Football News: 5-11-2026
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Dudley Dent
May 11, 2026, 8:09:48 AM (3 days ago) May 11
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 5-11-2026
Auburn QB Byrum Brown named among CBS Sports' most impactful transfers:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/05/09/auburn-football-byrum-brown-top-transfers-cbs/90010178007/
Does this Auburn roster have the program’s best RB duo in 10 years?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/does-this-auburn-roster-have-the-programs-best-rb-duo-in-10-years.html
The three road games that will test everything Auburn football has built under Alex Golesh:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/the-three-road-games-that-will-test-everything-auburn-football-has-built-under-alex-golesh.html
Auburn adds 3-star quarterback to its 2027 recruiting class:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/auburn-adds-3-star-quarterback-to-its-2027-recruiting-class.html
Auburn lands commitment from 2027 QB Gary Chatman Jr.:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/gary-chatman-jr-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-283691189/
After decommitting from Wake Forest, QB Gary Chatman commits to Auburn: 'I'm shutting it down':
https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/after-decommitting-from-wake-forest-qb-gary-chatman-commits-to-auburn-im-shutting-it-down/
Auburn Making Strides for No. 1 Edge Rusher in New Jersey:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-making-strides-no-1-edge-rusher-new-jersey
Auburn ‘Definitely Top Five’ for 2027 CB Who Sets Commitment Date:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-top-five-2027-cb-sets-commitment-date-01kr96p8a7kp
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/talking-auburn-baseball-auburn-womens-tennis-and-auburn-football-284865003/
Carolina Panthers rookie ‘ready to run through something’ already:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/05/carolina-panthers-rookie-ready-to-run-through-something-already.html
Auburn QB Byrum Brown named among CBS Sports' most impactful transfers
By Phillip Jordan
Auburn Wire
When the college football transfer portal opened to start 2026, there was no shortage of talented quarterbacks to choose from.
Auburn was going to be one of those teams shopping for a new signal-caller when new head coach Alex Golesh took over the football program. It was no secret either who the former South Florida head coach was going to want to lead his program. Byrum Brown heading to Auburn was easy to predict and smart for everyone involved.
In four seasons with the Bulls, Brown threw for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns. While he has proven to be a great passer, he is one of the best in college football at running the football at the quarterback position. Over his career, he has rushed for 2,265 yards and scored 31 times. He had his best season in 2025, leading South Florida to nine wins. During the season, he passed for 3,158 yards and rushed for 1,008 yards. He found the end zone a lot with 42 combined touchdowns.
The numbers posted at South Florida are a big reason why Brown was listed as one of the most important transfer players by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. In the list, Brown is the fourth quarterback behind Sam Leavitt (LSU), Josh Hoover (Indiana), and Darian Mensah (Miami). Overall, he is the No. 11 player on the list. The performance of Brown will determine the kind of season the Tigers will have in year one under Golesh. Going from the American Conference to the SEC will be a big adjustment with the level of defense he will now face. However, he knows what to expect with the offense he is running. Not just because he knows the system, but because he will have a lot of familiar faces around him as playmakers.
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Does this Auburn roster have the program’s best RB duo in 10 years?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Running the ball is going to be an important part of Auburn’s offense under new head coach Alex Golesh.
There’s no better evidence of that than Golesh signing multiple proven running backs out of the transfer portal to compliment Jeremiah Cobb. On top of that, Golesh is bringing star quarterback Byrum Brown with him from South Florida, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season.
On top of Brown, who has rushed for over 2,000 yards in his college career, Auburn goes into the season with multiple running backs who already have over 1,000 career rushing yards. The last time Auburn started a season with two or more running backs that already had 1,000 or more career rushing yards was 2017 with Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway.
The 2017 campaign was the last time Auburn made the SEC championship game, as the Tigers finished with a 10-4 record under former head coach Gus Malzahn.
In 2017, Auburn’s rushing attack was the driving force behind an offense that ranked 26th nationally in total yards per game.
The Tigers averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game that season as Johnson finished with 1,391 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. No Auburn player has rushed for as many yards in a season since.
This year’s rushing attack, on paper, may be even better.
While Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington both enter the season with over 1,000 career rushing yards already, they aren’t the only two expected to contribute on the ground. Brown was USF’s leading rusher last season and will undoubtedly have a big role in the rushing attack this year.
Along with Washington, Auburn also signed USF transfer Nykahi Davenport and Tae Meadows, two more running backs who rushed for over 600 yards last season. Davenport was Golesh’s top running back with USF last season and finished the A-Day scrimmage with more carries than any other player.
While Davenport, Meadows and Omar Mabson II could all carve out roles in the backfield, Cobb and Washington will likely be the main two backs looked upon. From Johnson and Pettway to Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, Auburn has had multiple impressive running back duos over the past 10 years.
Cobb and Washington might be the most proven duo Auburn has had entering a season in that time. For the Tigers to have a chance of matching their success in 2017, getting production out of Cobb and Washington will be crucial.
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The three road games that will test everything Auburn football has built under Alex Golesh
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Outside of Auburn football’s Aflac Kickoff game with Baylor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Tigers will host their first two SEC opponents in Florida and Vanderbilt.
Auburn faces a challenging road schedule in 2026 with five SEC away games, as they’ll also travel to Tennessee and Ole Miss in the month of October alone.
Here are three conference road games that will test the Tigers’ this fall:
Georgia, Oct. 17
The reigning SEC champions are seeking a national championship berth after back-to-back second round college football playoff exits.
Georgia returns starting quarterback Gunner Stockston alongside defensive cornerstones KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV.
Auburn has not defeated Georgia since the 2017 season, as the Bulldogs are currently on a nine-game winning streak against the Tigers.
Last season, Georgia scored 20 unanswered points to defeat Auburn inside Jordan-Hare Stadium 20-10. This year’s game in Athens will bring the same physicality, with a raucous, sold-out crowd barking inside Sanford Stadium.
