in this day and age of football.”
Of course, senior safety Champ Anthony will headline the group, playing in seven games of his senior season before missing the end of the year with a leg injury while suffering a broken thumb against Baylor to begin the season. An attendee of SEC Media Days in July, Banks hopes that he helps lead the defense in 2026.
When Anthony went down in 2025, junior Kaleb Harris, sophomore Eric Winters and senior Sylvester Smith-Reed picked up the scraps to have productive seasons. All return to the Plains for their respective seasons, and all finished with over 25 total tackles last season.
Being a returning piece for D.J. Durkin’s defense is handy, and especially for a player like Harris, who led the position group in tackles last season, Banks has seen his understanding of the game already beginning fall camp.
“Kaleb’s been awesome,” he said. ‘He’s super smart; he can see it, and that’s rare. Sometimes, guys can see it on the board; they understand it, but when they get between the grass, they’re always a tick behind.”
“It takes them a minute, but he’s not that. He’s not that way.”
Auburn also brings in other depth that will look to make a statement as an early bloomer. Junior safety Fred Gaskin II comes from USF with a sack and two interceptions, while sophomore Newboy Fegans will look to overcome an early injury from this past year to get back into the fray ahead of the regular season.
Other names, like Texas A&M transfer Jacoby Mathews from last season, could be unlocked to be the five-star caliber that they were recruited to be.
Overall, it’s understandable to believe that Banks has a strong room ahead of the 2026 season. Auburn has to face opponents with top passing attacks, like Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama, among others.
However, if Banks’s group can gel together before October, the Tigers can play spoiler across the SEC next season with their depth.
“We talk a lot about getting what you deserve, and if you got a bunch of good players that can play, we’ll find roles for them,” he said. “So, yeah, we’re going to play as many as we can. That is the plan.”
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Why Auburn Co-DC Tim Banks Believes This Key Player Is ‘A True Leader’
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have boasted some of the best defenses in the country over the past few years, but one key player has been notably absent from much of the Tigers’ defensive dominance: Champ Anthony. The senior, who was a junior college transfer for the Tigers back in 2024, has missed large parts of both of his first two seasons with the Tigers due to injury.
However, Anthony is now back to full strength and is practicing with the team, and his impact has not been missed by Auburn co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
“It’s been awesome,” Banks said. “He’s a true leader. He’s a passionate kid. Football is extremely important to him, brotherhood is extremely important to him, and he’s not just a guy who talks about it. He’s a guy who lives it, and that’s refreshing. You get a lot of people who talk a lot and don’t really have any substance about it. He’s not that type of guy.”
Anthony has been the subject of a few famous Auburn moments over the past few years despite how limited he has been, though perhaps the best example of a Champ Anthony moment (as well as a perfect illustration of how he plays) was a hit he put down on an Arkansas receiver back in 2024.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1837604221115420945
Even beyond the amazing call from the booth (seriously, if you didn’t have audio on, go listen to that call), this hit perfectly encapsulates Anthony as a player: he is aggressive, he does not fear contact and he is willing to hit as hard as he needs to–or harder–for his team to gain even the slightest edge in a tight competition.
However, Banks was not just impressed with Anthony’s leadership, poise or even his effort in practice; in fact, he is already open to the idea of using Anthony at multiple positions in 2026.
“I talked about the safety spot,” Banks said, “[but Anthony] could easily slide out at corner, and bring us some versatility there as well. You guys know his story; he’s been banged up a ton, so to finally see him healthy, hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
Anthony, despite a few highlights, is still looking for his first full season in an Auburn uniform, and he seems to have the perfect coaching staff for his tendencies. If he is able to stay healthy despite all that aggression, the Tigers’ secondary could be among the most feared in the SEC in 2026.
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What Champ Anthony’s return means for Auburn’s safety room
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Champ Anthony isn’t the most talented player on Auburn’s defense. He’s not the most high-profile either.
But as he returns for his fourth season at Auburn, Anthony is the unquestioned leader of Auburn’s safety room, which is looking for improvement in 2026. Injuries hampered Anthony in each of his previous two seasons, but now that he’s healthy, he’s an important player in the back end of the Tigers’ defense.
“Football is extremely important to him, brotherhood is important to him. He’s not a guy that just talks about it, he’s a guy that lives it,” Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks said of Anthony. “You have a lot of people that talk a lot but don’t really have any substance about it. He’s not that type of guy. When he says it, he means it and he stands on it.”
Despite not being one of Auburn’s most high-profile players, Anthony’s leadership was a big reason why head coach Alex Golesh selected him to represent Auburn at SEC Media Days. This season, Anthony and the staff hope his role is bigger than that of just an influential voice.
