Football News: 2-12-2026
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Dudley Dent
Feb 12, 2026, 7:56:35 AM (2 days ago) Feb 12
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 2-12-2026
Auburn's Nykahi Davenport among top transfer running backs by PFF:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/02/11/auburn-football-top-transfers-nykahi-davenport-running-back-sec/88623101007/
Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown compared to two Heisman Trophy winners:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-quarterback-byrum-brown-compared-to-two-heisman-trophy-winners-01kh48e6896x
On3 declares Alex Golesh's first season at Auburn one of the hardest in nation:
https://flywareagle.com/on3-declares-alex-golesh-s-first-season-at-auburn-one-of-the-hardest-in-nation-01kh6wtpk67k
How Auburn replaced both starting edge rushers with two proven SEC transfers:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/how-auburn-replaced-both-starting-edge-rushers-with-two-proven-sec-transfers.html
Why Vontrell King-Williams stayed at Auburn through the coaching change:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/why-vontrell-king-williams-stayed-at-auburn-through-the-coaching-change.html
Why working with Alex Golesh was a ‘no-brainer’ for Tim Banks:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/why-working-with-alex-golesh-was-a-no-brainer-for-tim-banks.html
Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks excited to work with familiar faces on the Plains:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/tim-banks-talks-about-his-safety-room-as-the-tigers-prepare-for-the-2026-season-274004131/
VIDEO: Auburn defensive coaches talk post-transfer portal:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-football-sec-tigers-video-vontrell-king-williams-coleman-hutzler-demarcus-van-dyke-brad-wilson-tim-banks-274000467/
Kodi Burns reveals what Gus Malzahn is still saying about Auburn after recent retirement:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/kodie-burns-reveals-what-gus-malzahn-is-still-saying-about-auburn-after-recent-retirement.html
Former Auburn football GM reportedly lands NFL personnel job:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/former-auburn-football-gm-reportedly-lands-nfl-personnel-job.html
These Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 NFL Combine:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/these-auburn-players-were-invited-to-participate-in-the-2026-nfl-combine.html
Six Auburn players invited to NFL Scouting Combine:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/six-auburn-players-invited-to-nfl-scouting-combine/
Debate Rages on Over Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk will Go in Draft:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/debate-rages-on-over-auburn-edge-kedric-faulk-draft
Alabama’s highest-paid NFL player got benched for $51 million:
Auburn's Nykahi Davenport among top transfer running backs by PFF
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
One of the many enhancements Auburn football made to its roster through the transfer portal was to its running back room.
Alex Golesh landed three running backs as part of his 39-member incoming transfer portal class, and one of those has earned national recognition. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top eight transfer running backs based on overall grade from the 2025 season, and new Auburn addition Nykahi Davenport made the cut at No. 7.
Davenport, who followed Golesh and most of his teammates to Auburn from USF, earned a grade of 83.9 last season from PFF. He posted the second-highest grade among USF offensive players, one spot below quarterback Byrum Brown, who is also on the Tigers' roster. In all, five of USF's top 10 offensive players according to PFF data transferred to Auburn during the January transfer portal window.
Davenport appeared in 11 games for the Bulls in 2025, making six starts. In 315 snaps, he carried the football 98 times for 612 yards and scored seven touchdowns. On a deeper level, Davenport gained 357 yards after first contact and had 14 carries that went further than 10 yards. 31 of his 97 carries resulted in USF first downs.
Former North Texas running back Caleb Hawkins is at the top of the ranking with a 92.6. Hawkins, like Davenport, followed his former head coach, Eric Morris, to his new destination of Oklahoma State. Davenport is the lone SEC transfer to make PFF's ranking.
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Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown compared to two Heisman Trophy winners
By Jack Cottrell
Fly War Eagle
Major media outlets are predicting USF transfer Byrum Brown to lead Auburn’s offense in 2026. The Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, Joel Gordon, shared his optimistic view of Brown on Wednesday.
“I think one of the most fun parts of my job and us as an offensive staff is figuring out what we’re going to look like,” Gordon said. “We pretty much have a brand new team. That’s the task at hand for us—is to figure out, man, where we make adjustments from what we’ve done the last three years at the last place to what we look like now. And I don't have that answer exactly right now. But Byrum Brown, whatever offense he’s in, you’d be silly not to use him and all the tools that he has.”
Is Byrum Brown more Lamar Jackso or Jayden Daniels?
The USF transfer totaled over 31 touchdowns as a Bull. Per Nathan King of Auburn Undercover, Brown joins a short list of highly renowned signal-callers, such as Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, to total over 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Gordon is certainly bullish on Brown’s all-time-great potential, and he wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts on the senior’s exceptional running ability.
“He's easily the best running quarterback I’ve ever seen," he said. "It’s really natural for him—and a lot of those runs aren't guaranteed that it's going to be designed for him. A lot of the things that we do in our offense, man, if you take away this option and this option, all of a sudden he's got the ball—and that’s part of everyday offense for us.”
Brown led the nation in total offense last season. Averaging 7.0 yards across 159 designed runs, SEC defenses will struggle to manage the quarterback’s dual-threat capabilities.
Auburn’s revamped coaching staff will look to guide Brown and their largely brand-new team to brighter horizons in 2026. With spring training around the corner, fans will soon catch a glimpse of how the Tigers’ revitalized offense is developing.
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On3 declares Alex Golesh's first season at Auburn one of the hardest in nation
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
If there hasn’t been a wake-up call for Alex Golesh that he’s now in the SEC, not the American Conference, it might come once he takes a second to look at Auburn’s schedule for the upcoming season.
As no surprise, the Tigers face a heavy gauntlet of talented teams in 2026, with road games at Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee, all of which will face Golesh and his staff in their first year in charge on the Plains. Add in visits to Jordan-Hare by LSU, Florida and Vanderbilt, plus the neutral-site game that opens the season against Baylor in Atlanta, and giving Auburn its first winning season in six years looks like a mighty task.
On3 recently ranked the hardest schedules for the 2026 college football season, and the Tigers’ slate comes in at No. 5, behind only Ohio State, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. In the top 10, there are only two schools outside of the SEC: the Buckeyes and Michigan. This comes as the SEC begins a nine-game conference schedule, adding yet another tough matchup to what is already a difficult season.
Alex Golesh and Auburn can start with a bang
Auburn does have an excellent chance to gain some momentum to start the season, with the neutral-site game against Baylor anything but neutral as far as fans in the stands. The Tigers then return to Jordan-Hare with a matchup against Southern Miss before hosting the Gators and new head coach Jon Sumrall, who was one of the favorites to become Auburn’s head coach this past offseason. Win those three games before Vanderbilt comes to town, and a 4-0 start looks extremely achievable.
Then comes the problem: at Knoxville, bye week, at Athens, home against Lane Kiffin’s LSU and then a trip to Oxford. If Golesh were to go 2-2 during that stretch, it would go a long way toward swaying fan support among those still on the fence about his hire.
Three winnable games come after that stretch – Arkansas, at Mississippi State and home against Samford – before Golesh is introduced to the Iron Bowl.
It’s yet another tough schedule for Auburn, but this is what Golesh, his staff and the Tigers signed up for.
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How Auburn replaced both starting edge rushers with two proven SEC transfers
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
After Auburn football lost both of its starting edge rushers last season in Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, the Tigers needed to act fast at that position group when putting together its 2026 roster.
