Football News: 6-23-2026
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Dudley Dent
Jun 23, 2026, 7:35:33 AM (2 days ago) Jun 23
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 6-23-2026
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 24:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-roster-malik-autry-defensive-tackle-287897209/
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Skinner:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-offensive-lineman-cole-skinner/
SEC Scribe points out one Auburn hurdle Alex Golesh must clear that no one is talking about, but should be:
https://flywareagle.com/sec-scribe-points-out-auburn-hurdle-alex-golesh-must-clear-no-one-talking-about-should
Auburn Blue-Chip OL Commit Reaffirms Commitment After Recent Visit:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-layton-von-brandt-reaffirms-commitment-after-recent-visit
Auburn Football Adds Brother of 2027 Commit to Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
One Auburn recruiting target's potential commitment holds extra weight:
https://flywareagle.com/one-auburn-recruiting-target-potential-commitment-holds-extra-weight
4-star running back flips commitment from Auburn to other SEC program:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/06/4-star-running-back-flips-commitment-from-auburn-to-other-sec-program.html
Auburn Loses Four-Star RB Kingston Miles to Another SEC Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-loses-four-star-rb-kingston-miles-another-sec-program
Auburn adds commitment from athlete Nasir Banks:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/nasir-banks-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-287884592/
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson places Auburn on his final four schools:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/06/22/auburn-football-recruiting-joshua-dobson-top-four/90651178007/
Jordan-Hare ranked in the Top-20 Toughest Places to Play by EA Sports:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/06/22/auburn-football-jordan-hare-stadium-ea-sports-college-football-27/90649862007/
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/talking-auburn-football-auburn-football-recruiting-and-jackson-koivun-287893696/
Former Auburn pass-rusher signs with Raiders for $7.4 million:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/06/former-auburn-pass-rusher-signs-with-raiders-for-74-million.html
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 24
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 24: sophomore defensive tackle Malik Autry, who looks to take on a larger role for the Tigers in 2026, potentially as a starting piece for a defensive line that's replacing a few key losses from last season.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Opelika, Ala.
Class: 2025
247Sports ranking: 5-star, No. 4 DL, No. 24 overall
AS A PLAYER
After Auburn was able to fend off Ohio State to sign Autry, the big freshman was immediately one of the most physically imposing players on the team. As expected, Autry was not an immediate contributor, playing behind the likes of Malik Blocton, Zykeivous Walker, Bobby Jamison-Travis and Dallas Walker IV. In all, Autry appeared in nine games as a true freshman and made eight tackles.
A top-30 overall prospect as a recruit, Autry was part of Auburn's successful wave of retentions on defense, coinciding with Golesh's decision to bring back DJ Durkin as coordinator. Autry and fellow 2025 signee Jourdin Crawford made a joint announcement on New Year's Day that they would be returning to Auburn in favor of testing the transfer portal.
Autry played limited snaps against Power Four opponents, but three of those four aforementioned players are no longer on Auburn's roster. Along with Crawford, the pair of young defensive linemen were pushed into bigger roles in spring practice, with Autry occupying a lot of first-team reps along the defensive line.
2026 OUTLOOK
Autry said in the spring that one of his most illuminating days, in terms of progress, was when he got to talk with former Auburn All-American Derrick Brown after a practice. The main focus: how to play defensive tackle effectively at such a tall stature, with Autry checking in at 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds.
Getting the most out of that absurd size and athleticism will be what defines Autry's contributions in 2026. There's zero doubt about the potential he brings to the table as a former 5-star recruit — and now, the door appears to be open for a lot more playing time. Auburn really needs multiple players other than veteran transfer Cody Sigler to step up at the 3-tech spot, and Autry is chief among those.
Speaking of positions, Autry hopes his versatility can play a role this fall, too. He said in spring practice that he's essentially been playing 50-50 between 3-tech and nose tackle, and that gives the Tigers even more options up front.
Whether it's Autry, Crawford, LSU transfer Walter Mathis Jr., or a combination, there is void for Auburn at defensive tackle after Blocton's transfer to LSU. Considering the fact that Autry exited spring practice as a starting-level player, he's as good a bet as any to be a breakout player, at least in terms of usage, for this defensive front.
WHAT THEY SAID
"I committed to Vontrell (King-Williams) a long, long time ago. Having him back, having somebody who believes in and believed in me from the start — who knows what I need to do to get to my full potential — it's been great. I love Auburn in general, but it's a blessing to have him back so he can keep on developing me." — Autry on his decision not to transfer after Auburn's coaching change
********************
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Skinner
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Next up on the list is projected starting right guard Cole Skinner.
FROM JERSEY TO JORDAN HARE
Originally from Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., Skinner was a a 3-star prospect out of high school. Temple offered first, leading to an eventual early commitment to the Owls. However, Skinner backed off his commitment six months later as South Florida became more involved in his recruitment.
Following his official visit to South Florida, Skinner announced his commitment to the Bulls — joining head coach Alex Golesh and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick.
As a true freshman, Skinner appeared in six games and made three starts at left guard after an injury to starter Andrew Kilfoyl. He saw increased playing time as a sophomore in 2024, making appearances in 11 games as the No. 2 right guard for the Bulls.
Skinner continued in the same role in 2025, appearing in 13 games with one start in the Cure Bowl.
With the season wrapped up and Golesh now at Auburn, Skinner then elected to enter the transfer portal.
Shortly after an official visit to Auburn, Skinner — like many other USF transfers — signed on to be a part of Golesh’s first season on the Plains. He went through spring practice taking reps at right guard, working with the first group and entering the fall as the projected starter.
***********************
SEC Scribe points out one Auburn hurdle Alex Golesh must clear that no one is talking about, but should be
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Did we get it right this time? That's probably the most-asked question among Auburn football fans heading into the 2026 season with the third new head coach since 2021. First it was a coaching problem, and then it was a quarterback problem, and everything has resulted in Auburn football having one of its worst stretches in decades.