Severe leg injuries in each of the past two seasons kept Anthony off the field, but he still led from the sidelines. Back on the field, he’s continuing that leadership while providing versatility to Auburn’s secondary.
Throughout his Auburn career, Anthony has played everywhere from boundary safety to cornerback and hasn’t looked uncomfortable.
“Wherever I fit in the game plan, that’s where I’ll play,” Anthony said. “That’s the same thing with everyone else. We’re all flexible.”
Banks had made a point to cross train Auburn’s safeties throughout the offseason. Fortunately for Anthony, versatility was already one of his strengths.
Being coached by Banks is something that Anthony has embraced. Banks is Anthony’s third different safeties coach in the last three seasons, but brings rich experience to Auburn’s safety room.
Banks spent the last five seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, something that Anthony says allows him to view the game from a different perspective.
“He’s turned us into coaches on the field. We understand and we have a feel of what he’s gonna call,” Anthony said of Banks. “His understanding on offense is phenomenal — understanding what they can get to out of formations and stuff like that. I feel like I’ve grown so much in hearing him talk every day.”
At the back end of Auburn’s defense, there’s nobody more equipped to be that coach on the field than Anthony. He’s always been one of Auburn’s most vocal defensive players and has enough experience to understand offenses and anticipate plays.
Combine that with his leadership ability and Anthony could be an important player for Auburn this year, especially now that he’s healthy.
“He’s been banged up a ton,” Banks said. “To finally see him healthy and hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
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AnQuon Fegans describes his growth from last season: ‘Everything really slowed down’
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
As a blue-chip recruit from in-state powerhouse Thompson High School, AnQuon Fegans went into his first season on the Plains with higher expectations than most freshmen.
A ball-hawking safety throughout his high school career, he entered college football as a defensive playmaker who could help Auburn in spurts early on.
As a freshman, that’s exactly what Fegans did. He never started, but played in all 12 games. In those games he tallied 24 total tackles, two pass deflections and one interception.
Despite many of Auburn’s contributors at safety returning this season, Fegans and fellow sophomore Eric Winters are viewed as the future of the back end of Auburn’s defense.
Under a new staff and new position coach, Fegans feels further ahead going into Year 2 than he did last season. He told reporters on Tuesday that the game has started to slow down to him as he takes on his second preseason camp as a college football player.
Versatility is becoming one of Fegans’ biggest strengths in Auburn’s secondary. His playmaking ability always made him a capable player at multiple spots, but now the staff is starting to use him in different positions.
“I feel comfortable and confident in each and every position that I play,” Fegans said. “I’ve always played each and every one of those positions, so it’s just really, I’m confident in all of them.”
Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks said Fegans has played all over the secondary, including star, field safety and boundary safety. During spring practice, he even got chances to take reps at cornerback.
While Fegans likely won’t be a regular contributor at that spot, he’s capable of helping out all over the secondary if necessary. Having players in the secondary play multiple positions has been a point of emphasis from Banks.
Fegans was limited at the beginning of preseason camp with an injury, but says he’s “good to go now.” Whether he’s a regular starter on the back end of the defense or a utility player in Auburn’s secondary, the sophomore out of Thompson feels comfortable in his ever-changing role.
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Why This Coach is ‘Not Enamored’ With Auburn’s Byrum Brown
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been receiving quite a bit of hype since Alex Golesh took over on the Plains at the end of last season, but no Tiger has gotten quite as much attention as Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ new quarterback who transferred over from USF to follow his coach.
As with many big names in college football, opinions of Brown vary heavily from person to person, with some going as far as to label him as ‘Cam Newton 2.0,’ while others believe his top-level production from last season will not carry over into a grueling SEC schedule.
One coach who faced Brown last season chose to stay anonymous, but he made it pretty clear that he was not overly impressed with Brown as a complete quarterback.
“I'm not one of these Byrum Brown haters, but I'm also not one of these guys who thinks he's a first-round [NFL draft] pick, either," the anonymous coach said. "He's all right. I'm not enamored with the guy."
Now, of course, by the nature of this coach choosing to stay anonymous with this quote, we do not know if this was a coach who defeated or lost to Brown last season, either of which could be informing his decision to make this statement. However, the list of teams the Bulls lost to last season is limited to just four of 13 total opponents, so this quote is statistically twice as likely to have come from a coach who lost to Brown.
Critics of Brown have focused on two perceived issues in his game: his throwing motion and his low completion percentage. Though the former is largely a matter of opinion, as Brown has proven to be able to put up top-tier passing numbers despite a unique throwing motion, the low completion percentage will certainly be a stat to keep an eye on throughout the 2026 season.