Auburn signed two edge rushers in the transfer portal with prior SEC experience in Da’Shawn Womack and Nate Johnson.
Womack played last season at Ole Miss, where he totaled 27 tackles, four and a half tackles for loss and two sacks. Prior to that, he spent his first two years at LSU, where he tallied 21 tackles, two and a half tackles for loss and two and a half sacks.
Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin raved about the addition of Womack, calling him an NFL caliber player.
“Getting Da’Shawn was a great one for us. He’s an NFL-type talent, body. Just all his movement skills from the size he is is pretty incredible. And he has a great relationship with a lot of the guys on our team,” Durkin said. “As we mentioned, the St. Frances High School connection, those guys look up to him. He’s a guy that’s been a leader in their lives, and that’s something they looked up to in a younger age as well. So, I think that’s a natural connection with some of the guys on our team, and we’re certainly going to expect good things out of him.”
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Baltimore, Maryland, native Womack was a former 5-star recruit out of St. Frances Academy, which has produced multiple current Auburn defensive players such as Bryce Deas, Blake Woodby and Wayne Henry.
Johnson played just one season at Missouri, during which he posted six tackles in a limited role. Prior to his time in Columbia, Johnson spent two seasons as a productive player at Appalachian State.
His most productive season came during his freshman year in 2023, when he posted 42 tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss and seven and a half sacks.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, he was the No. 89 overall player in the transfer portal and the 12th-best edge rusher, according to 247Sports.
Edge coach Coleman Hutzler spoke on the impact having two experienced guys in the room with how young the position corps is as a whole.
“It’s a huge addition. A guy that understands the league and understands the level of competition,” Hutzler said Wednesday afternoon. “Nate is the same way coming from Missouri last year. Anytime you can add a guy like that who gets it and knows what it takes to compete at this level is a great addition.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin March 17, and the A-Day spring game will take place on Saturday, April 18.
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Why Vontrell King-Williams stayed at Auburn through the coaching change
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Vontrell King-Williams was one of just two assistant coaches to remain at Auburn after Hugh Freeze was fired and Alex Golesh was hired to be the program’s next head coach.
Auburn’s young defensive line coach survived the staff turnover along with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin. Those two were arguably Auburn’s best performing assistants under Freeze, making it an easy decision for Golesh to retain them.
Keeping those two together was also important for continuity on Auburn’s defense and that mattered to King-Williams.
"The first thing is, myself and Coach Durkin, we’ve done well here at Auburn. I feel like we’ve laid a foundation," King-Williams said. “Our defense is gonna stop the run, and we’re gonna hit the quarterback. There’s a familiarity there between us two.”
While the rest of the coaching staff is new to Auburn, King-Williams is already familiar with some of his new colleagues. On the defensive staff, he’s already close with Tim Banks, who was hired to be Auburn’s safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.
Banks was the defensive coordinator at Illinois from 2012-2015, which is where King-Williams’ college career started as a player.
“I was damn near in tears when I knew Coach Banks was coming here,” King-Williams said. “It’s awesome being around people that you know.”
Banks wasn’t the only one of King-Williams’ new colleagues who coached him at Illinois. Golesh was the team’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at that time and was the primary recruiter for King-Williams’ region.
“He recruited me out of high school,” King-Williams said. “Having a chance to work on his staff, after not only being recruited by him but playing for him my freshman and sophomore year, I thought it was something I couldn’t pass up.”
Being able to stay at Auburn was another benefit for King-Williams, who’s still early in his career as a position coach. His first opportunity to be a Power Four defensive line coach came on the Plains which gives him an increased sense of loyalty to the program.
“I love Auburn. Auburn gave me my first shot at being a P4 position coach,” King-Williams said. “Myself, my wife, my family, we come down here, and we love it. Those are really the points, man. It was big for me to stay.”
King-Williams has almost a whole new group of players to work with in 2026, but he’s dealt well with change at Auburn before. He wanted to remain with the program and his success with Durkin made it hard to argue against retaining him.
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Why working with Alex Golesh was a ‘no-brainer’ for Tim Banks
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Tim Banks didn’t waste much time shaking off the disappointment after being fired as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator.
Less than a week after the end of his five-year run in Knoxville, Banks was heading south to Auburn, where he’d reunite with Tigers head coach Alex Golesh.
Banks and Golesh worked together at Tennessee in 2021 and 2022, when Golesh was the Vols’ offensive coordinator. Their relationship goes back even further than that, though.
Golesh and Banks were on the same staff at Illinois from 2012-2015, where Golesh coached tight ends and Banks was the defensive coordinator. Coincidentally, the two coached Auburn defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams at that time.
"I have known Al for a long time and he’s always been very good at what he does," Banks said. "You want to be around good people and have a chance to win and win at the highest level. For me it was a no-brainer."
Banks won’t be the defensive coordinator at Auburn like he was at Tennessee, but he’ll hold the title of co-defensive coordinator as he coaches the safeties. In that role, he’ll work with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, whose system is similar to what Banks is used to running.
"Violence, putting guys in the best situations to be successful. It has been great learning the terminology. Obviously, a different language in a lot of aspects," Banks said. “Ultimately, it’s going to give the guys the best opportunity to be successful. What coach wouldn’t love that?”
The safety room features more continuity than most of Auburn’s position groups. Kaleb Harris, Sylvester Smith, AnQuon Fegans and Eric Winters all played significant snaps in 2025 and each of them are returning next season.
It’s a brand-new room for Banks, who didn’t bring any players from Tennessee with him, but he’s excited about the group he inherited. He called Auburn’s safeties very smart, very detail oriented and said, “they love ball.”
Banks will be the third safeties coach in three years for Harris and Smith, the veterans in the room, but hopes to get the best out of the group.
Banks’ new gig at Auburn comes with a downgraded title compared to what he had at Tennessee, but the 54-year-old coach who’s been all over the country in college football is embracing the new challenge.
“I got in this profession obviously for kids, but I’m a competitor at heart. So, if there’s a better way to do things, or if I can learn something new, that’s awesome to me,” Banks said. “I’m competitive. It’s a competitive room, so being around those types of guys that are going to bring out the best in you is really what I’m looking for, and that’s why I came here.”
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Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks excited to work with familiar faces on the Plains
By Jason Caldwell
There are a lot of new faces on Auburn's coaching staff and Auburn's roster as the Tigers prepare for spring practices in a little over a month. One of those new faces is safeties coach Tim Banks, who comes to the Plains after coaching the last six seasons at Tennessee. While it's new to him, he has coached in the SEC and with Alex Golesh before and understands the expectations the head coach has for his program. But he's also very familiar with many of the players he'll be coaching this upcoming season, something he believes is a big deal as the Tigers continue preparations for the spring.
"I know this league," Banks said. "This will be my sixth year in the league. I would tell you there's not a better league in the country. Just understanding what the rivalries are like, the different arenas and different places, and definitely some of the guys I have recruited. Some of these guys I recruited and we wanted at the other place. We didn't get them, but having a chance to work with them now is going to be great."
Two of the most experienced players on the roster heading into next season will be safeties Kaleb Harris and Sylvester Smith. They have combined to play in 52 games with 28 starts between them. With experience and football knowledge after playing so much the last two seasons, Banks said he's looking forward to finally getting to coach them.
"I knew those guys from the recruiting process and I have kind of watched them from afar," Banks said. "Just super excited to have a chance to be able to finally work with them. They are smart. They are relentless. Football is extremely important to them. We're definitely looking to build off what these guys have done in the past and hopefully take even another step."