Mississippi State, Nov. 14
Auburn’s last time playing in Starkville came in a 39-33 overtime loss during the 2022 season. The Tigers have not played the Bulldogs since 2023 in a 27-13 victory at Auburn.
Davis Wade Stadium is known as one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country with the fans ringing the school’s traditional cowbells.
In 2025, Mississippi State defeated the reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State at home, while taking the Texas Longhorns to overtime in a 45-38 loss in Starkville.
Auburn will have played seven conference games before its game at Mississippi State. However, a late-season game in such an intense environment could be a trap game for the Tigers.
Alabama, Nov. 28
With Auburn coach Alex Golesh installing an Iron Bowl period during the Tigers spring practices, it’s safe to say that Auburn is taking its regular season finale seriously.
Auburn has not won the Iron Bowl since 2019 but Golesh is not worried about the past when it comes to the Iron Bowl.
“This team has not played Alabama, and we’ll be prepared Week 12 when it’s time to go play,” Golesh said at the Regions Pro-Am. “In terms of the music we put an emphasis on what that game is. It’s the greatest rivalry in college football and it’s important to all of us here at Auburn.”
Golesh was a part of the Tennessee coaching staff that knocked off No. 5 Alabama 52-49 in 2022. If he succeeds in his first Iron Bowl as the Tigers’ coach, he will walk out of Bryant-Denny Stadium with one of his best wins of his entire coaching career.
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Auburn adds 3-star quarterback to its 2027 recruiting class
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
As Auburn’s recent run of commitments continues, the Tigers now have a quarterback in their 2027 recruiting class.
Georgia native Gary Chatman Jr. committed to Auburn on Saturday, he announced on social media. The decision came after Chatman decommitted from Wake Forest earlier this week. He originally committed to the Demon Deacons on March 25.
A three-star prospect, the 247Sports composite ranks Chatman as the No. 1,006 overall recruit in the country and the 63rd-best quarterback. He becomes Auburn’s lowest ranked recruit in its 2027 class, per the composite, but helps fill an important position.
Chatman is Auburn’s sixth commitment in the 2027 class and the third in the past two weeks. Listed at 6-feet, 190 pounds, Chatman is a dual threat prospect with impressive athleticism.
During his junior season threw for 1,494 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding another 418 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, according to MaxPreps.
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Auburn lands commitment from 2027 QB Gary Chatman Jr.
By Christian Clemente
Auburn has its Class of 2027 quarterback. Gary Chatman Jr., who had been committed to Wake Forest since the end of March, has announced his commitment to the Tigers. He backed off his commitment to the Demon Deacons early in May and now completes the flip to Auburn with his commitment on Saturday.
Visiting Auburn quietly for a spring practice, Chatman became a name on Auburn's radar that the Tigers staff was working on behind the scenes. After continued dialogue and losing out on Will Mencl to Oregon, Auburn extended an offer to Chatman on April 22nd. Things moved quickly from there, and now he's in the boat for the Tigers.
From Brookwood (Ga.), Chatman is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,035 player, No. 60 quarterback and No. 120 player from Georgia. 247Sports has him as the No. 55 quarterback in the class.
As a junior for a 10-3 Brookwood squad, Chatman completed 86-of-144 passes (60 percent) for 1,494 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran the ball 35 times for 418 yards and five touchdowns.
Alex Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon recruited both Mencl and Israel Abrams earlier in the cycle, with the emphasis ending up landing on Mencl down the stretch. Abrams opted to commit to Miami, while Mencl landed with Oregon. The attention then quickly turned to Chatman in the 2027 cycle.
With the addition of Chatman, Auburn moves up from No. 43 to No. 31 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings. Chatman is commitment No. 5, joining 4-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook, 4-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore, 4-star tight end George Lamons Jr., 4-star wide receiver Brylan Oduor and 3-star offensive lineman Jaylon Moore. Chatman makes it three Saturday's in a row for Auburn landing a commitment, with Oduor and Johnson-Cook joining the class the last two weekends.
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After decommitting from Wake Forest, QB Gary Chatman commits to Auburn: 'I'm shutting it down'
By Chad Simmons
Gary Chatman didn’t need much time after reopening his recruitment — he already had his answer.
The quarterback out of Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood backed off his pledge to Wake Forest earlier this week after being committed for about six weeks. Shortly after, he made the call for Auburn.
Auburn didn’t waste time making its move.
The Tigers began showing serious interest in late March, got him on campus April 16, then extended an offer April 22. He returned to The Plains on May 1 — and that trip sealed it.
“When I went back up there for my second visit, I just loved everything about it,” Chatman told Rivals. “I loved the coaches and the environment… that’s what led to my decision. I knew when I left that visit that I was going to commit to Auburn.”
Relationships drove the decision.
Chatman quickly built a strong bond with the staff, especially quarterbacks coach Joel Gordon, who made him a priority from the start.
“He’s a great guy, and you can tell he loves football. Coach Gordon has been around some great players, he has developed some great quarterbacks, and he knows how to teach and develop. He has been around Brock Purdy and Byrum Brown — that is elite talent. He came out to see me in April, then again in May, and we are developing a great relationship.”
Head coach Alex Golesh made a strong impression as well.
“I asked the staff why they came to Auburn… and they all had positive things to say about Coach Golesh,” Chatman said. “When I sat down with him, I knew that’s a guy I’d love to play for. He is smart, he has energy, and he wants to win. I like what I know about Coach Golesh.”
Chatman’s decision is final
As much as the coaches impressed the 6-foot-1, 190-pound signal caller, the environment stood out just as much.
“It is all positive around Auburn,” he said. “There are just good vibes everywhere. Even being out in the community, people were showing love to the coaches. Auburn has great fans, and there is a lot of love around there.”