Brown will have significant aid this season, though, as five of his expected 2026 targets at Auburn were 2025 targets of his while at USF, so there is a level of familiarity, camaraderie and connection that should make life a good bit easier for Brown as he stares down a schedule that is, admittedly, several times harder than the schedule he faced last year at USF.
If Brown can get his completion percentage up in 2026 while staying consistent with his other production, especially against tougher talent, it will be hard to deny that he is a top-level NFL Draft prospect.
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Will Bo Nix play in Broncos’ preseason opener? What Denver QB, head coach had to say
By Creg Stephenson
al.com
Bo Nix spoke optimistically Tuesday about the possibility he would play in this weekend’s preseason opener, but Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was more cautious.
Nix has been sidelined since suffering a broken ankle in Denver’s AFC Divisional Playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last January. The Broncos open the 2026 preseason at Atlanta on Friday.
“I’m excited,” Nix said, via Yahoo Sports. “I think preseason’s always a great time to get back out there and get your feet wet a little bit and see defenses in a live situation before the first [regular-season] game.”
It seems unlikely that Nix, the third-year pro who played at Auburn and Oregon after graduating from Pinson Valley High School, will suit up vs. Atlanta. For one thing, the game takes place on artificial turf at Mercedes Benz Stadium, which might be deemed an unnecessary risk vis-à-vis Nix’s recovery.
The Broncos host the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 of the preseason on Aug. 21, a game that will be played on natural grass at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High. Payton wasn’t tipping his hand either way as to his quarterback plan for the preseason.
“We haven’t gone through the (quarterback) role yet,” Payton told reporters. “I’ll let you know when we go through the roles.”
Denver has a new offensive coordinator this season in former NFL quarterback Davis Webb, who has been tasked with helping Nix unlock his deep passing accuracy. Nix threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025, but ranked near the bottom of the league in completion percentage on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air.
Early in camp, however, Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said he’s liked what he has seen from Nix.
“Bo’s played well,” Joseph said on Saturday, via SI.com. “He’s been accurate. He’s moving very well. That’s a great sign, but his deep-ball touch has been really off the charts this training camp.”
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NFC West squad signs former Auburn LB Eugene Asante before season
By Phillip Jordan
Auburn Wire
Former Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante is getting another opportunity in the NFL after being signed by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.
After spending the spring with the Houston Gamblers of the United Football League, Asante impressed the Cardinals enough to add them to their preseason roster. While with the Gamblers, he collected 34 total tackles and 18 solo in nine games played. The Gamblers finished with a 4-6 record and missed the postseason. The Houston franchise will be relocated for the 2027 season.
Asante was a fan favorite while a member of the Auburn Tigers from 2022-24. While on the plains, he had 134 tackles and 13 tackles for loss along with 7.5 sacks. His best season for the Tigers was in 2023 when he had 86 tackles and five tackles for loss. He was the team's leading tackler that season. Prior to joining Auburn, be played three seasons at North Carolina before arriving as a transfer.
After his time at Auburn, Asante went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft but was signed by the Miami Dolphins. He was released by the team in late August during roster cuts. He was picked up twice during the 2025 NFL season as a practice squad player for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons. He will now get another chance with the Cardinals. They will play their first preseason game on Thursday when they travel to Las Vegas to matchup with the Raiders.
Auburn wide receiver Christian Neptune reveals silver lining to offseason injury:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-wide-receiver-christian-neptune-reveals-silver-lining-offseason-injury
On the Plains with Tae Meadows: ‘Living out my dream’:
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/08/11/on-the-plains-with-tae-meadows-living-out-my-dream
Who is standing out for Auburn at safety during preseason camp?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/who-is-standing-out-for-auburn-at-safety-during-preseason-camp.html
How many safeties does Tim Banks plan on rotating in Auburn football’s secondary?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/how-many-safeties-does-tim-banks-plan-on-rotating-in-auburn-footballs-secondary.html
Why Tim Banks Believes Auburn's Safety Room Has Plenty of Depth Entering 2026:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-tim-banks-believes-auburn-safety-room-has-plenty-of-depth-entering-2026
Why Auburn Co-DC Tim Banks Believes This Key Player Is ‘A True Leader’:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-auburn-co-dc-tim-banks-believes-this-key-player-is-a-true-leader-champ-anthony
What Champ Anthony’s return means for Auburn’s safety room:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/what-champ-anthonys-return-means-for-auburns-safety-room.html
AnQuon Fegans describes his growth from last season: ‘Everything really slowed down’:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/08/anquon-fegans-describes-his-growth-from-last-season-everything-really-slowed-down.html
Why This Coach is ‘Not Enamored’ With Auburn’s Byrum Brown:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/why-this-coach-is-not-enamored-with-auburn-qb-byrum-brown
Will Bo Nix play in Broncos’ preseason opener? What Denver QB, head coach had to say:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/08/will-bo-nix-play-in-broncos-preseason-opener-what-denver-qb-head-coach-had-to-say.html
NFC West squad signs former Auburn LB Eugene Asante before season:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/08/11/auburn-football-nfl-free-agency-eugene-asante-cardinals/91258487007/
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By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Auburn wide receiver Christian Neptune is one of five USF wide receivers to follow the Tigers' new head coach Alex Golesh to the Plains. He has been one of the most talked-about receivers throughout the offseason, but he hasn't been able to show off his full potential yet while still recovering from a shoulder injury that required surgery in the spring.