Two of Auburn's most impressive freshmen last season were safeties Anquon Fegans and Eric Winters. Both played in all 12 games a season ago and combined for 57 tackles with Fegans adding an interception. Banks recruited both while at Tennessee and is excited to get them on the field this spring.
"I think from year one to year two is usually when you take your biggest jump," the veteran assistant said. "Those guys played a little ball last year and obviously had some success. We're going to build off that foundation. We're really just getting started in a lot of aspects. They are smart. They want to work. It's important to them. They have done a really good job of building that room and I can't wait to get a chance to work with them."
But there is one more player in his room that Banks is familiar with, USF transfer Fred Gaskin. He recruited Gaskin before he chose the Bulls and believes he's a great addition for the Auburn defense. Last season he recorded 53 tackles with a pair of interceptions and the 5-10, 198-pounder is a guy that brings a whole lot to the table.
"I think leadership travels," Banks said. "I have known Fred throughout the recruiting process as well. Great home, great kid, ultra competitor. We're excited to have him here. He's going into a room that has a lot of talent returning, but I think he'll fit in nicely. It's going to be extremely competitive and that's what you want. Everybody here wants to win. To me, the more good players you have the better it is, clearly."
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VIDEO: Auburn defensive coaches talk post-transfer portal
By Patrick Bingham
https://youtu.be/9KNtgzzL-_w
Watch new Auburn defensive assistants DL coach Vontrell King-Williams, EDGE coach Coleman Hutzler, CB coach DeMarcus Van Dyke, OLB coach Brad Wilson and S coach Tim Banks speak with the media Wednesday afternoon following the transfer portal window. Be sure to subscribe to the Auburn Undercover YouTube channel for press conferences and continued coverage of Auburn athletics.
https://youtu.be/-2IsdPC6swA
https://youtu.be/672uf-G-oGQ
https://youtu.be/JRjxwEBAQpA
https://youtu.be/nAKe3zC0EsQ
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Kodi Burns reveals what Gus Malzahn is still saying about Auburn after recent retirement
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Auburn football associate head coach and wide receivers coach Kodi Burns played and coached under the now-retired Gus Malzahn.
After his Auburn playing career ended, Burns followed Gus Malzahn to Arkansas State in 2012 and back to Auburn in 2013, serving as a graduate assistant on the Plains.
Now back at Auburn under coach Alex Golesh, Burns spoke about Malzahn’s retirement and the impact he had on his collegiate coaching career.
“Man, he’s really a mentor to me. Everything that he meant throughout the course of my life as a player, as a coach, giving me that opportunity — and, really, what he’s meant to Auburn," Burns said Tuesday afternoon. “When I talk to Coach and we talk about Auburn, he’s like ‘we.’ Like, ‘Man, I want us to get back. What do we got to do to continue to grow and get better?’”
Malzahn was Auburn’s head coach from 2013-20, and also led programs at Central Florida, Florida State and Arkansas State during his coaching career.
In his first season at the helm, Auburn won the SEC championship and made it all the way to the BCS title game. By the end of his tenure at Auburn, Malzahn finished with a 68-35 record.
“And, again, Auburn is a tough job. Yet it’s the best job in the country. For him to be able to do what he did here while he was here, I thought it spoke highly of who he is as a coach and who he is as a person,” Burns said. “I respect him for his time here. Again, this dates back for me being in high school, growing up as a young kid in the state of Arkansas and seeing this guy, Coach Malzahn, this offensive genius.”
“Man, I just want to have a chance to play for him. And it just so works out that I’m coming out of high school, he’s at Arkansas. I choose to go to Auburn. Then, two years later, he shows up, and he’s, my coach,” Burns added. “Then, two years later, we win a national championship. Then, three years later, we go back to a national championship. Then, four years later, we go to an SEC championship, right? So, however you view him, he’s done a lot for Auburn, and I respect him and truly love him as a person and a coach as well.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin March 17, and the A-Day spring game will take place on Saturday, April 18.
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Former Auburn football GM reportedly lands NFL personnel job
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Former Auburn general manager Will Redmond is reportedly off to the NFL.
After not being retained by Alex Golesh, Redmond is expected to be hired by the Green Bay Packers in a personnel role, according to reports from CBS Sports and Football Scoop.
Redmond joined Hugh Freeze’s Auburn staff as general manager prior to the 2024 season and remained in that role through the 2025 campaign. He was replaced as general manager by Andrew Warsaw when Golesh was hired in late November.
Prior to his time at Auburn, Redmond spent time at LSU, Kansas, Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee State. He was awarded the Football Scoop Personnel Director of the Year award while at LSU in 2022.
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These Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 NFL Combine
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
The NFL Scouting Combine is the biggest annual pre-draft event for players and NFL teams, and Auburn will be well represented this year.
Six Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 edition of the event. All six play up front, with three playing on the offensive line and three more on the defensive line.
They are as follows:
Connor Lew, OL
Jeremiah Wright, OL
Dillon Wade, OL
Keldric Faulk, DL
Keyron Crawford, Edge rusher
Bobby Jamison-Travis, DL
All six players were starters for Auburn in 2025, but Lew’s season was cut short after he tore his ACL. Wright and Crawford also represented Auburn at the Senior Bowl in Mobile at the end of January.
Faulk didn’t participate in any college all-star games, but is the most touted prospect out of the group. He’s the No. 2 defensive end on ESPN draft analysis Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board and Kiper projects Faulk to be the No. 20 overall pick in the draft.
Lew, who also didn’t participate in any college all-star games due to injury is the next biggest name to watch. He’s the top-ranked center on Kiper’s big board.
Crawford, Wright, Jamison-Travis and Wade were all left off of Kiper’s most recent big board, but will try and increase their stock at the combine later this month.
The NFL Combine will run from Feb. 23 to March 2, and NFL Network will have live coverage of the event starting on Feb. 26.
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Six Auburn players invited to NFL Scouting Combine
By Caleb Jones
Six Auburn players earned invites to the NFL’s Scouting Combine, the league announced Wednesday.
Offensive linemen Connor Lew, Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright, along with defensive linemen Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford and Bobby Jamison-Travis are among the 319 prospects invited to the event. It takes place in Indianapolis, Ind., from Feb. 23 through March 2.
According to the event’s schedule, defensive linemen will have on-field workouts Feb. 26, while offensive linemen will have on-field workouts March 1.
THREE AUBURN OL INVITED
Connor Lew
Lew entered his freshman season as the backup center before being thrust into the starting role after starter Avery Jones went down with an injury. He remained Auburn’s starter for the rest of his freshman season, then started every game at center for the Tigers as a sophomore.
Seven games into his junior season, Lew tore his ACL. It ended his season, and subsequently, his Auburn career. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in late December.
Dillon Wade
Wade transferred to Auburn from Tulsa ahead of the 2023 season, instantly jumping into the rotation as the Tigers’ starting left tackle. In 2024, Wade split time starting at right tackle and left guard for the Tigers.
He then only started at left guard this past fall, starting all 12 games to conclude his career with 34 consecutive starts along the offensive line.
Jeremiah Wright
Wright waited for his time at Auburn, first arriving to the Plains in 2020. Following a brief stint moving from offensive line to defensive line, Wright solidified his role in 2024. He started at right guard and continued the role into the 2025 season, where he started every game.
