Football News: 3-8-2026
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Dudley Dent
Mar 8, 2026, 6:03:40 PM (2 days ago) Mar 8
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Auburn Football News: 3-8-2026
Auburn football safety depth chart: Previewing the Tigers’ room ahead of spring football:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/03/auburn-football-safety-depth-chart-previewing-the-tigers-room-ahead-of-spring-football.html
Who will emerge in Auburn’s new-look cornerback room this spring?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/03/who-will-emerge-in-auburns-new-look-cornerback-room-this-spring.html
Indianapolis Colts acquire former Auburn defensive lineman in NFL trade:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/03/indianapolis-colts-acquire-former-auburn-defensive-lineman-in-nfl-trade.html
Auburn football safety depth chart: Previewing the Tigers’ room ahead of spring football
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
With the spring practice period less than two weeks away for Auburn football, there are a lot of questions surrounding the depth chart in the secondary.
At safety, ten players will compete for starting roles this fall. The Tigers also return defensive coordinator DJ Durkin to the coaching staff.
Here’s an early look at the Tigers’ safety room ahead of spring practices after bringing in a new position coach and returning key contributors from last year’s roster.
The returners
Eric Winters (So.)
AnQuon Fegans (So.)
Kaleb Harris (Jr.)
Sylvester Smith (Jr.)
Champ Anthony (Sr.)
Jacoby Mathews (Sr.)
What to know
Winters and Fegans impressed coaches in their freshman campaigns with the duo combining for 57 total tackles, two pass breakups, a sack and an interception in the Tigers secondary.
Harris finished last year with 38 total tackles, a pass deflection and an interception, as his Pro Football Focus grade dropped from 78.0 as a freshman to 66.7 in his sophomore season.
Smith was a starter alongside Harris throughout much of last season and has totaled 59 tackles, two sacks and an interception across his two years at Auburn.
Anthony was in and out of the rotation last season after battling through injuries. Mathews did not see in-game action in 2025.
The newcomers
Jack Luttrell (Jr./Arizona transfer)
Gavin Jenkins (Fr./ USF transfer)
Fred Gaskin III (Jr. USF transfer)
Wayne Henry (Fr.)
Jenkins played in just four games while at USF where he totaled five tackles. He arrives at Auburn with four years of eligibility remaining.
However, his teammate at USF Gaskin III earned first team All-AAC honors with 49 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble last season with the Bulls.
Luttrell spent two seasons at Arizona where he played in three games and finished with three tackles and an interception in 2025. In 2024, Luttrell played in 12 games and tallied 39 tackles, four pass deflections, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
The coach
Tim Banks, who was recently fired as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, will be Auburn’s safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator, replacing TJ Rushing, who was Auburn’s safeties coach for one season in 2025.
Banks spent the previous five seasons at Tennessee, working with Auburn coach Alex Golesh during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Prior to that, the two worked together at Illinois from 2012-2015.
“I have known [Alex Golesh] for a long time, and he’s always been very good at what he does, building relationships. He’s family oriented. He’s a really good football coach. Those are the things I gravitate to. 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 said.
When discussing the Tigers’ safeties heading into spring practice, Banks explained what he’s looking for in his players and how this year’s group can help build that culture.
“Smart. Very smart. Very detail-oriented. These guys love ball. That’s what we’re looking for, guys that crave it,” Banks added. “First one in, last one out mentality. They are used to that, and that’s what I want. Having that foundation has been refreshing.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin on March 17, with A-Day, the annual spring game, set for Saturday, April 18.
************************
Who will emerge in Auburn’s new-look cornerback room this spring?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn’s defense underwent a smaller rebuild than the offense, but the cornerback room was hit harder than most position groups.
The Tigers lost five corners from the transfer portal and signed five transfers to replace them. New head coach Alex Golesh also replaced the cornerbacks coach, bringing DeMarcus Van Dyke with him from USF.
With only three corners returning and just one who played significant snaps, the room could be one of the more competitive groups on the roster this spring.
With that said, here’s a look at Auburn’s cornerback room going into spring practice.
The returners
Rayshawn Pleasant (Sr.)
Blake Woodby (So.)
Devin Williams (Rs Fr.)
What to know
Pleasant is undoubtedly the leader of the returning group and potentially the cornerback room overall. While he didn’t make many starts last season, he was a constant fixture in the rotation along with Jay Crawford and Kayin Lee.
Playing in 11 games with two starts, Pleasant finished the 2025 campaign with 16 tackles, three pass deflections, two interceptions and one pick-six. His explosiveness and ball skills showed up throughout the season, as he added another touchdown on a kick return in the season opener.