Though spring practice and summer workouts are tough to miss with an injury, especially for a player who is new to the program, Neptune has maintained a positive attitude and used the experience to grow as a football player and as a leader on the team.
"It allowed me to not only grow physically but allowed me to grow mentally in the game," Neptune said, per Auburn 247. "It also allowed me to grow as a teammate. You know, you got young guys like DeShawn [Spencer] who had crazy production this past spring. Being able to be in his ear to help him and guide him has been nothing but a blessing. So, it's all how you look at it, and I see it as a positive."
There has been much discussion about whether or not the Auburn football wide receiver corps, made up mostly of USF transfers, will be able to hang in the SEC, but wide receivers coach Kodi Burns expects his group will be able to go out and do their thing this fall. According to Neptune, going up against the Tigers' defense has been good preparation as he gets back in the groove.
"I'm continuing to just dissect the defense. Being full speed, making full-speed decisions," Neptune said, per AL.com. "Slowly getting my reps and reps back in with the defense. We're playing the best defense in the nation right now. Just understanding how to do that and do anything that KB wants me to do. If I have to play the inside, the outside, if I have to be a scout guy, whatever it is — just doing it to the best of my ability."
For now, Neptune is anxiously waiting for the time when he can remove his orange no-contact jersey and get back to playing full speed with his teammates. He reports that the trainers expect the jersey to come off soon, and that Neptune will be healthy and ready to go for the start of the season in September.
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On the Plains with Tae Meadows: ‘Living out my dream’
When former Troy walk-on running back Tae Meadows looks back on how far he has come in his football career and what he has accomplished, he’s proud of what he sees.
Set to graduate from Auburn University in May 2027, Meadows started playing contact football around the age of 7 originally as a defensive back, where he felt influenced by both his father and older brother.
Focusing on defense, Meadows went on to play tackle football in middle school and at Handley High School in Roanoke, Alabama. It wasn’t until his sophomore year when he transitioned to offense.
“They moved me to running back to see how things went and everything turned out perfectly in my favor,” Meadows said.
In 2020, Meadows was an important contributor to Handley’s state championship win over Gordo High School where he rushed for 264 yards, earning AHSAA Class 4A MVP honors.
Meadows recorded more than 2,000 rushing yards alongside an outstanding 33 rushing touchdowns that season.
He earned a spot at Troy and spent the past four seasons with the Trojans, playing in 22 games with 10 starts and running for 741 career yards with seven touchdowns. He earned a scholarship his final season at Troy and following a breakout year in 2025, he decided to transfer and enrolled in Auburn in January 2026.
Being excited to be at Auburn would be an understatement.
“My dream school was Auburn growing up,” Meadows said. “My family was originally Alabama fans, shoot dang near my whole city. But now I see my family all buy Auburn jerseys and everything. They are so happy to see me doing something that I grew up wanting to do and living out my dream at Auburn.”
Growing up in Alabama, the importance of the in-state rivalry has been ingrained into Meadows’ life.
“The Iron Bowl means a lot to me,” Meadows said. “The whole city of Roanoke came together to watch when I was growing up and now having the opportunity to play in that game – this was something that I have been dreaming about since I was really young.”
Now on the Plains, Meadows has enjoyed getting to build a brotherhood with his teammates, including his fellow running backs. He doesn’t take team bonding for granted and has loved to share his favorite hobby with his teammates – fishing.
“It’s been a brotherhood since I got here,” Meadows said. “I introduced the running back room to fishing and a majority of the time we go bass fishing when we can. But I’ve taken them catfishing, too, which they like more because they catch more.
“If I didn’t play football in my free time, it would be straight fishing,” Meadows added. “I could just go to AG’s (Alex Golesh) house and fish if I wanted to.”
Whether he’s out on the football field or casting a line, Meadows still has his sights set on his top goal after graduation, a chance to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. Then, once his playing days are done, he’s interested in coaching.
“My brother (Malik Meadows) played and then coached at Faulkner University out of Montgomery, which inspired me and makes me want to pursue it when I’m done playing,” Meadows said.