There is renewed hope on the Plains this year with Alex Golesh in charge. The former South Florida head coach brought his talented quarterback, Byrum Brown, and the weight of turning around the Auburn football program seems to sit squarely on the shoulders of the pair.
Golesh has said all the right things and is tearing it up on the recruiting trail, but will those things translate to wins on the field? Everyone wants the Tigers to have a winning season and get back to being a highly competitive program, but if they want to compete for championships and really turn things around, Golesh and his team will need to tackle a major hurdle: beating Alabama and Georgia.
Louisiana Sports's Hunt Palmer pointed out that the Tigers have struggled more than anyone really wants to talk about against their two biggest rivals over the last decade. Despite the fact that Nick Saban is out and his replacement has lost eight games in two years and the fact that Georgia is not the super team it was several years ago, Auburn is still struggling.
"The problem is that Auburn has only beaten Georgia once in 13 years and Alabama twice in 12 years," writes Palmer. "Since the madness that was the Prayer in Jordan Hare and the Kick Six in 2013, Alabama and Georgia are a combined 22-3 against Auburn. That has to change for Auburn to achieve anything of significance."
It will be a tough year to turn things around. Golesh and the Tigers will face both Alabama and Georgia on the road this season. The last time Auburn beat Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium was with Cam Newton in 2010, and the last time the Tigers beat Georgia on their home turf was in 2005. Not to mention the fact that it's Golesh's first season on the Plains and first season working with a lot of the players and some of his coaching staff.
Alex Golesh has a big challenge in front of him, but from everything we've seen so far, he's ready to take it on. His first chance to set the tone will be against Baylor in Atlanta for the Tigers' opening weekend in September.
**************************
Auburn Blue-Chip OL Commit Reaffirms Commitment After Recent Visit
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been recruiting at a level few expected from new head coach Alex Golesh, as the Tigers’ 2027 class now ranks among the top 10 in the country in nearly every major ranking system.
One major part of that ranking is Layton von Brandt, who was a massive pickup for the Tigers when he committed back in May.
Brandt was one of the Tigers’ first blue-chip commits, as he joined Golesh’s 2027 class long before the heater that followed in late May and early June. Some argue that his commitment kicked off the recruiting run that brought in key names like Isaac McNeil, Reed Ramsier and even James Pace, who announced his commitment on Friday.
It is easy to see why Brandt’s commitment could have kicked off a big-time surge; after all, big names attract other big names, and even amidst a massive recruiting surge, Brandt still ranks as the fourth-best commit in the class. A four-star, Brandt also ranks as the 15th-best offensive lineman in the 2027 class as well as the best class of 2027 player from his home state of Delaware.
Recently, Brandt took another visit to the Plains and took to social media to reaffirm his decision to commit to the Tigers.
https://x.com/LaytonvonBrandt/status/2068757133605183933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2068757133605183933%7Ctwgr%5E73f19751f9d1f397c80400000bd76021f602761d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-layton-von-brandt-reaffirms-commitment-after-recent-visit
“Great weekend on the Plains,” he said. “Just confirmed what I already knew… 1000% locked in… can't wait to be back for a game this season.”
Brandt’s enthusiasm for the Tigers bodes well for not just his continued commitment, but also for the potential commitments of a pair of top-rated recruits who visited alongside him. Brandt was one of just three official visitors this past weekend, and he was almost surely involved in the recruiting efforts of the other two.
After all, commits love to land other commits for their programs– we have seen that in spades with Myson Johnson-Cook, who has often publicly mentioned fellow prospects on Auburn recruiting posts in an effort to turn their attention to the Plains. Even current Auburn players are getting involved in the recruiting efforts, as we have seen with Byrum Brown, who recently made an effort to turn one of the best quarterbacks in the country to the Plains.
It follows that players want other top players to join their programs, and Brandt may be a massive force (no pun intended) in recruiting several key prospects.
**************************
Auburn Football Adds Brother of 2027 Commit to Program
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
Football is family, and the Auburn Tigers will have a pair of brothers joining the program in the next two seasons.
Linebacker Edge von Brandt announced his commitment to the Tigers on Monday. The report was first confirmed by Auburn Anytime.
https://x.com/EdgevonBrandt/status/2069087124406587841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069087124406587841%7Ctwgr%5E12fcfb647544fe61083000a563a1a82000fc5265%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
Edge is the older brother of Layton von Brandt, who committed to Auburn as a 2027 recruit who dons a four-star rating. He is one of the top offensive linemen in next year’s cycle, while his brother will join the program this season. Layton committed to the Tigers back in May, despite interest from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
There were talks that Layton was on campus this past weekend, but his older brother was also on campus as well, seemingly looking like Edge was going to tell head coach Alex Golesh about his commitment. The new Tiger shared some photos in his new uniform on his X, formerly Twitter.
It must've turned out that he was simply supporting his older brother in joining the school.
https://x.com/EdgevonBrandt/status/2069088624490999995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069088624490999995%7Ctwgr%5E12fcfb647544fe61083000a563a1a82000fc5265%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound linebacker isn’t a ranked recruit, according to 247Sports, hailing from Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Delaware. He brings plenty of snaps from his time with the Jaguars across a four-year career.
Von Brandt had two offers, being from Maine and Delaware State. Now, he will head to the Plains with hopes to carve out a role over his next few seasons under defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
As an outside linebacker for Appoquinimink, he finished with over 400 tackles. According to his social media, he got hurt in his senior season, which cut his year short. However, after rehabbing, he will end up playing behind the likes of Xavier Atkins in a loaded linebacker room for the Tigers. That will be a great way to learn the pace of SEC play.
The new Auburn player also has experience at running back and wide receiver, although primarily recruited as a linebacker throughout this process.
Von Brandt is the 22nd player for the Tigers’ class of 2026, being the third linebacker to join the program from the cycle. He will join four-star Shadarius Toodle and three-star Adam Balogoun-Ali with the class.
He’s currently the only unranked recruit in the class, and he will most likely enter the program as a walk-on next season. That is to be confirmed as well.
************************
One Auburn recruiting target's potential commitment holds extra weight
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh and his staff have been moving and groving on the recruiting trail, but where does the Tigers' recruiting class stand heading into the dead period?