The decision to decommit from Wake Forest wasn’t easy, but it was one he felt he needed to make. Chatman knows where he wants to be.
“The coaches, the environment and how close it is to home pushed Auburn to the top for me,” Chatman said. “It was really tough to call Wake Forest, and I appreciate those coaches a lot, but I had to make the best decision for my future.
“With this commitment, I’m shutting it down. I am not visiting anywhere else… I am all Auburn.”
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Auburn Making Strides for No. 1 Edge Rusher in New Jersey
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
The Auburn Tigers’ defense has been a hallmark of the DJ Durkin era, who has managed to put together some of the top defenses in the country in his few years at Auburn. New head coach Alex Golesh seems to want to ensure Durkin continues to have the pieces to do so, as on Tuesday, the Tigers offered the No. 1 edge rusher in New Jersey.
Andre Robinson, a 2028 prospect who hails from Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey, is currently rated as a three-star prospect who is the 31st-best edge rusher in the class, as well as the 14th-best in-class player from New Jersey.
After Robinson received his offer from the Tigers, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the top recruit to chat all things Auburn, including his interest in a potential future on the Plains.
“I love Auburn,” he said. “I love the coaching staff there, I love what they're building there, the culture. And I love, of course, they're in the SEC… [Getting an offer from Auburn] was truly a blessing.”
Robinson, who is still ‘young in his recruitment,’ as he put it, has not put together a list of his top programs quite yet, but he is still certainly looking to get to Auburn for a visit when he can.
“I don't have a date yet, but of course I want to get down there,” he said.
Robinson has played both tight end and defensive end, or edge rusher, in high school, but he is looking to hone in on the defensive side of things once he gets to college. However, despite his dominance, he does not consider himself a finished product by any means.
“I play hard,” he said. “I'm going to get after it. And I'm going to win some ball games… I still have more work to do. And I'm still going to keep grinding. Keep doing what I'm doing. Keep playing aggressive - keep staying humble and having humility.”
Robinson would be a great pickup for the Tigers’ 2028 class, which currently has yet to land its first commitment. Of course, once one player commits, many are sure to follow, and Robinson could be the catalyst of a big Auburn recruiting push.
However, the Tigers will have to steal him away from other top programs, including Florida, Michigan and Penn State, and it will be a fight to land a top dog in New Jersey.
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Auburn ‘Definitely Top Five’ for 2027 CB Who Sets Commitment Date
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Over the past few months, the Auburn Tigers have recruited several top players with a wide variety of skills, but Aidyn Wiggins has the opportunity to be potentially the fastest Tiger in their 2027 recruiting class, as the cornerback received an offer from Auburn on Saturday.
Wiggins, a three-star cornerback in the class of 2027, is currently rated as the 134th-best corner in the class of 2027, as well as the 22nd-best in-class player from his home state of South Carolina. A two-sport athlete, Wiggins topped out at a staggering 22 miles per hour during a camp back in April of 2025 and runs a verified 4.45-second 40-yard time.
After he received his Auburn offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with Wiggins to talk all things Auburn, including where the Tigers stand on his recruiting board and the official date he is planning to announce his commitment.
“The offer was great, especially coming from Coach Van Dyke,” he said. “What stands out to me at Auburn is the players that have come through Auburn and have had success in the NFL.”
https://twitter.com/Awiggins4_/status/2053129051364020481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053129051364020481%7Ctwgr%5E8ee536eb98c59aa637f51938041ca83d2606e7f8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-top-five-2027-cb-sets-commitment-date-01kr96p8a7kp
Though Wiggins has yet to put together a full list, he maintained that Auburn is ‘definitely top five’ on his board, and that he is planning to visit, despite not having an official date set at this time. He will announce his decision on July 3.
Wiggins is a highly unique prospect for his class, as he is quite quick on his feet and was even an All-State runner for his track team, despite the fact that he is quite a big cornerback, standing at 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds. This unique combo of build and speed has already garnered Wiggins offers from plenty of top programs, though perhaps none as significant as James Franklin’s Virginia Tech.
“I model my game after Jalen Ramsey and Sauce Gardner,” he said. “One thing I’d want a coach to know about my game is how I’m a big corner who can run and cover… I’d describe my ideal college fit as a college where I can be coached and developed to the best of my abilities.”
With a commitment date of July 3, the Tigers will have to work quickly if they want to land the young corner. Currently, he is a favorite to land at Virginia Tech, but the Tigers could quickly jump in the race if they continue to make a push for Wiggins.
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Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column
By Jason Caldwell
One huge series to go
Heading into the final regular season series of the year for Auburn baseball, the Tigers have another huge hurdle coming up this week with the SEC regular season champ Georgia Bulldogs coming to Plainsman Park. The Bulldogs are coming off a sweep of LSU at home and are a ridiculous 21-6 in league games.
Auburn is as prepared as anyone could possibly be for yet another Top 10 matchup. Currently tied for 4th in the SEC standings heading into the final week, the Tigers have faced every other team that is currently in the Top 8 in the league standings heading into the final week. That's seven series against the other top teams in the league and the Georgia series will be the third at home.
The Bulldogs are what Tommy Tuberville used to say are a 'rolling ball of butcher knives'. They just demolished LSU over the weekend and are just crushing the baseball. They have hit a ridiculous 140 home runs already in just 52 games and have six players with 13 or more home runs, including the likely national player of the year in Daniel Jackson. The catcher is batting .384 with 25 home runs, 74 RBI and is 24-25 in stolen base attempts.
That won't start until Thursday, however. First up is a Jacksonville State team that small-balled Auburn to death earlier in the season and comes into Tuesday night's game 40-11 overall with an RPI of 32. That's ahead of schools like Miami, Clemson, NC State and Arizona State.