That desire to coach comes out when he’s in the running back room.
“For me, I want to be the best man I can be on and off the field,” Meadows said. “I want to be the best mentor for the younger guys that come in because we have a couple of walk-ons in the room and I know what it feels like to be them when I first started out.”
As a senior whose collegiate career is ending, Meadows has had time to reflect on his road to Auburn and how the challenges have helped him become a better player and a better mentor to younger players just starting out.
“The challenges that I had to overcome was learning a different playbook every year, figuring out a new coach and staff,” Meadows said. “Coach Golesh is my third coach and my advice for the younger players and walk-ons is just stay down, stay grounded. There are going to be moments where you feel extremely down, tired, overwhelmed, but I always fall back to what my dad has always told me: God gives his hardest battles to his toughest soldiers.”
With his first season on the Plains and final season of college football quickly approaching, Meadows looks back on his football accomplishments and accolades throughout his entire career with pride.
“Man, I overachieved my goals,” Meadows said. “I never thought would I play football at an SEC school, especially starting out my career as a walk-on. I bet on myself and it worked out.”
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Who is standing out for Auburn at safety during preseason camp?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
With few transfers and impact newcomers, Auburn’s safety room has largely flown under the radar this offseason.
It’s not the Tigers’ biggest strength, but it’s not necessarily seen as a weakness either. Auburn’s safeties were inconsistent last season, but the Tigers returned most of their contributors and brought in experienced safeties coach Tim Banks.
Banks, who spent the last five seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, spoke to reporters after practice on Tuesday and was asked which players are standing out in his room.
“I don’t know about separating, but Eric Winters has done a tremendous job,” Banks said. “We’re playing him all over the field and he’s been awesome. Champ Anthony has been really good. Every one of those guys has their spots that you would expect.”
Winters is a sophomore who already had chances to contribute as a true freshman last season. He wasn’t a regular starter, but flashed his potential as a former four-star recruit out of in-state Enterprise High School.
Listed at 6-feet, 215 pounds, Winters is arguably the most physical player in Auburn’s safety room. He’s the heaviest in the group and is comfortable playing in the box.
“He’s going to be one of the bigger safeties in the country, and he’s playing that way,” Banks said of Winters. “He’s playing with some violence. The slot blocking him should be a mismatch for us, and you’re starting to see that. I’m excited for him.”
Anthony was the other player that Banks mentioned by name, which isn’t a major surprise early in camp. Injuries have hampered Anthony in each of the last two seasons, but he’s the unquestioned leader of the safety room.
He’s a versatile player too, having played nickel and corner during his time at Auburn to go along with his capabilities at safety. Having him back for another season was big for the group for both of those reasons.
“He could easily slide out at corner and bring us some versatility there, as well,” Banks said. “He’s been banged up a ton. To finally see him healthy and hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
Versatility has been a strength of the group overall, not just Anthony. Banks said they’ve made a point to have players play multiple positions during camp, which gives the secondary flexibility.
AnQuon Fegans and Sylvester Smith-Reed are two more major contributors who bring that versatility, but have been limited in the early stages of preseason camp. Kaleb Harris also returns after starting in each of the past two seasons, and said he’s also been cross training at multiple positions.
Auburn may not have an All-SEC caliber player in the group -- at least not one who has emerged already-- but the depth and versatility are the group’s biggest strengths.
Banks hopes those traits will pay dividends this season.
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How many safeties does Tim Banks plan on rotating in Auburn football’s secondary?
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Auburn football faces a stiff safety competition heading into the second week of fall camp.
Safeties coach Tim Banks addressed the media Tuesday morning to discuss the competition at the position and how he plans to rotate the depth chart.
“You’d like to be able to play six guys,” Banks said. “Four on a hash and two at the star position. I think that’s important in this day and age of football. We talk a lot about getting what you deserve, and if you’ve got a bunch of good players that can play, we’ll find roles for them. We’re going to play as many as we can.
“This game is matchup driven and you want to put the guys in the best position to be successful. A lot of times that’s on us to figure out where our best matchups are and put those guys there so they can attack.”
Veteran safeties Champ Anthony, Sylvester Smith-Reed and Kaleb Harris bring the most experience to the group under defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
As freshmen last season, sophomores AnQuon Fegans and Eric Winters proved they could play at the SEC level, contributing in key situations during conference play.
Banks also highlighted freshmen Wayne Henry and Damonte Tabb as players who are coming up through the ranks in the Tigers’ secondary.
“Wayne’s a worker. I know he’s not real big in stature, but you’re talking about a tough kid. He’s super quick, he’s extremely competitive, he comes from a great program,” Banks said. “He’s been exactly what we were hoping he’d be. Now, he’s been a freshman, so there are some things he needs to continue to grow, areas he needs to grow in.