It marked 24 consecutive starts for Wright, who appeared in 53 games in his Auburn career.
THREE DL INVITED
Keldric Faulk
A former 5-star prospect out of Highland Home, Ala., Faulk blossomed early for Auburn, playing in every game as a true freshman. As a true freshman, he recorded 35 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Over his final two seasons, Faulk started every game for Auburn. He finished his Auburn career with 109 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
Faulk declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in mid-December.
Keyron Crawford
Crawford transferred from Arkansas State ahead of the 2024 season. He played behind future sixth-round pick Jalen McLeod, recording 22 tackles and one tackle for loss in 12 appearances in 2024.
Once he stepped into the starting role in 2025, Crawford’s game elevated. He started all 12 games for Auburn this past season, recording 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Bobby Jamison-Travis
Joining the program from the JUCO ranks in 2023, Jamison-Travis continued to improve while at Auburn. He appeared in three games in 2023, earned four starts and appeared in 12 games in 2024 before starting all 12 games in 2025.
Over his three-year career with Auburn, Jamison-Travis called 56 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack as one the Tigers’ leaders along the interior defense line.
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Debate Rages on Over Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk will Go in Draft
By Micah Farmer
Auburn Daily
Auburn Tigers edge rusher Keldric Faulk found himself in the first round of this week’s mock drafts via NFL.com, ESPN, and CBS. However, the landing spots for the standout junior varied as draft insiders continue to be conflicted on his true potential.
ESPN’s Field Yates was the highest on Faulk this week, mocking him to the Dallas Cowboys at Pick 20, Dallas’ second selection of the first round, thanks to the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers.
“Faulk was in the conversation as a top-10 prospect after seven sacks in 2024, but he had just two in 2025,” Yates wrote. “This pick would be a calculated bet on his upside at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds with smooth movement skills, stout hands to set the edge in the running game and overall growth potential.”
As pointed out by Yates, the hype for Faulk steadily tapered off in 2025 due to a lack of production despite Auburn’s stout defense. Though he remained exceptionally effective vs the run, Faulk’s lack of ability to get to the quarterback consistently has drawn some concern at the next level. Though at just 20 years of age, he will have ample time to develop those abilities.
The Cowboys struggled to rush the passer with any semblance of success after the losses of Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, turning to Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and Dante Fowler Jr off the edge. Faulk would give Dallas a strong young power rush option to pair with the speed of Donovan Ezeiruaku, whom the Cowboys selected in the second round of the 2025 Draft.
CBS’s Garrett Podell has Faulk going in a very similar range, mocking him to the Los Angeles Chargers at Pick 20 despite the Chargers’ disastrous offensive line situation.
“Faulk can line up anywhere along the defensive line with his prototypical stature,” Podell wrote. “He's not a jump-off-the-screen, explosive type, but he's agile. Faulk frees himself up by rushing the passer with a bull rush or rip. Faulk could be helped by developing some counter moves when his top options don't yield immediate results.”
Even with Khalil Mack possibly leaving Los Angeles in free agency, passing on a quality offensive guard prospect such as Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon to select an edge rusher would be a surprise, given that the Chargers’ interior offensive line resembled three turnstiles at SoFi Stadium’s entrance.
However, Faulk does fit the Harbaugh mold of a powerful, three-down edge player that can both stop the run and add some pass rush upside if developed properly. He would join three-year starter Tuli Tuipolotu, who is coming off a 13-sack campaign in 2025.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuer was the lowest of the three on Faulk this week, mocking him to the San Francisco 49ers at Pick 27. The landing spot would be incredibly fun given San Francisco’s current edge talent and very telling of the 49ers' expectations of Faulk’s defensive role.
“After taking Mykel Williams last April, the 49ers go with a Round 1 edge rusher for a second straight year -- because Faulk's value is too strong to ignore,” Reuer wrote. “His length and size on the outside will come in handy, especially with depth pieces like Clelin Ferrell and Yetur Gross-Matos headed for free agency while Williams and Nick Bosa will be coming back from torn ACLs.”
Though the idea of Faulk working alongside talents like Bosa and Williams is incredibly intriguing, it would likely come in the form of Faulk lining up on the interior while Bosa and Williams manned the edges. San Francisco is highly unlikely to abandon the idea of Williams as a three-down edge player this early into his career after selecting him with the No. 11 Pick last year.
However, the 49ers also have the unfortunate reputation of being the most injured team in the NFL, a designation they have more than earned in recent seasons. With Bosa and Williams both returning from ACL tears, having a talent like Faulk could give each player more time to come back on a safe timetable rather than rushing. Additionally, the extra depth would be extremely valuable if one of the three were to be injured again.
Though it’s clear Faulk might not be taken in the top-10 as was expected preseason, his new projected range around Pick 20 could mean that he is quickly part of a playoff team with a chance to chase a Super Bowl, which could also increase his chance to be developed properly.
Six former Auburn Football standouts have been invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine scheduled for February 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis, the league announced on Wednesday.
Projected by many outlets as a first-round selection, defensive lineman Keldric Faulk headlines the group. He will be joined by fellow defensive linemen Keyron Crawford and Bobby Jamison-Travis.
Also invited to Indianapolis are a trio of Auburn offensive linemen: Connor Lew, Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright.
Auburn is one of 23 programs nationally with six or more invitees including 12 programs in the SEC. The Tigers’ six selections are the most for the program since nine were picked in 2020.
The combine is held annually at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine begins Feb. 26 on NFL Network and NFL+. The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh.
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Alabama’s highest-paid NFL player got benched for $51 million
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
The highest-paid NFL player with Alabama football roots in the 2025 got benched with three games remaining in the season.
The Miami Dolphins paid quarterback Tua Tagovailoa $50,913,647 this season. But with a 6-8 record and the former Alabama All-American leading the league in interceptions, the Dolphins benched the NFL’s third-highest-paid player in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers, who got paid $971,576 in 2025.
The only players paid more than Tagovailoa this season were quarterbacks Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.
Twenty-seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges were paid at least $10 million by their teams during the 2025 NFL season, which ended on Sunday night when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.
Three of the $10 million players reached the Super Bowl – all on the Patriots. In all, 10 of the 27 players reached the postseason.
Three of the players went to the Pro Bowl Games, and three missed at least eight games.
NFL teams paid 269 players at least $10 million during the league’s 2025 business year. The 27 with Alabama football roots ranked in the top 225.
Tagovailoa’s 2025 payday was the biggest in one season for a player from an Alabama high school or college in NFL history.