This Auburn team has done a good job this season of just staying in the moment and not getting ahead of themselves. That approach will be needed with another tough week ahead.
Women's tennis keeps rolling
Maybe outside of the Cam-back in Tuscaloosa in 2010, what I watched on Friday night at the Yarbrough Tennis Center might be one of the most thrilling comebacks for Auburn since I have been doing this job, spanning now 27 years. After controlling the doubles, the Tigers were locked in a battle with Duke when No. 3 player Angella Okutoyi turned the tables on the Blue Devils in a big, big way.
Dropping the first set and trailing 4-1 in set number two, the senior from Kenya starting playing unreal tennis and her opponent wilted under the pressure. Shot after shot after shot with very few unforced errors allowed the points to just pile up. Winning the second set 7-5, she ran away with the third set 6-0 to send Auburn to the Round of 8 against LSU in Athens, Georgia on Friday, May 15. The winner will take on the winner of Ohio State-Pepperdine for a spot in the national championship match.
We'll see how the final week of the season turns out for this group of Tigers, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them finish it off. They are talented, but also tough. That's a great combination.
Recruiting picking up
Adding the commitment from quarterback Gary Chatman Jr. over the weekend, Auburn now has six commitments with running back Myson Johnson-Cook the highest ranked of the group currently. While not having as many commitments as many other teams, the Tigers are currently 15th in average star rating.
Now we head into the first Alex Golesh version of Big Cat Weekend. It will happen on Saturday and based on the interest the staff has gotten from prospects since arriving on campus, it should be a good day for the Tigers. There are a couple of guys I'll be paying attention to, cornerback Nash Johnson III and linebacker Jeremiah Culpepper. Originally committed to Alabama, Johnson is someone that has built a strong bond with the Tigers. An athletic linebacker from just up the road at Troup County (Georgia) High, Culpepper looks like he would be a great fit for this defensive system. It's coming piece by piece, but this class should be a solid one before everything is said and done.
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Carolina Panthers rookie ‘ready to run through something’ already
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
Shortly after the Carolina Panthers picked Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the NFL Draft on April 24, the former Blount High School standout heard from Derrick Brown. In addition to being one of Hunter’s football role models, the former Auburn All-American anchors the Panthers’ defensive line.
“He told me just be ready to work,” Hunter said, “and, ‘Come on, let’s get it.’”
Hunter started work with Carolina this weekend at the NFL team’s rookie minicamp – and everybody there knew he was, too.
“I just like to have fun,” Hunter said. “I like to juice myself up, juice guys up around me. And if you got juice, I feel like energy just rub off on you. If everybody around you got juice, it’s a scary defense.”
Hunter got so juiced he was “ready to run through something.”
But that’s not the point of rookie minicamp, although Carolina coach Dave Canales said it was neat to see the Panthers’ first-round pick, Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, lined up across from the second-round selection, Hunter.
“We get to do a little bit of 11-on-11” Canales said, “which for all of us coaches is really exciting for us because we’re not in that mode with the rest of the group. But to see them work against each other, knowing these are the guys that are going to make each other better on a day-to-day basis. We talk about practice is everything and this is where we make us and got to see a little glimpse of that today.
“You know, Lee, he has a real sense for getting off on the snap, feeling the cadence right now.”
Hunter said his admiration of Brown predates the former Pro Bowler’s NFL career.
“Watching Auburn football play growing up,” Hunter said, “and as I got close to committing, I was just watching Auburn. Coach (Rodney Garner), I always talk to him, showing me film about him. So, I seen this tape, seeing these plays, seeing how he play his game, and I just enjoy his play.”
The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 6A Lineman of the Year in 2020 at Blount, Hunter followed Brown to Auburn. After not playing in 2021, the defensive lineman joined former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn at UCF before playing the 2025 season at Texas Tech.
“My journey at Auburn, it was pretty fun,” Hunter said. “Laidback, relaxing. Was glad to be a Tiger. Just made a decision to leave that place based off my family and my situation.”
Texas Tech produced a program-record nine selections in this year’s draft, including Hunter and defensive end Romello Height, who played at Auburn in 2020 and 2021.
Hunter earned second-team All-American recognition from the Football Writers Association of America and third-team All-American recognition from The Associated Press for his performance as a Texas Tech defensive tackle in the 2025 season. Hunter recorded 41 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in his only season with the Red Raiders.
Carolina made a trade to move up two spots to pick Hunter. The Panthers sent the 51st and 159th choices to the Minnesota Vikings for the 49th and 196th selections.
“The board was kind of thinning out at the time,” Carolina general manager Dan Morgan said. “We just felt like, hey, this is the last guy that we kind of had a little at the higher rounds, and we just felt like, hey, let’s go get our guy instead of kind of settling for somebody else. We’re like, ‘Let’s go get our guy.’ We were all convicted on him not only as a player, but as a person. …
“Just a big, physical, point-of-attack guy who’s athletic enough to get up and down the line of scrimmage. Makes a lot of plays, eats up a lot of blockers for the linebackers. A guy we’re really excited about.”
The Panthers’ draft-night trade made Hunter feel the same as being juiced at rookie minicamp.
“They wanted me,” Hunter said. “They came and got me. They show love and interest. So what response they going to get from me? I’m ready to run through a (expletive) brick wall for them.”
Hunter joins a Carolina defensive line that has Bobby Brown III at the top of the nose-tackle depth chart after he played one-third of the defensive snaps and started five games for the Panthers last season.
“The way that we play our D-line, like, there’s really not starters,” Morgan said. “Like, we’re rotating a bunch, so he’s just going to be in that rotation. He can play nose, he can play a little D-end in the 3-4, so he brings a lot of versatility.”
Canales said Hunter already has a key trait to succeed as an NFL defensive lineman.