“Tabb, for a kid who didn’t get here until the fall, I think it’s starting to slow down for him a little bit. You’re starting to see the athleticism show up a little bit. We do think the future is bright for both of those young guys.”
Auburn returns to practice Wednesday morning and will be in full pads.
“It’s ball, right? That’s what it is -- particularly at the safety position,” Banks added. “We’ve got to quarterback the defense and get guys lined up. I tell them all the time: It’s up to us to get guys on the ground. No one notices when the D-line is rolling and the linebackers, but they notice when the safeties aren’t. It’ll be fun tomorrow, and guys are excited for it. So am I.”
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Why Tim Banks Believes Auburn's Safety Room Has Plenty of Depth Entering 2026
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers will look to continue their success at the secondary in 2026. First-year co-defensive coordinator of the program, Tim Banks, tends to agree.
While also being the position coach of the safeties entering next season, the former Tennessee defensive coordinator believes that that group has the capability of shining for the Tigers in the first season under Alex Golesh. The Tigers will look to improve on the bottom-half finish in passing yards allowed per game in the SEC last season by their group.
Fortunately, Banks believes that there’s plenty of depth within the group entering 2026.
“You like to be able to play, you know, six guys, you know, four on the hash and two at the start position,” he said on Tuesday. “I think that’s important in this day and age of football.”
Of course, senior safety Champ Anthony will headline the group, playing in seven games of his senior season before missing the end of the year with a leg injury while suffering a broken thumb against Baylor to begin the season. An attendee of SEC Media Days in July, Banks hopes that he helps lead the defense in 2026.
When Anthony went down in 2025, junior Kaleb Harris, sophomore Eric Winters and senior Sylvester Smith-Reed picked up the scraps to have productive seasons. All return to the Plains for their respective seasons, and all finished with over 25 total tackles last season.
Being a returning piece for D.J. Durkin’s defense is handy, and especially for a player like Harris, who led the position group in tackles last season, Banks has seen his understanding of the game already beginning fall camp.
“Kaleb’s been awesome,” he said. ‘He’s super smart; he can see it, and that’s rare. Sometimes, guys can see it on the board; they understand it, but when they get between the grass, they’re always a tick behind.”
“It takes them a minute, but he’s not that. He’s not that way.”
Auburn also brings in other depth that will look to make a statement as an early bloomer. Junior safety Fred Gaskin II comes from USF with a sack and two interceptions, while sophomore Newboy Fegans will look to overcome an early injury from this past year to get back into the fray ahead of the regular season.
Other names, like Texas A&M transfer Jacoby Mathews from last season, could be unlocked to be the five-star caliber that they were recruited to be.
Overall, it’s understandable to believe that Banks has a strong room ahead of the 2026 season. Auburn has to face opponents with top passing attacks, like Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama, among others.
However, if Banks’s group can gel together before October, the Tigers can play spoiler across the SEC next season with their depth.
“We talk a lot about getting what you deserve, and if you got a bunch of good players that can play, we’ll find roles for them,” he said. “So, yeah, we’re going to play as many as we can. That is the plan.”
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Why Auburn Co-DC Tim Banks Believes This Key Player Is ‘A True Leader’
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have boasted some of the best defenses in the country over the past few years, but one key player has been notably absent from much of the Tigers’ defensive dominance: Champ Anthony. The senior, who was a junior college transfer for the Tigers back in 2024, has missed large parts of both of his first two seasons with the Tigers due to injury.
However, Anthony is now back to full strength and is practicing with the team, and his impact has not been missed by Auburn co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks.
“It’s been awesome,” Banks said. “He’s a true leader. He’s a passionate kid. Football is extremely important to him, brotherhood is extremely important to him, and he’s not just a guy who talks about it. He’s a guy who lives it, and that’s refreshing. You get a lot of people who talk a lot and don’t really have any substance about it. He’s not that type of guy.”
Anthony has been the subject of a few famous Auburn moments over the past few years despite how limited he has been, though perhaps the best example of a Champ Anthony moment (as well as a perfect illustration of how he plays) was a hit he put down on an Arkansas receiver back in 2024.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1837604221115420945
Even beyond the amazing call from the booth (seriously, if you didn’t have audio on, go listen to that call), this hit perfectly encapsulates Anthony as a player: he is aggressive, he does not fear contact and he is willing to hit as hard as he needs to–or harder–for his team to gain even the slightest edge in a tight competition.
However, Banks was not just impressed with Anthony’s leadership, poise or even his effort in practice; in fact, he is already open to the idea of using Anthony at multiple positions in 2026.