Though there was a flood of official visits and camps throughout the months of May and early June, the dead period officially began on June 22 at midnight and will close on Sept. 1. During a dead period, no in-person recruiting contact can be made.
Auburn football's recruiting class of 2027 is currently ranked No. 9 overall and No. 5 in the SEC with 22 commits already on board. The commits are pretty evenly spread throughout the positions, with a breakdown seen below:
Quarterback: 1
Running back: 3
Wide receiver: 1
Offensive line: 4
Tight end: 1
Defensive line: 4
Linebacker: 2
Defensive back: 4
Special teams: 2
The Tigers' most highly-ranked commit currently is 4-star linebacker Isaac McNeil out of Mobile, Alabama, who committed to the Tigers earlier this month. He is closely followed by 4-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook, who committed back in April.
Who could be the next Auburn commit?
On the morning of Tuesday, June 23, Auburn football target DeShawn Hall is set to announce his commitment decision. Heading into decision day, Hall's top two schools seem to be Auburn and Penn State, but the Tigers are hoping to keep the in-state product at home.
A 4-star wide receiver, Hall is from Prattville, Alabama, and is the No. 7 prospect out of the state. He is the No. 25 wide receiver in his recruiting class, and he would immediately become the most highly-ranked receiver in Auburn's class. The Tigers only have one other wide receiver commit, so far, in 3-star Brylan Oduor, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He is ranked as the No. 19 prospect out of his state and the No. 58 wide receiver in the recruiting class of 2027.
Hall officially visited both Auburn and Penn State earlier this summer, and he is a multi-sport athlete who also received offers from multiple schools to play basketball. He transferred to Prattville High School in 2025 and caught 40 passes for 660 yards and five touchdowns, according to his recruiting profile on 247 Sports.
Though Hall does hold a 247 Sports Crystal Ball prediction to land at Penn State, the Tigers are still hopeful they can keep the talented wide receiver in the south to play for Auburn in his home state.
**************************
4-star running back flips commitment from Auburn to other SEC program
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
After adding multiple commitments to its 2027 class on Sunday, Auburn lost one on Monday.
That happened when four-star running back Kingston Miles flipped his commitment to Missouri. Miles had only been committed to Auburn since June 1.
Rated as a four-star recruit, Miles is ranked as the No. 291 overall player and the 21st-best running back in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. His flip comes after Miles took an official visit to Missouri on June 12.
Despite losing Miles, Auburn still has two running backs committed to its 2027 class in Myson Johnson-Cook and Khamoni Williams. Williams was one of two players to commit to Auburn on Sunday, flipping his commitment from West Virginia.
With Miles no longer in the class, Auburn’s 2027 recruiting class currently sits at 21 players.
*********************
Auburn Loses Four-Star RB Kingston Miles to Another SEC Program
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have lost their first commitment of the year in four-star running back Kingston Miles, who announced on Monday that he would be flipping his commitment from Auburn to Missouri. He had been committed to the Tigers since June 1.
https://x.com/Rivals/status/2069148358577451471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069148358577451471%7Ctwgr%5E336f62ee9a36a44cd2cf57cabb98293a2484651f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Ffootball%2Fauburn-loses-four-star-rb-kingston-miles-another-sec-program
This, admittedly, had been expected for some time now, and it certainly appears to be a bit of an ironic twist for the Tigers, who flipped Khamoni Williams, a three-star running back, from West Virginia on Sunday night. The flip giveth, and the flip taketh.
Miles is a four-star running back who is currently rated as the 18th-best running back in the 2027 class as well as the sixth-best player from his home state of Missouri.
Of course, the flip likely had something to do with Missouri’s proximity to Miles’ hometown in St. Louis, though some speculate that Eli Drinkwitz’s team made an offer that the Tigers were not prepared to match, especially given the current size of their 2027 class.
The Tigers will certainly feel the loss of Miles, though their class is certainly in good shape with or without him. Myson Johnson-Cook, the No. 5 running back in the class, remains committed to the Plains and is actively involved in efforts to land other prospects, so it would certainly be surprising to see him change his mind so drastically.
Additionally, the Tigers committed the aforementioned Williams, the No. 23 running back in the class, in a flip from West Virginia on Sunday, so the Tigers still have two incredibly solid options for their future.
That is, if they even need the support. After all, Bryson Washington, a junior who transferred in from Baylor ahead of this season, still has a full two years of eligibility left, while Alvin Henderson, a former five-star prospect recruited by Hugh Freeze, has yet to see any significant playing time as he enters his sophomore season.
As it stands, the distant future of Auburn’s running back room could very well shape up to be Henderson at RB1, Johnson-Cook at RB2 and Williams as a development piece/RB3. Once Henderson graduates, Johnson-Cook and Williams could battle it out to see who will emerge as the next Auburn running back in a long line of highly successful ball carriers.
A major concern for this recruiting class, at least as far as ego is concerned, is how Miles’ flip will affect the Tigers’ 2027 recruiting class, which, up until this flip, was ranked among the top-10 classes in the country by 247Sports.
Golesh has not made a habit of staying quiet for too long, though, and any number of new commits could be heading to the Plains to fill the gap Miles left before long.
**********************
Auburn adds commitment from athlete Nasir Banks
By Christian Clemente
Auburn has added another commitment to its 2027 class.
Nasir Banks, an athlete from Georgia, has announced his commitment to the Tigers. Banks took an official visit to Auburn during the final weekend of the summer recruiting period, but knew even before then that he wanted to commit.
"Really the first visit, the first time I came down here," Banks said. "It was like a click, I just felt like, 'Why does this already feel like family?' Just that and understanding the schemes that they run kind of similar to back at home. Coming in going into something that I'm kind of familiar with."
Listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds, Banks is ranked as a safety but recruited by Auburn as an athlete. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,071 player, No. 108 safety and No. 126 player from Georgia.
The secondary coaches and Auburn staff as a whole were big reasons why he felt comfortable.