“When you’re an interior defensive lineman, it all starts with violence,” Canales said, “and that’s one thing that he kind of characterized himself -- you know, what’s your play style? Violence. And repeatedly said violence.”
Auburn QB Byrum Brown named among CBS Sports' most impactful transfers:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/05/09/auburn-football-byrum-brown-top-transfers-cbs/90010178007/
Does this Auburn roster have the program’s best RB duo in 10 years?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/does-this-auburn-roster-have-the-programs-best-rb-duo-in-10-years.html
The three road games that will test everything Auburn football has built under Alex Golesh:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/the-three-road-games-that-will-test-everything-auburn-football-has-built-under-alex-golesh.html
Auburn adds 3-star quarterback to its 2027 recruiting class:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/auburn-adds-3-star-quarterback-to-its-2027-recruiting-class.html
Auburn lands commitment from 2027 QB Gary Chatman Jr.:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/gary-chatman-jr-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-283691189/
After decommitting from Wake Forest, QB Gary Chatman commits to Auburn: 'I'm shutting it down':
https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/after-decommitting-from-wake-forest-qb-gary-chatman-commits-to-auburn-im-shutting-it-down/
Auburn Making Strides for No. 1 Edge Rusher in New Jersey:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-making-strides-no-1-edge-rusher-new-jersey
Auburn ‘Definitely Top Five’ for 2027 CB Who Sets Commitment Date:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-top-five-2027-cb-sets-commitment-date-01kr96p8a7kp
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/talking-auburn-baseball-auburn-womens-tennis-and-auburn-football-284865003/
Carolina Panthers rookie ‘ready to run through something’ already:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/05/carolina-panthers-rookie-ready-to-run-through-something-already.html
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By Phillip Jordan
Auburn Wire
When the college football transfer portal opened to start 2026, there was no shortage of talented quarterbacks to choose from.
Auburn was going to be one of those teams shopping for a new signal-caller when new head coach Alex Golesh took over the football program. It was no secret either who the former South Florida head coach was going to want to lead his program. Byrum Brown heading to Auburn was easy to predict and smart for everyone involved.
In four seasons with the Bulls, Brown threw for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns. While he has proven to be a great passer, he is one of the best in college football at running the football at the quarterback position. Over his career, he has rushed for 2,265 yards and scored 31 times. He had his best season in 2025, leading South Florida to nine wins. During the season, he passed for 3,158 yards and rushed for 1,008 yards. He found the end zone a lot with 42 combined touchdowns.
The numbers posted at South Florida are a big reason why Brown was listed as one of the most important transfer players by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. In the list, Brown is the fourth quarterback behind Sam Leavitt (LSU), Josh Hoover (Indiana), and Darian Mensah (Miami). Overall, he is the No. 11 player on the list. The performance of Brown will determine the kind of season the Tigers will have in year one under Golesh. Going from the American Conference to the SEC will be a big adjustment with the level of defense he will now face. However, he knows what to expect with the offense he is running. Not just because he knows the system, but because he will have a lot of familiar faces around him as playmakers.
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Does this Auburn roster have the program’s best RB duo in 10 years?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Running the ball is going to be an important part of Auburn’s offense under new head coach Alex Golesh.
There’s no better evidence of that than Golesh signing multiple proven running backs out of the transfer portal to compliment Jeremiah Cobb. On top of that, Golesh is bringing star quarterback Byrum Brown with him from South Florida, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season.
On top of Brown, who has rushed for over 2,000 yards in his college career, Auburn goes into the season with multiple running backs who already have over 1,000 career rushing yards. The last time Auburn started a season with two or more running backs that already had 1,000 or more career rushing yards was 2017 with Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway.
The 2017 campaign was the last time Auburn made the SEC championship game, as the Tigers finished with a 10-4 record under former head coach Gus Malzahn.
In 2017, Auburn’s rushing attack was the driving force behind an offense that ranked 26th nationally in total yards per game.
The Tigers averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game that season as Johnson finished with 1,391 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. No Auburn player has rushed for as many yards in a season since.
This year’s rushing attack, on paper, may be even better.
While Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington both enter the season with over 1,000 career rushing yards already, they aren’t the only two expected to contribute on the ground. Brown was USF’s leading rusher last season and will undoubtedly have a big role in the rushing attack this year.
Along with Washington, Auburn also signed USF transfer Nykahi Davenport and Tae Meadows, two more running backs who rushed for over 600 yards last season. Davenport was Golesh’s top running back with USF last season and finished the A-Day scrimmage with more carries than any other player.
While Davenport, Meadows and Omar Mabson II could all carve out roles in the backfield, Cobb and Washington will likely be the main two backs looked upon. From Johnson and Pettway to Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, Auburn has had multiple impressive running back duos over the past 10 years.
Cobb and Washington might be the most proven duo Auburn has had entering a season in that time. For the Tigers to have a chance of matching their success in 2017, getting production out of Cobb and Washington will be crucial.
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The three road games that will test everything Auburn football has built under Alex Golesh
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
Outside of Auburn football’s Aflac Kickoff game with Baylor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Tigers will host their first two SEC opponents in Florida and Vanderbilt.
Auburn faces a challenging road schedule in 2026 with five SEC away games, as they’ll also travel to Tennessee and Ole Miss in the month of October alone.
Here are three conference road games that will test the Tigers’ this fall:
Georgia, Oct. 17
The reigning SEC champions are seeking a national championship berth after back-to-back second round college football playoff exits.
Georgia returns starting quarterback Gunner Stockston alongside defensive cornerstones KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV.
Auburn has not defeated Georgia since the 2017 season, as the Bulldogs are currently on a nine-game winning streak against the Tigers.
Last season, Georgia scored 20 unanswered points to defeat Auburn inside Jordan-Hare Stadium 20-10. This year’s game in Athens will bring the same physicality, with a raucous, sold-out crowd barking inside Sanford Stadium.