“I talked about the safety spot,” Banks said, “[but Anthony] could easily slide out at corner, and bring us some versatility there as well. You guys know his story; he’s been banged up a ton, so to finally see him healthy, hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
Anthony, despite a few highlights, is still looking for his first full season in an Auburn uniform, and he seems to have the perfect coaching staff for his tendencies. If he is able to stay healthy despite all that aggression, the Tigers’ secondary could be among the most feared in the SEC in 2026.
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What Champ Anthony’s return means for Auburn’s safety room
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Champ Anthony isn’t the most talented player on Auburn’s defense. He’s not the most high-profile either.
But as he returns for his fourth season at Auburn, Anthony is the unquestioned leader of Auburn’s safety room, which is looking for improvement in 2026. Injuries hampered Anthony in each of his previous two seasons, but now that he’s healthy, he’s an important player in the back end of the Tigers’ defense.
“Football is extremely important to him, brotherhood is important to him. He’s not a guy that just talks about it, he’s a guy that lives it,” Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks said of Anthony. “You have a lot of people that talk a lot but don’t really have any substance about it. He’s not that type of guy. When he says it, he means it and he stands on it.”
Despite not being one of Auburn’s most high-profile players, Anthony’s leadership was a big reason why head coach Alex Golesh selected him to represent Auburn at SEC Media Days. This season, Anthony and the staff hope his role is bigger than that of just an influential voice.
Severe leg injuries in each of the past two seasons kept Anthony off the field, but he still led from the sidelines. Back on the field, he’s continuing that leadership while providing versatility to Auburn’s secondary.
Throughout his Auburn career, Anthony has played everywhere from boundary safety to cornerback and hasn’t looked uncomfortable.
“Wherever I fit in the game plan, that’s where I’ll play,” Anthony said. “That’s the same thing with everyone else. We’re all flexible.”
Banks had made a point to cross train Auburn’s safeties throughout the offseason. Fortunately for Anthony, versatility was already one of his strengths.
Being coached by Banks is something that Anthony has embraced. Banks is Anthony’s third different safeties coach in the last three seasons, but brings rich experience to Auburn’s safety room.
Banks spent the last five seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, something that Anthony says allows him to view the game from a different perspective.
“He’s turned us into coaches on the field. We understand and we have a feel of what he’s gonna call,” Anthony said of Banks. “His understanding on offense is phenomenal — understanding what they can get to out of formations and stuff like that. I feel like I’ve grown so much in hearing him talk every day.”
At the back end of Auburn’s defense, there’s nobody more equipped to be that coach on the field than Anthony. He’s always been one of Auburn’s most vocal defensive players and has enough experience to understand offenses and anticipate plays.
Combine that with his leadership ability and Anthony could be an important player for Auburn this year, especially now that he’s healthy.
“He’s been banged up a ton,” Banks said. “To finally see him healthy and hitting on all cylinders, it’s been awesome to see.”
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AnQuon Fegans describes his growth from last season: ‘Everything really slowed down’
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
As a blue-chip recruit from in-state powerhouse Thompson High School, AnQuon Fegans went into his first season on the Plains with higher expectations than most freshmen.
A ball-hawking safety throughout his high school career, he entered college football as a defensive playmaker who could help Auburn in spurts early on.
As a freshman, that’s exactly what Fegans did. He never started, but played in all 12 games. In those games he tallied 24 total tackles, two pass deflections and one interception.
Despite many of Auburn’s contributors at safety returning this season, Fegans and fellow sophomore Eric Winters are viewed as the future of the back end of Auburn’s defense.
Under a new staff and new position coach, Fegans feels further ahead going into Year 2 than he did last season. He told reporters on Tuesday that the game has started to slow down to him as he takes on his second preseason camp as a college football player.
Versatility is becoming one of Fegans’ biggest strengths in Auburn’s secondary. His playmaking ability always made him a capable player at multiple spots, but now the staff is starting to use him in different positions.
“I feel comfortable and confident in each and every position that I play,” Fegans said. “I’ve always played each and every one of those positions, so it’s just really, I’m confident in all of them.”
Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks said Fegans has played all over the secondary, including star, field safety and boundary safety. During spring practice, he even got chances to take reps at cornerback.
While Fegans likely won’t be a regular contributor at that spot, he’s capable of helping out all over the secondary if necessary. Having players in the secondary play multiple positions has been a point of emphasis from Banks.
Fegans was limited at the beginning of preseason camp with an injury, but says he’s “good to go now.” Whether he’s a regular starter on the back end of the defense or a utility player in Auburn’s secondary, the sophomore out of Thompson feels comfortable in his ever-changing role.