“I think keeping Rayshawn in the fold was huge,” Van Dyke said. “He’s a leader on and off the field and he’s kind of like the coach in the room with me.”
Behind him, Woodby is the only returning underclassman with game experience. Williams suffered a torn ACL last spring, which caused him to miss the 2025 season.
Woodby was a four-star recruit out of high school, but a reserve player as a freshman. He could earn a larger role in 2026, but will have to compete with young newcomers such as Scrap Richardson, Gavin Jenkins, Kamari Todd and Shamar Arnoux.
The newcomers
Andre Jordan Jr. (Sr.)
Shamar Arnoux (So.)
Kamari Todd (So.)
Gavin Jenkins (Rs Fr.)
Scrap Richardson (Rs Fr.)
What to know
Auburn needed to add players with starting experience after losing Crawford and Lee. It did so when it signed Jordan and Arnoux, who both started games for Power Four teams last season.
Jordan brings the most experience to the group, coming to Auburn from UCLA. There, he was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2025 after finishing the regular season tied for the conference lead in pass deflections with 10.
“When you talk to the guy, he’s kind of quiet, don’t say much, but his play on the field speaks volumes,” Van Dyke said of Jordan. “I like the comfort he brings to the room. And he played a lot of games, started a lot of games, so he brings some experience to that room also.”
Jordan and Pleasant may be the early favorites to win starting jobs going into spring practice, but Arnoux will certainly be in the mix as well. He got on the field immediately as a freshman for Florida State last season and held his own.
Arnoux started four games for the Seminoles in 2025, where he totaled 27 tackles and one pass breakup. At 6-foot-2, his build is similar to the others in Auburn’s cornerback room.
Todd, Jenkins and Richardson may all be developmental pieces, but Todd is the only one of those three who played significant snaps last season. Those snaps came at Chattanooga, a school at the FCS level, but having game experience in college is still valuable.
Jenkins may be the most intriguing young corner in the room. He was the only one to follow Van Dyke from USF and he brings great length to the room at 6-foot-2.
The coach
Van Dyke is still relatively early in his coaching career, but already has experience as a cornerbacks coach at multiple stops. A Miami native and former Miami player, Van Dyke’s first Division I cornerbacks coach job came with the Hurricanes in 2021.
He had a stint at Florida International before joining Golesh at USF and is now making his first stop in the SEC. Van Dyke took over for former Auburn cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff, who coached Van Dyke at Miami and gave his successor his cosign on the way out.
https://twitter.com/coachcrimedawg/status/1998843882755498164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998843882755498164%7Ctwgr%5Efc879ccb8c497faf3c5e50c9b0ee0dbc130addec%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.al.com%2Fauburnfootball%2F2026%2F03%2Fwho-will-emerge-in-auburns-new-look-cornerback-room-this-spring.html
Van Dyke didn’t have much time to settle in at Auburn, immediately being tasked with rebuilding the cornerback room through the portal. He brought in a group that’s both new to Auburn and new to him, but hopes can provide a solid backbone to the Tigers’ defense.
***************************
Indianapolis Colts acquire former Auburn defensive lineman in NFL trade
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
Former Auburn defensive lineman Colby Wooden is headed for the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL trade.
The Green Bay Packers are sending Wooden to the Colts in exchange for linebacker Zaire Franklin.
The trade cannot be completed until the league’s 2026 business year begins on Wednesday and has not been announced by the teams, but was reported by ESPN, NFL Network and the Indianapolis Star on Saturday.
Wooden started 16 of Green Bay’s 17 regular-season games and its playoff contest in 2025. The defensive tackle recorded 50 tackles, six tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and one pass breakup while playing 587 defensive snaps, 52 percent of the Packers’ total, in his third NFL season.
Franklin started every game for Indianapolis in 2025. In his eighth NFL season, Franklin had 125 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, five pass breakups and one forced fumble. In 2024, Franklin earned Pro Bowl recognition as he led the NFL with 173 tackles.
Franklin will count $8.255 million against Green Bay’s 2026 salary cap in the second season of a three-year, $31.26 million contract extension. Wooden will count $1.337 million against Indianapolis’ 2026 salary cap in the final season of his four-year, $4.608 million rookie contract.
A three-year starter at Auburn, Wooden left the Tigers as a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In his first two seasons with the Packers, Wooden started one game and made 37 tackles during 589 defensive snaps across 30 games.
On Aug. 28, 2025, Green Bay traded two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys for Parsons. With Clark gone, the Packers needed a new run-stopper, and Wooden stepped into the job.
In Indianapolis, Wooden joins a defensive interior headlined by DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Buckner underwent surgery in January for a herniated disc in his neck after the three-time Pro Bowler missed seven games last season.