"It feels like a family. The town, they don't even know me yet and they love me," Banks said. "The coaches, they show me love every time. It just feels like the right decision, the right choice. It feels like home. Coach (Tim) Banks, Coach DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke), Coach AG (Alex Golesh). Really all the coaches. Coach Bud (Buddy Brosky), Coach Shark (Tony Rozier), everybody always makes sure I'm straight and checks up on me even when I'm back home in Atlanta."
Banks is from McEachern (Ga.), teammates with Auburn cornerback commit Nash Johnson III. The two are like brothers, and now get to continue playing together.
"Me and Nash have been through a lot together," Banks said. "Us coming from where we came from and keep working, our whole life just working. To see it pay off and us both at an SEC school, the Auburn University, it's crazy. Very happy for that."
His message to the Auburn fans?
"Just know you're getting a dog, I'm coming to work every day. War Damn Eagle," Banks said.
*********************
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson places Auburn on his final four schools
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson announced his final four schools are Auburn, Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas A&M for his recruitment, via Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.
The Tigers' recruiting for the class of 2027 continues to be one of the hottest in the nation as they find themselves among the final four programs for the commitment of five-star CB Joshua Dobson. The other schools, being Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, are in the running.
Dobson is seen as the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2027 by the Rivals rating system. His industry rating score is 97.31 according to rivals. While Rivals and ESPN place a five-star ranking on him, 247Sports has him at a four-star ranking.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back is coming out of William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina. Dobson ranks as the No. 1-ranked player in the state of North Carolina. Currently, Rivals has him at 86% to Texas A&M and 1.8% to Auburn.
His commitment will be announced at the Rivals Summer Signing Day Show on July 1.
**********************
Jordan-Hare ranked in the Top-20 Toughest Places to Play by EA Sports
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
EA Sports released their Top-20 Toughest Places to Play in college football ahead of their upcoming release of College Football 27 on Monday, June 22.
The list ranks the 20 toughest places to play in college football, with Jordan-Hare Stadium making the list. EA Sports ranked Jordan-Hare Stadium at No. 14 on their rankings for this year's release of the College Football series. It's a three-spot improvement from last year, EA placed Jordan-Hare No. 17.
Eight SEC schools sit ahead of Auburn's home field. LSU's Tiger Stadium came in at the top spot. Other SEC programs that made the list are No. 4 Georgia, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Florida, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Texas, and No. 16 South Carolina.
Though known to be haunted by some, Jordan-Hare hasn't impressed EA Sports. The Tigers are 346-95-7 at home since the opening of the historic venue.
EA Sports College Football 27 releases on July 9 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
https://x.com/EASPORTSCollege/status/2069076267417190523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069076267417190523%7Ctwgr%5E3ec5332fc0a5cc37bc0a2a5fd385e320168720f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fauburnwire.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Ffootball%2F2026%2F06%2F22%2Fauburn-football-jordan-hare-stadium-ea-sports-college-football-27%2F90649862007%2F
***************************
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column
By Jason Caldwell
Impressed by Golesh and staff
I recently wrote that I have no idea what this season is going to look like for the Auburn football Tigers, but the more time I spend around this coaching staff the more I think they are on the right track in every way. It has shown up in recruiting the lines of scrimmage and the class they are putting together for 2027, but it goes much deeper than that for me.
For the first time in years it feels like there is a plan for the program, not just a plan for a season or two. This feels like something being built for the long haul. This staff isn't cutting corners in what they're doing on the field or in recruiting. I get the sense this staff doesn't play games. They definitely aren't backing off the desire to create competition, even during camps.
I was talking to a coach yesterday that called a high school coach he's known for a long time to tell him one of his kids stopped during a drill. That's detail.
That's exactly what it's going to take for Auburn to get back to the level of competing with the best teams in the country. It's that type of detail. It feels like that has been missing in pieces for the last decade. Each staff and team had bits of the things needed to win, but there were too many leaks in the hull to make the ship float. It sure feels like this staff is determined to plug those leaks and get Auburn seaworthy once again.
And another thing, they don't play games. Ales Golesh doesn't play games and this staff doesn't either. If you're not all in, they'll find someone else. It may cost them a guy or two in the short term, but they are determined to find the right guys for the program.
Familiar face back at Auburn
Ryan Smith was a safety for the Tigers from 2010-13 and became a solid contributor for the Auburn defense after playing mostly quarterback in high school at Cordova. This past weekend he was back on campus with his family to watch his son Ja'Cori participate in a football camp with the Tigers. I ran into Ryan and Ja'Cori last fall at Texas A&M when they were visiting the Aggies for the Auburn game. After playing with the Cowboys, Ryan remained in the area and Ja'Cori is now playing at powerhouse Allen High School. He played last season as a freshman and has a chance to become a really good prospect in the next year or two. He'll just be a sophomore this fall, but Ja'Cori Smith is a name to keep an eye on in recruiting down the road.
Strong final amateur start for Koivun
It was his final tournament as an amateur and a great way for Auburn junior Jackson Koivun to go out. After helping the Tigers to a pair of national championships in three years and finishing his career as one of the most decorated college golfers ever, Koivun handled one of the most demanding tests in golf with the poise he's shown since he first stepped on campus. Not only did it show he made the right decision, but he's going to compete right away to win tournaments at the highest level.
Firing rounds of 72, 71, 74 and 68 on the Par 70 layout at Shinnecock Hills, Koiviun clinched a share of the low amateur with Oklahoma's Ryder Cowan with a score of 5-over par. That was good enough for a tie for 23rd overall. It was Koivun's eighth cut in 10 starts on the PGA Tour.
Now it's time to do things for real. In two weeks Koivun will make his professional debut. It's set for the following week, July 2-5, at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
******************
Former Auburn pass-rusher signs with Raiders for $7.4 million
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
The third-down dam has started to burst in NFL Draft signings. Entering the weekend, 14 of the 257 players selected in April had not signed their first NFL contracts, including the first six selections of the third round.