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Why This Coach is ‘Not Enamored’ With Auburn’s Byrum Brown
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been receiving quite a bit of hype since Alex Golesh took over on the Plains at the end of last season, but no Tiger has gotten quite as much attention as Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ new quarterback who transferred over from USF to follow his coach.
As with many big names in college football, opinions of Brown vary heavily from person to person, with some going as far as to label him as ‘Cam Newton 2.0,’ while others believe his top-level production from last season will not carry over into a grueling SEC schedule.
One coach who faced Brown last season chose to stay anonymous, but he made it pretty clear that he was not overly impressed with Brown as a complete quarterback.
“I'm not one of these Byrum Brown haters, but I'm also not one of these guys who thinks he's a first-round [NFL draft] pick, either," the anonymous coach said. "He's all right. I'm not enamored with the guy."
Now, of course, by the nature of this coach choosing to stay anonymous with this quote, we do not know if this was a coach who defeated or lost to Brown last season, either of which could be informing his decision to make this statement. However, the list of teams the Bulls lost to last season is limited to just four of 13 total opponents, so this quote is statistically twice as likely to have come from a coach who lost to Brown.
Critics of Brown have focused on two perceived issues in his game: his throwing motion and his low completion percentage. Though the former is largely a matter of opinion, as Brown has proven to be able to put up top-tier passing numbers despite a unique throwing motion, the low completion percentage will certainly be a stat to keep an eye on throughout the 2026 season.
Brown will have significant aid this season, though, as five of his expected 2026 targets at Auburn were 2025 targets of his while at USF, so there is a level of familiarity, camaraderie and connection that should make life a good bit easier for Brown as he stares down a schedule that is, admittedly, several times harder than the schedule he faced last year at USF.
If Brown can get his completion percentage up in 2026 while staying consistent with his other production, especially against tougher talent, it will be hard to deny that he is a top-level NFL Draft prospect.
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Will Bo Nix play in Broncos’ preseason opener? What Denver QB, head coach had to say
By Creg Stephenson
al.com
Bo Nix spoke optimistically Tuesday about the possibility he would play in this weekend’s preseason opener, but Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was more cautious.
Nix has been sidelined since suffering a broken ankle in Denver’s AFC Divisional Playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last January. The Broncos open the 2026 preseason at Atlanta on Friday.
“I’m excited,” Nix said, via Yahoo Sports. “I think preseason’s always a great time to get back out there and get your feet wet a little bit and see defenses in a live situation before the first [regular-season] game.”
It seems unlikely that Nix, the third-year pro who played at Auburn and Oregon after graduating from Pinson Valley High School, will suit up vs. Atlanta. For one thing, the game takes place on artificial turf at Mercedes Benz Stadium, which might be deemed an unnecessary risk vis-à-vis Nix’s recovery.
The Broncos host the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 of the preseason on Aug. 21, a game that will be played on natural grass at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High. Payton wasn’t tipping his hand either way as to his quarterback plan for the preseason.
“We haven’t gone through the (quarterback) role yet,” Payton told reporters. “I’ll let you know when we go through the roles.”
Denver has a new offensive coordinator this season in former NFL quarterback Davis Webb, who has been tasked with helping Nix unlock his deep passing accuracy. Nix threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025, but ranked near the bottom of the league in completion percentage on passes that traveled 20-plus yards in the air.
Early in camp, however, Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said he’s liked what he has seen from Nix.
“Bo’s played well,” Joseph said on Saturday, via SI.com. “He’s been accurate. He’s moving very well. That’s a great sign, but his deep-ball touch has been really off the charts this training camp.”
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NFC West squad signs former Auburn LB Eugene Asante before season
By Phillip Jordan
Auburn Wire
Former Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante is getting another opportunity in the NFL after being signed by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.
After spending the spring with the Houston Gamblers of the United Football League, Asante impressed the Cardinals enough to add them to their preseason roster. While with the Gamblers, he collected 34 total tackles and 18 solo in nine games played. The Gamblers finished with a 4-6 record and missed the postseason. The Houston franchise will be relocated for the 2027 season.
Asante was a fan favorite while a member of the Auburn Tigers from 2022-24. While on the plains, he had 134 tackles and 13 tackles for loss along with 7.5 sacks. His best season for the Tigers was in 2023 when he had 86 tackles and five tackles for loss. He was the team's leading tackler that season. Prior to joining Auburn, be played three seasons at North Carolina before arriving as a transfer.
After his time at Auburn, Asante went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft but was signed by the Miami Dolphins. He was released by the team in late August during roster cuts. He was picked up twice during the 2025 NFL season as a practice squad player for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons. He will now get another chance with the Cardinals. They will play their first preseason game on Thursday when they travel to Las Vegas to matchup with the Raiders.
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