Auburn football safety depth chart: Previewing the Tigers’ room ahead of spring football:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/03/auburn-football-safety-depth-chart-previewing-the-tigers-room-ahead-of-spring-football.html
Who will emerge in Auburn’s new-look cornerback room this spring?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/03/who-will-emerge-in-auburns-new-look-cornerback-room-this-spring.html
Indianapolis Colts acquire former Auburn defensive lineman in NFL trade:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/03/indianapolis-colts-acquire-former-auburn-defensive-lineman-in-nfl-trade.html
*****************************
By Jerry Humphrey III
al.com
With the spring practice period less than two weeks away for Auburn football, there are a lot of questions surrounding the depth chart in the secondary.
At safety, ten players will compete for starting roles this fall. The Tigers also return defensive coordinator DJ Durkin to the coaching staff.
Here’s an early look at the Tigers’ safety room ahead of spring practices after bringing in a new position coach and returning key contributors from last year’s roster.
The returners
Eric Winters (So.)
AnQuon Fegans (So.)
Kaleb Harris (Jr.)
Sylvester Smith (Jr.)
Champ Anthony (Sr.)
Jacoby Mathews (Sr.)
What to know
Winters and Fegans impressed coaches in their freshman campaigns with the duo combining for 57 total tackles, two pass breakups, a sack and an interception in the Tigers secondary.
Harris finished last year with 38 total tackles, a pass deflection and an interception, as his Pro Football Focus grade dropped from 78.0 as a freshman to 66.7 in his sophomore season.
Smith was a starter alongside Harris throughout much of last season and has totaled 59 tackles, two sacks and an interception across his two years at Auburn.
Anthony was in and out of the rotation last season after battling through injuries. Mathews did not see in-game action in 2025.
The newcomers
Jack Luttrell (Jr./Arizona transfer)
Gavin Jenkins (Fr./ USF transfer)
Fred Gaskin III (Jr. USF transfer)
Wayne Henry (Fr.)
Jenkins played in just four games while at USF where he totaled five tackles. He arrives at Auburn with four years of eligibility remaining.
However, his teammate at USF Gaskin III earned first team All-AAC honors with 49 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble last season with the Bulls.
Luttrell spent two seasons at Arizona where he played in three games and finished with three tackles and an interception in 2025. In 2024, Luttrell played in 12 games and tallied 39 tackles, four pass deflections, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
The coach
Tim Banks, who was recently fired as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, will be Auburn’s safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator, replacing TJ Rushing, who was Auburn’s safeties coach for one season in 2025.
Banks spent the previous five seasons at Tennessee, working with Auburn coach Alex Golesh during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Prior to that, the two worked together at Illinois from 2012-2015.
“I have known [Alex Golesh] for a long time, and he’s always been very good at what he does, building relationships. He’s family oriented. He’s a really good football coach. Those are the things I gravitate to. 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 said.
When discussing the Tigers’ safeties heading into spring practice, Banks explained what he’s looking for in his players and how this year’s group can help build that culture.
“Smart. Very smart. Very detail-oriented. These guys love ball. That’s what we’re looking for, guys that crave it,” Banks added. “First one in, last one out mentality. They are used to that, and that’s what I want. Having that foundation has been refreshing.”
Auburn’s spring practices begin on March 17, with A-Day, the annual spring game, set for Saturday, April 18.
************************
Who will emerge in Auburn’s new-look cornerback room this spring?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Auburn’s defense underwent a smaller rebuild than the offense, but the cornerback room was hit harder than most position groups.
The Tigers lost five corners from the transfer portal and signed five transfers to replace them. New head coach Alex Golesh also replaced the cornerbacks coach, bringing DeMarcus Van Dyke with him from USF.
With only three corners returning and just one who played significant snaps, the room could be one of the more competitive groups on the roster this spring.
With that said, here’s a look at Auburn’s cornerback room going into spring practice.
The returners
Rayshawn Pleasant (Sr.)
Blake Woodby (So.)
Devin Williams (Rs Fr.)
What to know
Pleasant is undoubtedly the leader of the returning group and potentially the cornerback room overall. While he didn’t make many starts last season, he was a constant fixture in the rotation along with Jay Crawford and Kayin Lee.
Playing in 11 games with two starts, Pleasant finished the 2025 campaign with 16 tackles, three pass deflections, two interceptions and one pick-six. His explosiveness and ball skills showed up throughout the season, as he added another touchdown on a kick return in the season opener.
“I think keeping Rayshawn in the fold was huge,” Van Dyke said. “He’s a leader on and off the field and he’s kind of like the coach in the room with me.”