Two of those third-round picks have now signed, including Auburn alumnus Keyron Crawford. The Las Vegas Raiders announced Crawford’s signing after drafting the defensive end at No. 67 – the third pick of the third round – on April 24.
Crawford signed a four-year, $7.376 million contract that included a signing bonus of $1.824 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of Crawford’s contract.
The value of the contract and the size of the signing bonus are determined by the NFL’s rookie-wage scale and are non-negotiable. The holdup in the third-round signings has been attributed to agents seeking to extend guaranteed money beyond the signing bonus.
Fully guaranteed contracts and increasing proportions of guaranteed money have been creeping down the NFL Draft list annually, but the league’s teams appear to be holding firm for another year on leaving the signing bonus as the only guaranteed money in the contracts for players picked in the third through seventh rounds.
The second player picked in the third round – Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim – also signed his first NFL contract this weekend.
Among the four unsigned prospects at the top of the third round is Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height, whose college-football journey started at Auburn in 2020 and 2021. The San Francisco 49ers chose Height with the No. 70 pick on April 24.
Crawford played his final two college seasons at Auburn after transferring from Arkansas State. Crawford recorded five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss for the Tigers in 2025. He also had an interception in a 31-15 victory over South Alabama on Sept. 13.
The day after drafting Crawford, the Raiders traded defensive end Tyree Wilson to the New Orleans Saints. Wilson played 463 defensive snaps, 41 percent of Las Vegas’ total, and started three games last season.
The trade opens an opportunity for Crawford to fill those snaps and compete with Malcolm Koonce to play more opposite Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby at the other end of the Raiders’ defensive line. Koonce played 501 defensive snaps last season.
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 24:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-roster-malik-autry-defensive-tackle-287897209/
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Skinner:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-offensive-lineman-cole-skinner/
SEC Scribe points out one Auburn hurdle Alex Golesh must clear that no one is talking about, but should be:
https://flywareagle.com/sec-scribe-points-out-auburn-hurdle-alex-golesh-must-clear-no-one-talking-about-should
Auburn Blue-Chip OL Commit Reaffirms Commitment After Recent Visit:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-layton-von-brandt-reaffirms-commitment-after-recent-visit
Auburn Football Adds Brother of 2027 Commit to Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
One Auburn recruiting target's potential commitment holds extra weight:
https://flywareagle.com/one-auburn-recruiting-target-potential-commitment-holds-extra-weight
4-star running back flips commitment from Auburn to other SEC program:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/06/4-star-running-back-flips-commitment-from-auburn-to-other-sec-program.html
Auburn Loses Four-Star RB Kingston Miles to Another SEC Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-loses-four-star-rb-kingston-miles-another-sec-program
Auburn adds commitment from athlete Nasir Banks:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/nasir-banks-commits-to-auburn-tigers-football-recruiting-287884592/
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson places Auburn on his final four schools:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/06/22/auburn-football-recruiting-joshua-dobson-top-four/90651178007/
Jordan-Hare ranked in the Top-20 Toughest Places to Play by EA Sports:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/06/22/auburn-football-jordan-hare-stadium-ea-sports-college-football-27/90649862007/
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/talking-auburn-football-auburn-football-recruiting-and-jackson-koivun-287893696/
Former Auburn pass-rusher signs with Raiders for $7.4 million:
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/06/former-auburn-pass-rusher-signs-with-raiders-for-74-million.html
****************************
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 24: sophomore defensive tackle Malik Autry, who looks to take on a larger role for the Tigers in 2026, potentially as a starting piece for a defensive line that's replacing a few key losses from last season.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Opelika, Ala.
Class: 2025
247Sports ranking: 5-star, No. 4 DL, No. 24 overall
AS A PLAYER
After Auburn was able to fend off Ohio State to sign Autry, the big freshman was immediately one of the most physically imposing players on the team. As expected, Autry was not an immediate contributor, playing behind the likes of Malik Blocton, Zykeivous Walker, Bobby Jamison-Travis and Dallas Walker IV. In all, Autry appeared in nine games as a true freshman and made eight tackles.
A top-30 overall prospect as a recruit, Autry was part of Auburn's successful wave of retentions on defense, coinciding with Golesh's decision to bring back DJ Durkin as coordinator. Autry and fellow 2025 signee Jourdin Crawford made a joint announcement on New Year's Day that they would be returning to Auburn in favor of testing the transfer portal.
Autry played limited snaps against Power Four opponents, but three of those four aforementioned players are no longer on Auburn's roster. Along with Crawford, the pair of young defensive linemen were pushed into bigger roles in spring practice, with Autry occupying a lot of first-team reps along the defensive line.
2026 OUTLOOK
Autry said in the spring that one of his most illuminating days, in terms of progress, was when he got to talk with former Auburn All-American Derrick Brown after a practice. The main focus: how to play defensive tackle effectively at such a tall stature, with Autry checking in at 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds.
Getting the most out of that absurd size and athleticism will be what defines Autry's contributions in 2026. There's zero doubt about the potential he brings to the table as a former 5-star recruit — and now, the door appears to be open for a lot more playing time. Auburn really needs multiple players other than veteran transfer Cody Sigler to step up at the 3-tech spot, and Autry is chief among those.
Speaking of positions, Autry hopes his versatility can play a role this fall, too. He said in spring practice that he's essentially been playing 50-50 between 3-tech and nose tackle, and that gives the Tigers even more options up front.
Whether it's Autry, Crawford, LSU transfer Walter Mathis Jr., or a combination, there is void for Auburn at defensive tackle after Blocton's transfer to LSU. Considering the fact that Autry exited spring practice as a starting-level player, he's as good a bet as any to be a breakout player, at least in terms of usage, for this defensive front.
WHAT THEY SAID
"I committed to Vontrell (King-Williams) a long, long time ago. Having him back, having somebody who believes in and believed in me from the start — who knows what I need to do to get to my full potential — it's been great. I love Auburn in general, but it's a blessing to have him back so he can keep on developing me." — Autry on his decision not to transfer after Auburn's coaching change
********************
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Skinner
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Next up on the list is projected starting right guard Cole Skinner.