Mississippi State, Nov. 14
Auburn’s last time playing in Starkville came in a 39-33 overtime loss during the 2022 season. The Tigers have not played the Bulldogs since 2023 in a 27-13 victory at Auburn.
Davis Wade Stadium is known as one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country with the fans ringing the school’s traditional cowbells.
In 2025, Mississippi State defeated the reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State at home, while taking the Texas Longhorns to overtime in a 45-38 loss in Starkville.
Auburn will have played seven conference games before its game at Mississippi State. However, a late-season game in such an intense environment could be a trap game for the Tigers.
Alabama, Nov. 28
With Auburn coach Alex Golesh installing an Iron Bowl period during the Tigers spring practices, it’s safe to say that Auburn is taking its regular season finale seriously.
Auburn has not won the Iron Bowl since 2019 but Golesh is not worried about the past when it comes to the Iron Bowl.
“This team has not played Alabama, and we’ll be prepared Week 12 when it’s time to go play,” Golesh said at the Regions Pro-Am. “In terms of the music we put an emphasis on what that game is. It’s the greatest rivalry in college football and it’s important to all of us here at Auburn.”
Golesh was a part of the Tennessee coaching staff that knocked off No. 5 Alabama 52-49 in 2022. If he succeeds in his first Iron Bowl as the Tigers’ coach, he will walk out of Bryant-Denny Stadium with one of his best wins of his entire coaching career.
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Auburn adds 3-star quarterback to its 2027 recruiting class
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
As Auburn’s recent run of commitments continues, the Tigers now have a quarterback in their 2027 recruiting class.
Georgia native Gary Chatman Jr. committed to Auburn on Saturday, he announced on social media. The decision came after Chatman decommitted from Wake Forest earlier this week. He originally committed to the Demon Deacons on March 25.
A three-star prospect, the 247Sports composite ranks Chatman as the No. 1,006 overall recruit in the country and the 63rd-best quarterback. He becomes Auburn’s lowest ranked recruit in its 2027 class, per the composite, but helps fill an important position.
Chatman is Auburn’s sixth commitment in the 2027 class and the third in the past two weeks. Listed at 6-feet, 190 pounds, Chatman is a dual threat prospect with impressive athleticism.
During his junior season threw for 1,494 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding another 418 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, according to MaxPreps.
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Auburn lands commitment from 2027 QB Gary Chatman Jr.
By Christian Clemente
Auburn has its Class of 2027 quarterback. Gary Chatman Jr., who had been committed to Wake Forest since the end of March, has announced his commitment to the Tigers. He backed off his commitment to the Demon Deacons early in May and now completes the flip to Auburn with his commitment on Saturday.
Visiting Auburn quietly for a spring practice, Chatman became a name on Auburn's radar that the Tigers staff was working on behind the scenes. After continued dialogue and losing out on Will Mencl to Oregon, Auburn extended an offer to Chatman on April 22nd. Things moved quickly from there, and now he's in the boat for the Tigers.
From Brookwood (Ga.), Chatman is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,035 player, No. 60 quarterback and No. 120 player from Georgia. 247Sports has him as the No. 55 quarterback in the class.
As a junior for a 10-3 Brookwood squad, Chatman completed 86-of-144 passes (60 percent) for 1,494 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran the ball 35 times for 418 yards and five touchdowns.
Alex Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon recruited both Mencl and Israel Abrams earlier in the cycle, with the emphasis ending up landing on Mencl down the stretch. Abrams opted to commit to Miami, while Mencl landed with Oregon. The attention then quickly turned to Chatman in the 2027 cycle.
With the addition of Chatman, Auburn moves up from No. 43 to No. 31 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings. Chatman is commitment No. 5, joining 4-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook, 4-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore, 4-star tight end George Lamons Jr., 4-star wide receiver Brylan Oduor and 3-star offensive lineman Jaylon Moore. Chatman makes it three Saturday's in a row for Auburn landing a commitment, with Oduor and Johnson-Cook joining the class the last two weekends.
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After decommitting from Wake Forest, QB Gary Chatman commits to Auburn: 'I'm shutting it down'
By Chad Simmons
Gary Chatman didn’t need much time after reopening his recruitment — he already had his answer.
The quarterback out of Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood backed off his pledge to Wake Forest earlier this week after being committed for about six weeks. Shortly after, he made the call for Auburn.
Auburn didn’t waste time making its move.
The Tigers began showing serious interest in late March, got him on campus April 16, then extended an offer April 22. He returned to The Plains on May 1 — and that trip sealed it.
“When I went back up there for my second visit, I just loved everything about it,” Chatman told Rivals. “I loved the coaches and the environment… that’s what led to my decision. I knew when I left that visit that I was going to commit to Auburn.”
Relationships drove the decision.
Chatman quickly built a strong bond with the staff, especially quarterbacks coach Joel Gordon, who made him a priority from the start.
“He’s a great guy, and you can tell he loves football. Coach Gordon has been around some great players, he has developed some great quarterbacks, and he knows how to teach and develop. He has been around Brock Purdy and Byrum Brown — that is elite talent. He came out to see me in April, then again in May, and we are developing a great relationship.”
Head coach Alex Golesh made a strong impression as well.
“I asked the staff why they came to Auburn… and they all had positive things to say about Coach Golesh,” Chatman said. “When I sat down with him, I knew that’s a guy I’d love to play for. He is smart, he has energy, and he wants to win. I like what I know about Coach Golesh.”
Chatman’s decision is final
As much as the coaches impressed the 6-foot-1, 190-pound signal caller, the environment stood out just as much.
“It is all positive around Auburn,” he said. “There are just good vibes everywhere. Even being out in the community, people were showing love to the coaches. Auburn has great fans, and there is a lot of love around there.”
The decision to decommit from Wake Forest wasn’t easy, but it was one he felt he needed to make. Chatman knows where he wants to be.