Behind him, Woodby is the only returning underclassman with game experience. Williams suffered a torn ACL last spring, which caused him to miss the 2025 season.
Woodby was a four-star recruit out of high school, but a reserve player as a freshman. He could earn a larger role in 2026, but will have to compete with young newcomers such as Scrap Richardson, Gavin Jenkins, Kamari Todd and Shamar Arnoux.
The newcomers
Andre Jordan Jr. (Sr.)
Shamar Arnoux (So.)
Kamari Todd (So.)
Gavin Jenkins (Rs Fr.)
Scrap Richardson (Rs Fr.)
What to know
Auburn needed to add players with starting experience after losing Crawford and Lee. It did so when it signed Jordan and Arnoux, who both started games for Power Four teams last season.
Jordan brings the most experience to the group, coming to Auburn from UCLA. There, he was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2025 after finishing the regular season tied for the conference lead in pass deflections with 10.
“When you talk to the guy, he’s kind of quiet, don’t say much, but his play on the field speaks volumes,” Van Dyke said of Jordan. “I like the comfort he brings to the room. And he played a lot of games, started a lot of games, so he brings some experience to that room also.”
Jordan and Pleasant may be the early favorites to win starting jobs going into spring practice, but Arnoux will certainly be in the mix as well. He got on the field immediately as a freshman for Florida State last season and held his own.
Arnoux started four games for the Seminoles in 2025, where he totaled 27 tackles and one pass breakup. At 6-foot-2, his build is similar to the others in Auburn’s cornerback room.
Todd, Jenkins and Richardson may all be developmental pieces, but Todd is the only one of those three who played significant snaps last season. Those snaps came at Chattanooga, a school at the FCS level, but having game experience in college is still valuable.
Jenkins may be the most intriguing young corner in the room. He was the only one to follow Van Dyke from USF and he brings great length to the room at 6-foot-2.
The coach
Van Dyke is still relatively early in his coaching career, but already has experience as a cornerbacks coach at multiple stops. A Miami native and former Miami player, Van Dyke’s first Division I cornerbacks coach job came with the Hurricanes in 2021.
He had a stint at Florida International before joining Golesh at USF and is now making his first stop in the SEC. Van Dyke took over for former Auburn cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff, who coached Van Dyke at Miami and gave his successor his cosign on the way out.
https://twitter.com/coachcrimedawg/status/1998843882755498164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998843882755498164%7Ctwgr%5Efc879ccb8c497faf3c5e50c9b0ee0dbc130addec%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.al.com%2Fauburnfootball%2F2026%2F03%2Fwho-will-emerge-in-auburns-new-look-cornerback-room-this-spring.html
Van Dyke didn’t have much time to settle in at Auburn, immediately being tasked with rebuilding the cornerback room through the portal. He brought in a group that’s both new to Auburn and new to him, but hopes can provide a solid backbone to the Tigers’ defense.
***************************
Indianapolis Colts acquire former Auburn defensive lineman in NFL trade
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
Former Auburn defensive lineman Colby Wooden is headed for the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL trade.
The Green Bay Packers are sending Wooden to the Colts in exchange for linebacker Zaire Franklin.
The trade cannot be completed until the league’s 2026 business year begins on Wednesday and has not been announced by the teams, but was reported by ESPN, NFL Network and the Indianapolis Star on Saturday.
Wooden started 16 of Green Bay’s 17 regular-season games and its playoff contest in 2025. The defensive tackle recorded 50 tackles, six tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and one pass breakup while playing 587 defensive snaps, 52 percent of the Packers’ total, in his third NFL season.
Franklin started every game for Indianapolis in 2025. In his eighth NFL season, Franklin had 125 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, five pass breakups and one forced fumble. In 2024, Franklin earned Pro Bowl recognition as he led the NFL with 173 tackles.
Franklin will count $8.255 million against Green Bay’s 2026 salary cap in the second season of a three-year, $31.26 million contract extension. Wooden will count $1.337 million against Indianapolis’ 2026 salary cap in the final season of his four-year, $4.608 million rookie contract.
A three-year starter at Auburn, Wooden left the Tigers as a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In his first two seasons with the Packers, Wooden started one game and made 37 tackles during 589 defensive snaps across 30 games.
On Aug. 28, 2025, Green Bay traded two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys for Parsons. With Clark gone, the Packers needed a new run-stopper, and Wooden stepped into the job.
In Indianapolis, Wooden joins a defensive interior headlined by DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Buckner underwent surgery in January for a herniated disc in his neck after the three-time Pro Bowler missed seven games last season.
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