The players with Alabama football roots who were paid at least $10 million by an NFL team in 2025 include (with figures from the sports financial website spotrac.com):
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama): $50,913,647
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama): $42,507,560
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville): $33,000,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama): $26,273,529
New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis (Auburn): $25,001,890
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (Alabama): $23,007,560
Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama): $22,171,260
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama): $20,570,000
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Alabama): $18,001,890
Pittsburgh Steelers/Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): $17,500,000
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama): $17,093,399
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama): $16,955,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama): $16,154,834
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama): $16,004,725
Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State): $15,977,518
New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (Auburn): $15,010,080
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn): $14,540,000
Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama): $14,500,000
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville): $14,310,295
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama): $14,000,000
Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Booker (Alabama): $13,887,534
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn): $13,000,005
Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams (Alabama): $12,890,000
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama): $12,593,520
Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (Alabama): $12,088,235
New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (Enterprise, Troy): $11,649,768
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (Alabama): $11,509,450
Auburn's Nykahi Davenport among top transfer running backs by PFF:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/02/11/auburn-football-top-transfers-nykahi-davenport-running-back-sec/88623101007/
Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown compared to two Heisman Trophy winners:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-quarterback-byrum-brown-compared-to-two-heisman-trophy-winners-01kh48e6896x
On3 declares Alex Golesh's first season at Auburn one of the hardest in nation:
https://flywareagle.com/on3-declares-alex-golesh-s-first-season-at-auburn-one-of-the-hardest-in-nation-01kh6wtpk67k
How Auburn replaced both starting edge rushers with two proven SEC transfers:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/how-auburn-replaced-both-starting-edge-rushers-with-two-proven-sec-transfers.html
Why Vontrell King-Williams stayed at Auburn through the coaching change:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/why-vontrell-king-williams-stayed-at-auburn-through-the-coaching-change.html
Why working with Alex Golesh was a ‘no-brainer’ for Tim Banks:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/why-working-with-alex-golesh-was-a-no-brainer-for-tim-banks.html
Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks excited to work with familiar faces on the Plains:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/tim-banks-talks-about-his-safety-room-as-the-tigers-prepare-for-the-2026-season-274004131/
VIDEO: Auburn defensive coaches talk post-transfer portal:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-football-sec-tigers-video-vontrell-king-williams-coleman-hutzler-demarcus-van-dyke-brad-wilson-tim-banks-274000467/
Kodi Burns reveals what Gus Malzahn is still saying about Auburn after recent retirement:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/kodie-burns-reveals-what-gus-malzahn-is-still-saying-about-auburn-after-recent-retirement.html
Former Auburn football GM reportedly lands NFL personnel job:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/former-auburn-football-gm-reportedly-lands-nfl-personnel-job.html
These Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 NFL Combine:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/02/these-auburn-players-were-invited-to-participate-in-the-2026-nfl-combine.html
Six Auburn players invited to NFL Scouting Combine:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/six-auburn-players-invited-to-nfl-scouting-combine/
Debate Rages on Over Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk will Go in Draft:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/debate-rages-on-over-auburn-edge-kedric-faulk-draft
Alabama’s highest-paid NFL player got benched for $51 million:
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By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
One of the many enhancements Auburn football made to its roster through the transfer portal was to its running back room.
Alex Golesh landed three running backs as part of his 39-member incoming transfer portal class, and one of those has earned national recognition. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top eight transfer running backs based on overall grade from the 2025 season, and new Auburn addition Nykahi Davenport made the cut at No. 7.
Davenport, who followed Golesh and most of his teammates to Auburn from USF, earned a grade of 83.9 last season from PFF. He posted the second-highest grade among USF offensive players, one spot below quarterback Byrum Brown, who is also on the Tigers' roster. In all, five of USF's top 10 offensive players according to PFF data transferred to Auburn during the January transfer portal window.
Davenport appeared in 11 games for the Bulls in 2025, making six starts. In 315 snaps, he carried the football 98 times for 612 yards and scored seven touchdowns. On a deeper level, Davenport gained 357 yards after first contact and had 14 carries that went further than 10 yards. 31 of his 97 carries resulted in USF first downs.
Former North Texas running back Caleb Hawkins is at the top of the ranking with a 92.6. Hawkins, like Davenport, followed his former head coach, Eric Morris, to his new destination of Oklahoma State. Davenport is the lone SEC transfer to make PFF's ranking.
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Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown compared to two Heisman Trophy winners
By Jack Cottrell
Fly War Eagle
Major media outlets are predicting USF transfer Byrum Brown to lead Auburn’s offense in 2026. The Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, Joel Gordon, shared his optimistic view of Brown on Wednesday.
“I think one of the most fun parts of my job and us as an offensive staff is figuring out what we’re going to look like,” Gordon said. “We pretty much have a brand new team. That’s the task at hand for us—is to figure out, man, where we make adjustments from what we’ve done the last three years at the last place to what we look like now. And I don't have that answer exactly right now. But Byrum Brown, whatever offense he’s in, you’d be silly not to use him and all the tools that he has.”
Is Byrum Brown more Lamar Jackso or Jayden Daniels?
The USF transfer totaled over 31 touchdowns as a Bull. Per Nathan King of Auburn Undercover, Brown joins a short list of highly renowned signal-callers, such as Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, to total over 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Gordon is certainly bullish on Brown’s all-time-great potential, and he wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts on the senior’s exceptional running ability.
“He's easily the best running quarterback I’ve ever seen," he said. "It’s really natural for him—and a lot of those runs aren't guaranteed that it's going to be designed for him. A lot of the things that we do in our offense, man, if you take away this option and this option, all of a sudden he's got the ball—and that’s part of everyday offense for us.”
Brown led the nation in total offense last season. Averaging 7.0 yards across 159 designed runs, SEC defenses will struggle to manage the quarterback’s dual-threat capabilities.
Auburn’s revamped coaching staff will look to guide Brown and their largely brand-new team to brighter horizons in 2026. With spring training around the corner, fans will soon catch a glimpse of how the Tigers’ revitalized offense is developing.
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On3 declares Alex Golesh's first season at Auburn one of the hardest in nation
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
If there hasn’t been a wake-up call for Alex Golesh that he’s now in the SEC, not the American Conference, it might come once he takes a second to look at Auburn’s schedule for the upcoming season.
As no surprise, the Tigers face a heavy gauntlet of talented teams in 2026, with road games at Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee, all of which will face Golesh and his staff in their first year in charge on the Plains. Add in visits to Jordan-Hare by LSU, Florida and Vanderbilt, plus the neutral-site game that opens the season against Baylor in Atlanta, and giving Auburn its first winning season in six years looks like a mighty task.
On3 recently ranked the hardest schedules for the 2026 college football season, and the Tigers’ slate comes in at No. 5, behind only Ohio State, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. In the top 10, there are only two schools outside of the SEC: the Buckeyes and Michigan. This comes as the SEC begins a nine-game conference schedule, adding yet another tough matchup to what is already a difficult season.
Alex Golesh and Auburn can start with a bang
Auburn does have an excellent chance to gain some momentum to start the season, with the neutral-site game against Baylor anything but neutral as far as fans in the stands. The Tigers then return to Jordan-Hare with a matchup against Southern Miss before hosting the Gators and new head coach Jon Sumrall, who was one of the favorites to become Auburn’s head coach this past offseason. Win those three games before Vanderbilt comes to town, and a 4-0 start looks extremely achievable.
Then comes the problem: at Knoxville, bye week, at Athens, home against Lane Kiffin’s LSU and then a trip to Oxford. If Golesh were to go 2-2 during that stretch, it would go a long way toward swaying fan support among those still on the fence about his hire.
Three winnable games come after that stretch – Arkansas, at Mississippi State and home against Samford – before Golesh is introduced to the Iron Bowl.
It’s yet another tough schedule for Auburn, but this is what Golesh, his staff and the Tigers signed up for.
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How Auburn replaced both starting edge rushers with two proven SEC transfers
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
After Auburn football lost both of its starting edge rushers last season in Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, the Tigers needed to act fast at that position group when putting together its 2026 roster.
Auburn signed two edge rushers in the transfer portal with prior SEC experience in Da’Shawn Womack and Nate Johnson.