FROM JERSEY TO JORDAN HARE
Originally from Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., Skinner was a a 3-star prospect out of high school. Temple offered first, leading to an eventual early commitment to the Owls. However, Skinner backed off his commitment six months later as South Florida became more involved in his recruitment.
Following his official visit to South Florida, Skinner announced his commitment to the Bulls — joining head coach Alex Golesh and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick.
As a true freshman, Skinner appeared in six games and made three starts at left guard after an injury to starter Andrew Kilfoyl. He saw increased playing time as a sophomore in 2024, making appearances in 11 games as the No. 2 right guard for the Bulls.
Skinner continued in the same role in 2025, appearing in 13 games with one start in the Cure Bowl.
With the season wrapped up and Golesh now at Auburn, Skinner then elected to enter the transfer portal.
Shortly after an official visit to Auburn, Skinner — like many other USF transfers — signed on to be a part of Golesh’s first season on the Plains. He went through spring practice taking reps at right guard, working with the first group and entering the fall as the projected starter.
***********************
SEC Scribe points out one Auburn hurdle Alex Golesh must clear that no one is talking about, but should be
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Did we get it right this time? That's probably the most-asked question among Auburn football fans heading into the 2026 season with the third new head coach since 2021. First it was a coaching problem, and then it was a quarterback problem, and everything has resulted in Auburn football having one of its worst stretches in decades.
There is renewed hope on the Plains this year with Alex Golesh in charge. The former South Florida head coach brought his talented quarterback, Byrum Brown, and the weight of turning around the Auburn football program seems to sit squarely on the shoulders of the pair.
Golesh has said all the right things and is tearing it up on the recruiting trail, but will those things translate to wins on the field? Everyone wants the Tigers to have a winning season and get back to being a highly competitive program, but if they want to compete for championships and really turn things around, Golesh and his team will need to tackle a major hurdle: beating Alabama and Georgia.
Louisiana Sports's Hunt Palmer pointed out that the Tigers have struggled more than anyone really wants to talk about against their two biggest rivals over the last decade. Despite the fact that Nick Saban is out and his replacement has lost eight games in two years and the fact that Georgia is not the super team it was several years ago, Auburn is still struggling.
"The problem is that Auburn has only beaten Georgia once in 13 years and Alabama twice in 12 years," writes Palmer. "Since the madness that was the Prayer in Jordan Hare and the Kick Six in 2013, Alabama and Georgia are a combined 22-3 against Auburn. That has to change for Auburn to achieve anything of significance."
It will be a tough year to turn things around. Golesh and the Tigers will face both Alabama and Georgia on the road this season. The last time Auburn beat Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium was with Cam Newton in 2010, and the last time the Tigers beat Georgia on their home turf was in 2005. Not to mention the fact that it's Golesh's first season on the Plains and first season working with a lot of the players and some of his coaching staff.
Alex Golesh has a big challenge in front of him, but from everything we've seen so far, he's ready to take it on. His first chance to set the tone will be against Baylor in Atlanta for the Tigers' opening weekend in September.
**************************
Auburn Blue-Chip OL Commit Reaffirms Commitment After Recent Visit
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been recruiting at a level few expected from new head coach Alex Golesh, as the Tigers’ 2027 class now ranks among the top 10 in the country in nearly every major ranking system.
One major part of that ranking is Layton von Brandt, who was a massive pickup for the Tigers when he committed back in May.
Brandt was one of the Tigers’ first blue-chip commits, as he joined Golesh’s 2027 class long before the heater that followed in late May and early June. Some argue that his commitment kicked off the recruiting run that brought in key names like Isaac McNeil, Reed Ramsier and even James Pace, who announced his commitment on Friday.
It is easy to see why Brandt’s commitment could have kicked off a big-time surge; after all, big names attract other big names, and even amidst a massive recruiting surge, Brandt still ranks as the fourth-best commit in the class. A four-star, Brandt also ranks as the 15th-best offensive lineman in the 2027 class as well as the best class of 2027 player from his home state of Delaware.
Recently, Brandt took another visit to the Plains and took to social media to reaffirm his decision to commit to the Tigers.
https://x.com/LaytonvonBrandt/status/2068757133605183933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2068757133605183933%7Ctwgr%5E73f19751f9d1f397c80400000bd76021f602761d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-layton-von-brandt-reaffirms-commitment-after-recent-visit
“Great weekend on the Plains,” he said. “Just confirmed what I already knew… 1000% locked in… can't wait to be back for a game this season.”
Brandt’s enthusiasm for the Tigers bodes well for not just his continued commitment, but also for the potential commitments of a pair of top-rated recruits who visited alongside him. Brandt was one of just three official visitors this past weekend, and he was almost surely involved in the recruiting efforts of the other two.
After all, commits love to land other commits for their programs– we have seen that in spades with Myson Johnson-Cook, who has often publicly mentioned fellow prospects on Auburn recruiting posts in an effort to turn their attention to the Plains. Even current Auburn players are getting involved in the recruiting efforts, as we have seen with Byrum Brown, who recently made an effort to turn one of the best quarterbacks in the country to the Plains.
It follows that players want other top players to join their programs, and Brandt may be a massive force (no pun intended) in recruiting several key prospects.
**************************
Auburn Football Adds Brother of 2027 Commit to Program
By Griffin Barfield
Auburn Tigers on SI
Football is family, and the Auburn Tigers will have a pair of brothers joining the program in the next two seasons.
Linebacker Edge von Brandt announced his commitment to the Tigers on Monday. The report was first confirmed by Auburn Anytime.
https://x.com/EdgevonBrandt/status/2069087124406587841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069087124406587841%7Ctwgr%5E12fcfb647544fe61083000a563a1a82000fc5265%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
Edge is the older brother of Layton von Brandt, who committed to Auburn as a 2027 recruit who dons a four-star rating. He is one of the top offensive linemen in next year’s cycle, while his brother will join the program this season. Layton committed to the Tigers back in May, despite interest from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
There were talks that Layton was on campus this past weekend, but his older brother was also on campus as well, seemingly looking like Edge was going to tell head coach Alex Golesh about his commitment. The new Tiger shared some photos in his new uniform on his X, formerly Twitter.