“The coaches, the environment and how close it is to home pushed Auburn to the top for me,” Chatman said. “It was really tough to call Wake Forest, and I appreciate those coaches a lot, but I had to make the best decision for my future.
“With this commitment, I’m shutting it down. I am not visiting anywhere else… I am all Auburn.”
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Auburn Making Strides for No. 1 Edge Rusher in New Jersey
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
The Auburn Tigers’ defense has been a hallmark of the DJ Durkin era, who has managed to put together some of the top defenses in the country in his few years at Auburn. New head coach Alex Golesh seems to want to ensure Durkin continues to have the pieces to do so, as on Tuesday, the Tigers offered the No. 1 edge rusher in New Jersey.
Andre Robinson, a 2028 prospect who hails from Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey, is currently rated as a three-star prospect who is the 31st-best edge rusher in the class, as well as the 14th-best in-class player from New Jersey.
After Robinson received his offer from the Tigers, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the top recruit to chat all things Auburn, including his interest in a potential future on the Plains.
“I love Auburn,” he said. “I love the coaching staff there, I love what they're building there, the culture. And I love, of course, they're in the SEC… [Getting an offer from Auburn] was truly a blessing.”
Robinson, who is still ‘young in his recruitment,’ as he put it, has not put together a list of his top programs quite yet, but he is still certainly looking to get to Auburn for a visit when he can.
“I don't have a date yet, but of course I want to get down there,” he said.
Robinson has played both tight end and defensive end, or edge rusher, in high school, but he is looking to hone in on the defensive side of things once he gets to college. However, despite his dominance, he does not consider himself a finished product by any means.
“I play hard,” he said. “I'm going to get after it. And I'm going to win some ball games… I still have more work to do. And I'm still going to keep grinding. Keep doing what I'm doing. Keep playing aggressive - keep staying humble and having humility.”
Robinson would be a great pickup for the Tigers’ 2028 class, which currently has yet to land its first commitment. Of course, once one player commits, many are sure to follow, and Robinson could be the catalyst of a big Auburn recruiting push.
However, the Tigers will have to steal him away from other top programs, including Florida, Michigan and Penn State, and it will be a fight to land a top dog in New Jersey.
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Auburn ‘Definitely Top Five’ for 2027 CB Who Sets Commitment Date
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Over the past few months, the Auburn Tigers have recruited several top players with a wide variety of skills, but Aidyn Wiggins has the opportunity to be potentially the fastest Tiger in their 2027 recruiting class, as the cornerback received an offer from Auburn on Saturday.
Wiggins, a three-star cornerback in the class of 2027, is currently rated as the 134th-best corner in the class of 2027, as well as the 22nd-best in-class player from his home state of South Carolina. A two-sport athlete, Wiggins topped out at a staggering 22 miles per hour during a camp back in April of 2025 and runs a verified 4.45-second 40-yard time.
After he received his Auburn offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with Wiggins to talk all things Auburn, including where the Tigers stand on his recruiting board and the official date he is planning to announce his commitment.
“The offer was great, especially coming from Coach Van Dyke,” he said. “What stands out to me at Auburn is the players that have come through Auburn and have had success in the NFL.”
https://twitter.com/Awiggins4_/status/2053129051364020481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2053129051364020481%7Ctwgr%5E8ee536eb98c59aa637f51938041ca83d2606e7f8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-top-five-2027-cb-sets-commitment-date-01kr96p8a7kp
Though Wiggins has yet to put together a full list, he maintained that Auburn is ‘definitely top five’ on his board, and that he is planning to visit, despite not having an official date set at this time. He will announce his decision on July 3.
Wiggins is a highly unique prospect for his class, as he is quite quick on his feet and was even an All-State runner for his track team, despite the fact that he is quite a big cornerback, standing at 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds. This unique combo of build and speed has already garnered Wiggins offers from plenty of top programs, though perhaps none as significant as James Franklin’s Virginia Tech.
“I model my game after Jalen Ramsey and Sauce Gardner,” he said. “One thing I’d want a coach to know about my game is how I’m a big corner who can run and cover… I’d describe my ideal college fit as a college where I can be coached and developed to the best of my abilities.”
With a commitment date of July 3, the Tigers will have to work quickly if they want to land the young corner. Currently, he is a favorite to land at Virginia Tech, but the Tigers could quickly jump in the race if they continue to make a push for Wiggins.
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Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column
By Jason Caldwell
One huge series to go
Heading into the final regular season series of the year for Auburn baseball, the Tigers have another huge hurdle coming up this week with the SEC regular season champ Georgia Bulldogs coming to Plainsman Park. The Bulldogs are coming off a sweep of LSU at home and are a ridiculous 21-6 in league games.
Auburn is as prepared as anyone could possibly be for yet another Top 10 matchup. Currently tied for 4th in the SEC standings heading into the final week, the Tigers have faced every other team that is currently in the Top 8 in the league standings heading into the final week. That's seven series against the other top teams in the league and the Georgia series will be the third at home.
The Bulldogs are what Tommy Tuberville used to say are a 'rolling ball of butcher knives'. They just demolished LSU over the weekend and are just crushing the baseball. They have hit a ridiculous 140 home runs already in just 52 games and have six players with 13 or more home runs, including the likely national player of the year in Daniel Jackson. The catcher is batting .384 with 25 home runs, 74 RBI and is 24-25 in stolen base attempts.
That won't start until Thursday, however. First up is a Jacksonville State team that small-balled Auburn to death earlier in the season and comes into Tuesday night's game 40-11 overall with an RPI of 32. That's ahead of schools like Miami, Clemson, NC State and Arizona State.
This Auburn team has done a good job this season of just staying in the moment and not getting ahead of themselves. That approach will be needed with another tough week ahead.