Womack played last season at Ole Miss, where he totaled 27 tackles, four and a half tackles for loss and two sacks. Prior to that, he spent his first two years at LSU, where he tallied 21 tackles, two and a half tackles for loss and two and a half sacks.
Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin raved about the addition of Womack, calling him an NFL caliber player.
“Getting Da’Shawn was a great one for us. He’s an NFL-type talent, body. Just all his movement skills from the size he is is pretty incredible. And he has a great relationship with a lot of the guys on our team,” Durkin said. “As we mentioned, the St. Frances High School connection, those guys look up to him. He’s a guy that’s been a leader in their lives, and that’s something they looked up to in a younger age as well. So, I think that’s a natural connection with some of the guys on our team, and we’re certainly going to expect good things out of him.”
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Baltimore, Maryland, native Womack was a former 5-star recruit out of St. Frances Academy, which has produced multiple current Auburn defensive players such as Bryce Deas, Blake Woodby and Wayne Henry.
Johnson played just one season at Missouri, during which he posted six tackles in a limited role. Prior to his time in Columbia, Johnson spent two seasons as a productive player at Appalachian State.
His most productive season came during his freshman year in 2023, when he posted 42 tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss and seven and a half sacks.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, he was the No. 89 overall player in the transfer portal and the 12th-best edge rusher, according to 247Sports.
Edge coach Coleman Hutzler spoke on the impact having two experienced guys in the room with how young the position corps is as a whole.
“It’s a huge addition. A guy that understands the league and understands the level of competition,” Hutzler said Wednesday afternoon. “Nate is the same way coming from Missouri last year. Anytime you can add a guy like that who gets it and knows what it takes to compete at this level is a great addition.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin March 17, and the A-Day spring game will take place on Saturday, April 18.
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Why Vontrell King-Williams stayed at Auburn through the coaching change
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Vontrell King-Williams was one of just two assistant coaches to remain at Auburn after Hugh Freeze was fired and Alex Golesh was hired to be the program’s next head coach.
Auburn’s young defensive line coach survived the staff turnover along with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin. Those two were arguably Auburn’s best performing assistants under Freeze, making it an easy decision for Golesh to retain them.
Keeping those two together was also important for continuity on Auburn’s defense and that mattered to King-Williams.
"The first thing is, myself and Coach Durkin, we’ve done well here at Auburn. I feel like we’ve laid a foundation," King-Williams said. “Our defense is gonna stop the run, and we’re gonna hit the quarterback. There’s a familiarity there between us two.”
While the rest of the coaching staff is new to Auburn, King-Williams is already familiar with some of his new colleagues. On the defensive staff, he’s already close with Tim Banks, who was hired to be Auburn’s safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.
Banks was the defensive coordinator at Illinois from 2012-2015, which is where King-Williams’ college career started as a player.
“I was damn near in tears when I knew Coach Banks was coming here,” King-Williams said. “It’s awesome being around people that you know.”
Banks wasn’t the only one of King-Williams’ new colleagues who coached him at Illinois. Golesh was the team’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at that time and was the primary recruiter for King-Williams’ region.
“He recruited me out of high school,” King-Williams said. “Having a chance to work on his staff, after not only being recruited by him but playing for him my freshman and sophomore year, I thought it was something I couldn’t pass up.”
Being able to stay at Auburn was another benefit for King-Williams, who’s still early in his career as a position coach. His first opportunity to be a Power Four defensive line coach came on the Plains which gives him an increased sense of loyalty to the program.
“I love Auburn. Auburn gave me my first shot at being a P4 position coach,” King-Williams said. “Myself, my wife, my family, we come down here, and we love it. Those are really the points, man. It was big for me to stay.”
King-Williams has almost a whole new group of players to work with in 2026, but he’s dealt well with change at Auburn before. He wanted to remain with the program and his success with Durkin made it hard to argue against retaining him.
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Why working with Alex Golesh was a ‘no-brainer’ for Tim Banks
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Tim Banks didn’t waste much time shaking off the disappointment after being fired as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator.
Less than a week after the end of his five-year run in Knoxville, Banks was heading south to Auburn, where he’d reunite with Tigers head coach Alex Golesh.
Banks and Golesh worked together at Tennessee in 2021 and 2022, when Golesh was the Vols’ offensive coordinator. Their relationship goes back even further than that, though.
Golesh and Banks were on the same staff at Illinois from 2012-2015, where Golesh coached tight ends and Banks was the defensive coordinator. Coincidentally, the two coached Auburn defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams at that time.
"I have known Al for a long time and he’s always been very good at what he does," Banks said. "You want to be around good people and have a chance to win and win at the highest level. For me it was a no-brainer."
Banks won’t be the defensive coordinator at Auburn like he was at Tennessee, but he’ll hold the title of co-defensive coordinator as he coaches the safeties. In that role, he’ll work with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, whose system is similar to what Banks is used to running.
"Violence, putting guys in the best situations to be successful. It has been great learning the terminology. Obviously, a different language in a lot of aspects," Banks said. “Ultimately, it’s going to give the guys the best opportunity to be successful. What coach wouldn’t love that?”
The safety room features more continuity than most of Auburn’s position groups. Kaleb Harris, Sylvester Smith, AnQuon Fegans and Eric Winters all played significant snaps in 2025 and each of them are returning next season.
It’s a brand-new room for Banks, who didn’t bring any players from Tennessee with him, but he’s excited about the group he inherited. He called Auburn’s safeties very smart, very detail oriented and said, “they love ball.”
Banks will be the third safeties coach in three years for Harris and Smith, the veterans in the room, but hopes to get the best out of the group.
Banks’ new gig at Auburn comes with a downgraded title compared to what he had at Tennessee, but the 54-year-old coach who’s been all over the country in college football is embracing the new challenge.
“I got in this profession obviously for kids, but I’m a competitor at heart. So, if there’s a better way to do things, or if I can learn something new, that’s awesome to me,” Banks said. “I’m competitive. It’s a competitive room, so being around those types of guys that are going to bring out the best in you is really what I’m looking for, and that’s why I came here.”
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Auburn safeties coach Tim Banks excited to work with familiar faces on the Plains
By Jason Caldwell
There are a lot of new faces on Auburn's coaching staff and Auburn's roster as the Tigers prepare for spring practices in a little over a month. One of those new faces is safeties coach Tim Banks, who comes to the Plains after coaching the last six seasons at Tennessee. While it's new to him, he has coached in the SEC and with Alex Golesh before and understands the expectations the head coach has for his program. But he's also very familiar with many of the players he'll be coaching this upcoming season, something he believes is a big deal as the Tigers continue preparations for the spring.
"I know this league," Banks said. "This will be my sixth year in the league. I would tell you there's not a better league in the country. Just understanding what the rivalries are like, the different arenas and different places, and definitely some of the guys I have recruited. Some of these guys I recruited and we wanted at the other place. We didn't get them, but having a chance to work with them now is going to be great."
Two of the most experienced players on the roster heading into next season will be safeties Kaleb Harris and Sylvester Smith. They have combined to play in 52 games with 28 starts between them. With experience and football knowledge after playing so much the last two seasons, Banks said he's looking forward to finally getting to coach them.
"I knew those guys from the recruiting process and I have kind of watched them from afar," Banks said. "Just super excited to have a chance to be able to finally work with them. They are smart. They are relentless. Football is extremely important to them. We're definitely looking to build off what these guys have done in the past and hopefully take even another step."