It must've turned out that he was simply supporting his older brother in joining the school.
https://x.com/EdgevonBrandt/status/2069088624490999995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069088624490999995%7Ctwgr%5E12fcfb647544fe61083000a563a1a82000fc5265%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-football-adds-brother-of-2027-commit-to-program-edge-von-brandt
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound linebacker isn’t a ranked recruit, according to 247Sports, hailing from Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Delaware. He brings plenty of snaps from his time with the Jaguars across a four-year career.
Von Brandt had two offers, being from Maine and Delaware State. Now, he will head to the Plains with hopes to carve out a role over his next few seasons under defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.
As an outside linebacker for Appoquinimink, he finished with over 400 tackles. According to his social media, he got hurt in his senior season, which cut his year short. However, after rehabbing, he will end up playing behind the likes of Xavier Atkins in a loaded linebacker room for the Tigers. That will be a great way to learn the pace of SEC play.
The new Auburn player also has experience at running back and wide receiver, although primarily recruited as a linebacker throughout this process.
Von Brandt is the 22nd player for the Tigers’ class of 2026, being the third linebacker to join the program from the cycle. He will join four-star Shadarius Toodle and three-star Adam Balogoun-Ali with the class.
He’s currently the only unranked recruit in the class, and he will most likely enter the program as a walk-on next season. That is to be confirmed as well.
************************
One Auburn recruiting target's potential commitment holds extra weight
By Mary Kate Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh and his staff have been moving and groving on the recruiting trail, but where does the Tigers' recruiting class stand heading into the dead period?
Though there was a flood of official visits and camps throughout the months of May and early June, the dead period officially began on June 22 at midnight and will close on Sept. 1. During a dead period, no in-person recruiting contact can be made.
Auburn football's recruiting class of 2027 is currently ranked No. 9 overall and No. 5 in the SEC with 22 commits already on board. The commits are pretty evenly spread throughout the positions, with a breakdown seen below:
Quarterback: 1
Running back: 3
Wide receiver: 1
Offensive line: 4
Tight end: 1
Defensive line: 4
Linebacker: 2
Defensive back: 4
Special teams: 2
The Tigers' most highly-ranked commit currently is 4-star linebacker Isaac McNeil out of Mobile, Alabama, who committed to the Tigers earlier this month. He is closely followed by 4-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook, who committed back in April.
Who could be the next Auburn commit?
On the morning of Tuesday, June 23, Auburn football target DeShawn Hall is set to announce his commitment decision. Heading into decision day, Hall's top two schools seem to be Auburn and Penn State, but the Tigers are hoping to keep the in-state product at home.
A 4-star wide receiver, Hall is from Prattville, Alabama, and is the No. 7 prospect out of the state. He is the No. 25 wide receiver in his recruiting class, and he would immediately become the most highly-ranked receiver in Auburn's class. The Tigers only have one other wide receiver commit, so far, in 3-star Brylan Oduor, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He is ranked as the No. 19 prospect out of his state and the No. 58 wide receiver in the recruiting class of 2027.
Hall officially visited both Auburn and Penn State earlier this summer, and he is a multi-sport athlete who also received offers from multiple schools to play basketball. He transferred to Prattville High School in 2025 and caught 40 passes for 660 yards and five touchdowns, according to his recruiting profile on 247 Sports.
Though Hall does hold a 247 Sports Crystal Ball prediction to land at Penn State, the Tigers are still hopeful they can keep the talented wide receiver in the south to play for Auburn in his home state.
**************************
4-star running back flips commitment from Auburn to other SEC program
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
After adding multiple commitments to its 2027 class on Sunday, Auburn lost one on Monday.
That happened when four-star running back Kingston Miles flipped his commitment to Missouri. Miles had only been committed to Auburn since June 1.
Rated as a four-star recruit, Miles is ranked as the No. 291 overall player and the 21st-best running back in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. His flip comes after Miles took an official visit to Missouri on June 12.
Despite losing Miles, Auburn still has two running backs committed to its 2027 class in Myson Johnson-Cook and Khamoni Williams. Williams was one of two players to commit to Auburn on Sunday, flipping his commitment from West Virginia.
With Miles no longer in the class, Auburn’s 2027 recruiting class currently sits at 21 players.
*********************
Auburn Loses Four-Star RB Kingston Miles to Another SEC Program
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have lost their first commitment of the year in four-star running back Kingston Miles, who announced on Monday that he would be flipping his commitment from Auburn to Missouri. He had been committed to the Tigers since June 1.
https://x.com/Rivals/status/2069148358577451471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069148358577451471%7Ctwgr%5E336f62ee9a36a44cd2cf57cabb98293a2484651f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Ffootball%2Fauburn-loses-four-star-rb-kingston-miles-another-sec-program
This, admittedly, had been expected for some time now, and it certainly appears to be a bit of an ironic twist for the Tigers, who flipped Khamoni Williams, a three-star running back, from West Virginia on Sunday night. The flip giveth, and the flip taketh.
Miles is a four-star running back who is currently rated as the 18th-best running back in the 2027 class as well as the sixth-best player from his home state of Missouri.
Of course, the flip likely had something to do with Missouri’s proximity to Miles’ hometown in St. Louis, though some speculate that Eli Drinkwitz’s team made an offer that the Tigers were not prepared to match, especially given the current size of their 2027 class.
The Tigers will certainly feel the loss of Miles, though their class is certainly in good shape with or without him. Myson Johnson-Cook, the No. 5 running back in the class, remains committed to the Plains and is actively involved in efforts to land other prospects, so it would certainly be surprising to see him change his mind so drastically.
Additionally, the Tigers committed the aforementioned Williams, the No. 23 running back in the class, in a flip from West Virginia on Sunday, so the Tigers still have two incredibly solid options for their future.
That is, if they even need the support. After all, Bryson Washington, a junior who transferred in from Baylor ahead of this season, still has a full two years of eligibility left, while Alvin Henderson, a former five-star prospect recruited by Hugh Freeze, has yet to see any significant playing time as he enters his sophomore season.