Women's tennis keeps rolling
Maybe outside of the Cam-back in Tuscaloosa in 2010, what I watched on Friday night at the Yarbrough Tennis Center might be one of the most thrilling comebacks for Auburn since I have been doing this job, spanning now 27 years. After controlling the doubles, the Tigers were locked in a battle with Duke when No. 3 player Angella Okutoyi turned the tables on the Blue Devils in a big, big way.
Dropping the first set and trailing 4-1 in set number two, the senior from Kenya starting playing unreal tennis and her opponent wilted under the pressure. Shot after shot after shot with very few unforced errors allowed the points to just pile up. Winning the second set 7-5, she ran away with the third set 6-0 to send Auburn to the Round of 8 against LSU in Athens, Georgia on Friday, May 15. The winner will take on the winner of Ohio State-Pepperdine for a spot in the national championship match.
We'll see how the final week of the season turns out for this group of Tigers, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them finish it off. They are talented, but also tough. That's a great combination.
Recruiting picking up
Adding the commitment from quarterback Gary Chatman Jr. over the weekend, Auburn now has six commitments with running back Myson Johnson-Cook the highest ranked of the group currently. While not having as many commitments as many other teams, the Tigers are currently 15th in average star rating.
Now we head into the first Alex Golesh version of Big Cat Weekend. It will happen on Saturday and based on the interest the staff has gotten from prospects since arriving on campus, it should be a good day for the Tigers. There are a couple of guys I'll be paying attention to, cornerback Nash Johnson III and linebacker Jeremiah Culpepper. Originally committed to Alabama, Johnson is someone that has built a strong bond with the Tigers. An athletic linebacker from just up the road at Troup County (Georgia) High, Culpepper looks like he would be a great fit for this defensive system. It's coming piece by piece, but this class should be a solid one before everything is said and done.
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Carolina Panthers rookie ‘ready to run through something’ already
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
Shortly after the Carolina Panthers picked Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter in the NFL Draft on April 24, the former Blount High School standout heard from Derrick Brown. In addition to being one of Hunter’s football role models, the former Auburn All-American anchors the Panthers’ defensive line.
“He told me just be ready to work,” Hunter said, “and, ‘Come on, let’s get it.’”
Hunter started work with Carolina this weekend at the NFL team’s rookie minicamp – and everybody there knew he was, too.
“I just like to have fun,” Hunter said. “I like to juice myself up, juice guys up around me. And if you got juice, I feel like energy just rub off on you. If everybody around you got juice, it’s a scary defense.”
Hunter got so juiced he was “ready to run through something.”
But that’s not the point of rookie minicamp, although Carolina coach Dave Canales said it was neat to see the Panthers’ first-round pick, Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, lined up across from the second-round selection, Hunter.
“We get to do a little bit of 11-on-11” Canales said, “which for all of us coaches is really exciting for us because we’re not in that mode with the rest of the group. But to see them work against each other, knowing these are the guys that are going to make each other better on a day-to-day basis. We talk about practice is everything and this is where we make us and got to see a little glimpse of that today.
“You know, Lee, he has a real sense for getting off on the snap, feeling the cadence right now.”
Hunter said his admiration of Brown predates the former Pro Bowler’s NFL career.
“Watching Auburn football play growing up,” Hunter said, “and as I got close to committing, I was just watching Auburn. Coach (Rodney Garner), I always talk to him, showing me film about him. So, I seen this tape, seeing these plays, seeing how he play his game, and I just enjoy his play.”
The Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 6A Lineman of the Year in 2020 at Blount, Hunter followed Brown to Auburn. After not playing in 2021, the defensive lineman joined former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn at UCF before playing the 2025 season at Texas Tech.
“My journey at Auburn, it was pretty fun,” Hunter said. “Laidback, relaxing. Was glad to be a Tiger. Just made a decision to leave that place based off my family and my situation.”
Texas Tech produced a program-record nine selections in this year’s draft, including Hunter and defensive end Romello Height, who played at Auburn in 2020 and 2021.
Hunter earned second-team All-American recognition from the Football Writers Association of America and third-team All-American recognition from The Associated Press for his performance as a Texas Tech defensive tackle in the 2025 season. Hunter recorded 41 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in his only season with the Red Raiders.
Carolina made a trade to move up two spots to pick Hunter. The Panthers sent the 51st and 159th choices to the Minnesota Vikings for the 49th and 196th selections.
“The board was kind of thinning out at the time,” Carolina general manager Dan Morgan said. “We just felt like, hey, this is the last guy that we kind of had a little at the higher rounds, and we just felt like, hey, let’s go get our guy instead of kind of settling for somebody else. We’re like, ‘Let’s go get our guy.’ We were all convicted on him not only as a player, but as a person. …
“Just a big, physical, point-of-attack guy who’s athletic enough to get up and down the line of scrimmage. Makes a lot of plays, eats up a lot of blockers for the linebackers. A guy we’re really excited about.”
The Panthers’ draft-night trade made Hunter feel the same as being juiced at rookie minicamp.
“They wanted me,” Hunter said. “They came and got me. They show love and interest. So what response they going to get from me? I’m ready to run through a (expletive) brick wall for them.”
Hunter joins a Carolina defensive line that has Bobby Brown III at the top of the nose-tackle depth chart after he played one-third of the defensive snaps and started five games for the Panthers last season.
“The way that we play our D-line, like, there’s really not starters,” Morgan said. “Like, we’re rotating a bunch, so he’s just going to be in that rotation. He can play nose, he can play a little D-end in the 3-4, so he brings a lot of versatility.”
Canales said Hunter already has a key trait to succeed as an NFL defensive lineman.
“When you’re an interior defensive lineman, it all starts with violence,” Canales said, “and that’s one thing that he kind of characterized himself -- you know, what’s your play style? Violence. And repeatedly said violence.”
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