Two of Auburn's most impressive freshmen last season were safeties Anquon Fegans and Eric Winters. Both played in all 12 games a season ago and combined for 57 tackles with Fegans adding an interception. Banks recruited both while at Tennessee and is excited to get them on the field this spring.
"I think from year one to year two is usually when you take your biggest jump," the veteran assistant said. "Those guys played a little ball last year and obviously had some success. We're going to build off that foundation. We're really just getting started in a lot of aspects. They are smart. They want to work. It's important to them. They have done a really good job of building that room and I can't wait to get a chance to work with them."
But there is one more player in his room that Banks is familiar with, USF transfer Fred Gaskin. He recruited Gaskin before he chose the Bulls and believes he's a great addition for the Auburn defense. Last season he recorded 53 tackles with a pair of interceptions and the 5-10, 198-pounder is a guy that brings a whole lot to the table.
"I think leadership travels," Banks said. "I have known Fred throughout the recruiting process as well. Great home, great kid, ultra competitor. We're excited to have him here. He's going into a room that has a lot of talent returning, but I think he'll fit in nicely. It's going to be extremely competitive and that's what you want. Everybody here wants to win. To me, the more good players you have the better it is, clearly."
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VIDEO: Auburn defensive coaches talk post-transfer portal
By Patrick Bingham
https://youtu.be/9KNtgzzL-_w
Watch new Auburn defensive assistants DL coach Vontrell King-Williams, EDGE coach Coleman Hutzler, CB coach DeMarcus Van Dyke, OLB coach Brad Wilson and S coach Tim Banks speak with the media Wednesday afternoon following the transfer portal window. Be sure to subscribe to the Auburn Undercover YouTube channel for press conferences and continued coverage of Auburn athletics.
https://youtu.be/-2IsdPC6swA
https://youtu.be/672uf-G-oGQ
https://youtu.be/JRjxwEBAQpA
https://youtu.be/nAKe3zC0EsQ
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Kodi Burns reveals what Gus Malzahn is still saying about Auburn after recent retirement
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Auburn football associate head coach and wide receivers coach Kodi Burns played and coached under the now-retired Gus Malzahn.
After his Auburn playing career ended, Burns followed Gus Malzahn to Arkansas State in 2012 and back to Auburn in 2013, serving as a graduate assistant on the Plains.
Now back at Auburn under coach Alex Golesh, Burns spoke about Malzahn’s retirement and the impact he had on his collegiate coaching career.
“Man, he’s really a mentor to me. Everything that he meant throughout the course of my life as a player, as a coach, giving me that opportunity — and, really, what he’s meant to Auburn," Burns said Tuesday afternoon. “When I talk to Coach and we talk about Auburn, he’s like ‘we.’ Like, ‘Man, I want us to get back. What do we got to do to continue to grow and get better?’”
Malzahn was Auburn’s head coach from 2013-20, and also led programs at Central Florida, Florida State and Arkansas State during his coaching career.
In his first season at the helm, Auburn won the SEC championship and made it all the way to the BCS title game. By the end of his tenure at Auburn, Malzahn finished with a 68-35 record.
“And, again, Auburn is a tough job. Yet it’s the best job in the country. For him to be able to do what he did here while he was here, I thought it spoke highly of who he is as a coach and who he is as a person,” Burns said. “I respect him for his time here. Again, this dates back for me being in high school, growing up as a young kid in the state of Arkansas and seeing this guy, Coach Malzahn, this offensive genius.”
“Man, I just want to have a chance to play for him. And it just so works out that I’m coming out of high school, he’s at Arkansas. I choose to go to Auburn. Then, two years later, he shows up, and he’s, my coach,” Burns added. “Then, two years later, we win a national championship. Then, three years later, we go back to a national championship. Then, four years later, we go to an SEC championship, right? So, however you view him, he’s done a lot for Auburn, and I respect him and truly love him as a person and a coach as well.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin March 17, and the A-Day spring game will take place on Saturday, April 18.
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Former Auburn football GM reportedly lands NFL personnel job
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Former Auburn general manager Will Redmond is reportedly off to the NFL.
After not being retained by Alex Golesh, Redmond is expected to be hired by the Green Bay Packers in a personnel role, according to reports from CBS Sports and Football Scoop.
Redmond joined Hugh Freeze’s Auburn staff as general manager prior to the 2024 season and remained in that role through the 2025 campaign. He was replaced as general manager by Andrew Warsaw when Golesh was hired in late November.
Prior to his time at Auburn, Redmond spent time at LSU, Kansas, Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee State. He was awarded the Football Scoop Personnel Director of the Year award while at LSU in 2022.
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These Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 NFL Combine
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
The NFL Scouting Combine is the biggest annual pre-draft event for players and NFL teams, and Auburn will be well represented this year.
Six Auburn players were invited to participate in the 2026 edition of the event. All six play up front, with three playing on the offensive line and three more on the defensive line.
They are as follows:
Connor Lew, OL
Jeremiah Wright, OL
Dillon Wade, OL
Keldric Faulk, DL
Keyron Crawford, Edge rusher
Bobby Jamison-Travis, DL
All six players were starters for Auburn in 2025, but Lew’s season was cut short after he tore his ACL. Wright and Crawford also represented Auburn at the Senior Bowl in Mobile at the end of January.
Faulk didn’t participate in any college all-star games, but is the most touted prospect out of the group. He’s the No. 2 defensive end on ESPN draft analysis Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board and Kiper projects Faulk to be the No. 20 overall pick in the draft.
Lew, who also didn’t participate in any college all-star games due to injury is the next biggest name to watch. He’s the top-ranked center on Kiper’s big board.
Crawford, Wright, Jamison-Travis and Wade were all left off of Kiper’s most recent big board, but will try and increase their stock at the combine later this month.
The NFL Combine will run from Feb. 23 to March 2, and NFL Network will have live coverage of the event starting on Feb. 26.
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Six Auburn players invited to NFL Scouting Combine
By Caleb Jones
Six Auburn players earned invites to the NFL’s Scouting Combine, the league announced Wednesday.
Offensive linemen Connor Lew, Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright, along with defensive linemen Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford and Bobby Jamison-Travis are among the 319 prospects invited to the event. It takes place in Indianapolis, Ind., from Feb. 23 through March 2.
According to the event’s schedule, defensive linemen will have on-field workouts Feb. 26, while offensive linemen will have on-field workouts March 1.
THREE AUBURN OL INVITED
Connor Lew
Lew entered his freshman season as the backup center before being thrust into the starting role after starter Avery Jones went down with an injury. He remained Auburn’s starter for the rest of his freshman season, then started every game at center for the Tigers as a sophomore.
Seven games into his junior season, Lew tore his ACL. It ended his season, and subsequently, his Auburn career. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in late December.
Dillon Wade
Wade transferred to Auburn from Tulsa ahead of the 2023 season, instantly jumping into the rotation as the Tigers’ starting left tackle. In 2024, Wade split time starting at right tackle and left guard for the Tigers.
He then only started at left guard this past fall, starting all 12 games to conclude his career with 34 consecutive starts along the offensive line.
Jeremiah Wright
Wright waited for his time at Auburn, first arriving to the Plains in 2020. Following a brief stint moving from offensive line to defensive line, Wright solidified his role in 2024. He started at right guard and continued the role into the 2025 season, where he started every game.
It marked 24 consecutive starts for Wright, who appeared in 53 games in his Auburn career.
THREE DL INVITED
Keldric Faulk
A former 5-star prospect out of Highland Home, Ala., Faulk blossomed early for Auburn, playing in every game as a true freshman. As a true freshman, he recorded 35 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Over his final two seasons, Faulk started every game for Auburn. He finished his Auburn career with 109 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
Faulk declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in mid-December.
Keyron Crawford
Crawford transferred from Arkansas State ahead of the 2024 season. He played behind future sixth-round pick Jalen McLeod, recording 22 tackles and one tackle for loss in 12 appearances in 2024.
Once he stepped into the starting role in 2025, Crawford’s game elevated. He started all 12 games for Auburn this past season, recording 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Bobby Jamison-Travis
Joining the program from the JUCO ranks in 2023, Jamison-Travis continued to improve while at Auburn. He appeared in three games in 2023, earned four starts and appeared in 12 games in 2024 before starting all 12 games in 2025.
Over his three-year career with Auburn, Jamison-Travis called 56 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack as one the Tigers’ leaders along the interior defense line.
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Debate Rages on Over Where Auburn DE Keldric Faulk will Go in Draft
By Micah Farmer
Auburn Daily
Auburn Tigers edge rusher Keldric Faulk found himself in the first round of this week’s mock drafts via NFL.com, ESPN, and CBS. However, the landing spots for the standout junior varied as draft insiders continue to be conflicted on his true potential.
ESPN’s Field Yates was the highest on Faulk this week, mocking him to the Dallas Cowboys at Pick 20, Dallas’ second selection of the first round, thanks to the Micah Parsons trade with the Green Bay Packers.
“Faulk was in the conversation as a top-10 prospect after seven sacks in 2024, but he had just two in 2025,” Yates wrote. “This pick would be a calculated bet on his upside at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds with smooth movement skills, stout hands to set the edge in the running game and overall growth potential.”
As pointed out by Yates, the hype for Faulk steadily tapered off in 2025 due to a lack of production despite Auburn’s stout defense. Though he remained exceptionally effective vs the run, Faulk’s lack of ability to get to the quarterback consistently has drawn some concern at the next level. Though at just 20 years of age, he will have ample time to develop those abilities.
The Cowboys struggled to rush the passer with any semblance of success after the losses of Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, turning to Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and Dante Fowler Jr off the edge. Faulk would give Dallas a strong young power rush option to pair with the speed of Donovan Ezeiruaku, whom the Cowboys selected in the second round of the 2025 Draft.
CBS’s Garrett Podell has Faulk going in a very similar range, mocking him to the Los Angeles Chargers at Pick 20 despite the Chargers’ disastrous offensive line situation.
“Faulk can line up anywhere along the defensive line with his prototypical stature,” Podell wrote. “He's not a jump-off-the-screen, explosive type, but he's agile. Faulk frees himself up by rushing the passer with a bull rush or rip. Faulk could be helped by developing some counter moves when his top options don't yield immediate results.”
Even with Khalil Mack possibly leaving Los Angeles in free agency, passing on a quality offensive guard prospect such as Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon to select an edge rusher would be a surprise, given that the Chargers’ interior offensive line resembled three turnstiles at SoFi Stadium’s entrance.
However, Faulk does fit the Harbaugh mold of a powerful, three-down edge player that can both stop the run and add some pass rush upside if developed properly. He would join three-year starter Tuli Tuipolotu, who is coming off a 13-sack campaign in 2025.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuer was the lowest of the three on Faulk this week, mocking him to the San Francisco 49ers at Pick 27. The landing spot would be incredibly fun given San Francisco’s current edge talent and very telling of the 49ers' expectations of Faulk’s defensive role.
“After taking Mykel Williams last April, the 49ers go with a Round 1 edge rusher for a second straight year -- because Faulk's value is too strong to ignore,” Reuer wrote. “His length and size on the outside will come in handy, especially with depth pieces like Clelin Ferrell and Yetur Gross-Matos headed for free agency while Williams and Nick Bosa will be coming back from torn ACLs.”
Though the idea of Faulk working alongside talents like Bosa and Williams is incredibly intriguing, it would likely come in the form of Faulk lining up on the interior while Bosa and Williams manned the edges. San Francisco is highly unlikely to abandon the idea of Williams as a three-down edge player this early into his career after selecting him with the No. 11 Pick last year.
However, the 49ers also have the unfortunate reputation of being the most injured team in the NFL, a designation they have more than earned in recent seasons. With Bosa and Williams both returning from ACL tears, having a talent like Faulk could give each player more time to come back on a safe timetable rather than rushing. Additionally, the extra depth would be extremely valuable if one of the three were to be injured again.
Though it’s clear Faulk might not be taken in the top-10 as was expected preseason, his new projected range around Pick 20 could mean that he is quickly part of a playoff team with a chance to chase a Super Bowl, which could also increase his chance to be developed properly.
Six former Auburn Football standouts have been invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine scheduled for February 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis, the league announced on Wednesday.
Projected by many outlets as a first-round selection, defensive lineman Keldric Faulk headlines the group. He will be joined by fellow defensive linemen Keyron Crawford and Bobby Jamison-Travis.
Also invited to Indianapolis are a trio of Auburn offensive linemen: Connor Lew, Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright.
Auburn is one of 23 programs nationally with six or more invitees including 12 programs in the SEC. The Tigers’ six selections are the most for the program since nine were picked in 2020.
The combine is held annually at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine begins Feb. 26 on NFL Network and NFL+. The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh.
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Alabama’s highest-paid NFL player got benched for $51 million
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
The highest-paid NFL player with Alabama football roots in the 2025 got benched with three games remaining in the season.
The Miami Dolphins paid quarterback Tua Tagovailoa $50,913,647 this season. But with a 6-8 record and the former Alabama All-American leading the league in interceptions, the Dolphins benched the NFL’s third-highest-paid player in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers, who got paid $971,576 in 2025.
The only players paid more than Tagovailoa this season were quarterbacks Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.
Twenty-seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges were paid at least $10 million by their teams during the 2025 NFL season, which ended on Sunday night when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX.
Three of the $10 million players reached the Super Bowl – all on the Patriots. In all, 10 of the 27 players reached the postseason.
Three of the players went to the Pro Bowl Games, and three missed at least eight games.
NFL teams paid 269 players at least $10 million during the league’s 2025 business year. The 27 with Alabama football roots ranked in the top 225.
Tagovailoa’s 2025 payday was the biggest in one season for a player from an Alabama high school or college in NFL history.
The players with Alabama football roots who were paid at least $10 million by an NFL team in 2025 include (with figures from the sports financial website spotrac.com):
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama): $50,913,647
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama): $42,507,560
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville): $33,000,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama): $26,273,529
New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis (Auburn): $25,001,890
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley (Alabama): $23,007,560
Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama): $22,171,260
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama): $20,570,000
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Alabama): $18,001,890
Pittsburgh Steelers/Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): $17,500,000
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama): $17,093,399
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama): $16,955,000
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama): $16,154,834
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama): $16,004,725
Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State): $15,977,518
New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (Auburn): $15,010,080
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn): $14,540,000
Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama): $14,500,000
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville): $14,310,295
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama): $14,000,000
Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Booker (Alabama): $13,887,534
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn): $13,000,005
Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams (Alabama): $12,890,000
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Alabama): $12,593,520
Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (Alabama): $12,088,235
New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (Enterprise, Troy): $11,649,768
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (Alabama): $11,509,450
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