As it stands, the distant future of Auburn’s running back room could very well shape up to be Henderson at RB1, Johnson-Cook at RB2 and Williams as a development piece/RB3. Once Henderson graduates, Johnson-Cook and Williams could battle it out to see who will emerge as the next Auburn running back in a long line of highly successful ball carriers.
A major concern for this recruiting class, at least as far as ego is concerned, is how Miles’ flip will affect the Tigers’ 2027 recruiting class, which, up until this flip, was ranked among the top-10 classes in the country by 247Sports.
Golesh has not made a habit of staying quiet for too long, though, and any number of new commits could be heading to the Plains to fill the gap Miles left before long.
**********************
Auburn adds commitment from athlete Nasir Banks
By Christian Clemente
Auburn has added another commitment to its 2027 class.
Nasir Banks, an athlete from Georgia, has announced his commitment to the Tigers. Banks took an official visit to Auburn during the final weekend of the summer recruiting period, but knew even before then that he wanted to commit.
"Really the first visit, the first time I came down here," Banks said. "It was like a click, I just felt like, 'Why does this already feel like family?' Just that and understanding the schemes that they run kind of similar to back at home. Coming in going into something that I'm kind of familiar with."
Listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds, Banks is ranked as a safety but recruited by Auburn as an athlete. He's ranked in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,071 player, No. 108 safety and No. 126 player from Georgia.
The secondary coaches and Auburn staff as a whole were big reasons why he felt comfortable.
"It feels like a family. The town, they don't even know me yet and they love me," Banks said. "The coaches, they show me love every time. It just feels like the right decision, the right choice. It feels like home. Coach (Tim) Banks, Coach DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke), Coach AG (Alex Golesh). Really all the coaches. Coach Bud (Buddy Brosky), Coach Shark (Tony Rozier), everybody always makes sure I'm straight and checks up on me even when I'm back home in Atlanta."
Banks is from McEachern (Ga.), teammates with Auburn cornerback commit Nash Johnson III. The two are like brothers, and now get to continue playing together.
"Me and Nash have been through a lot together," Banks said. "Us coming from where we came from and keep working, our whole life just working. To see it pay off and us both at an SEC school, the Auburn University, it's crazy. Very happy for that."
His message to the Auburn fans?
"Just know you're getting a dog, I'm coming to work every day. War Damn Eagle," Banks said.
*********************
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson places Auburn on his final four schools
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
Five-star CB Joshua Dobson announced his final four schools are Auburn, Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas A&M for his recruitment, via Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.
The Tigers' recruiting for the class of 2027 continues to be one of the hottest in the nation as they find themselves among the final four programs for the commitment of five-star CB Joshua Dobson. The other schools, being Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, are in the running.
Dobson is seen as the No. 6 prospect in the class of 2027 by the Rivals rating system. His industry rating score is 97.31 according to rivals. While Rivals and ESPN place a five-star ranking on him, 247Sports has him at a four-star ranking.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back is coming out of William Amos Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina. Dobson ranks as the No. 1-ranked player in the state of North Carolina. Currently, Rivals has him at 86% to Texas A&M and 1.8% to Auburn.
His commitment will be announced at the Rivals Summer Signing Day Show on July 1.
**********************
Jordan-Hare ranked in the Top-20 Toughest Places to Play by EA Sports
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
EA Sports released their Top-20 Toughest Places to Play in college football ahead of their upcoming release of College Football 27 on Monday, June 22.
The list ranks the 20 toughest places to play in college football, with Jordan-Hare Stadium making the list. EA Sports ranked Jordan-Hare Stadium at No. 14 on their rankings for this year's release of the College Football series. It's a three-spot improvement from last year, EA placed Jordan-Hare No. 17.
Eight SEC schools sit ahead of Auburn's home field. LSU's Tiger Stadium came in at the top spot. Other SEC programs that made the list are No. 4 Georgia, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Florida, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Texas, and No. 16 South Carolina.
Though known to be haunted by some, Jordan-Hare hasn't impressed EA Sports. The Tigers are 346-95-7 at home since the opening of the historic venue.
EA Sports College Football 27 releases on July 9 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
https://x.com/EASPORTSCollege/status/2069076267417190523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2069076267417190523%7Ctwgr%5E3ec5332fc0a5cc37bc0a2a5fd385e320168720f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fauburnwire.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Ffootball%2F2026%2F06%2F22%2Fauburn-football-jordan-hare-stadium-ea-sports-college-football-27%2F90649862007%2F
***************************
Jason Caldwell's Monday morning quarterback column
By Jason Caldwell
Impressed by Golesh and staff
I recently wrote that I have no idea what this season is going to look like for the Auburn football Tigers, but the more time I spend around this coaching staff the more I think they are on the right track in every way. It has shown up in recruiting the lines of scrimmage and the class they are putting together for 2027, but it goes much deeper than that for me.
For the first time in years it feels like there is a plan for the program, not just a plan for a season or two. This feels like something being built for the long haul. This staff isn't cutting corners in what they're doing on the field or in recruiting. I get the sense this staff doesn't play games. They definitely aren't backing off the desire to create competition, even during camps.
I was talking to a coach yesterday that called a high school coach he's known for a long time to tell him one of his kids stopped during a drill. That's detail.
That's exactly what it's going to take for Auburn to get back to the level of competing with the best teams in the country. It's that type of detail. It feels like that has been missing in pieces for the last decade. Each staff and team had bits of the things needed to win, but there were too many leaks in the hull to make the ship float. It sure feels like this staff is determined to plug those leaks and get Auburn seaworthy once again.
And another thing, they don't play games. Ales Golesh doesn't play games and this staff doesn't either. If you're not all in, they'll find someone else. It may cost them a guy or two in the short term, but they are determined to find the right guys for the program.
Familiar face back at Auburn
Ryan Smith was a safety for the Tigers from 2010-13 and became a solid contributor for the Auburn defense after playing mostly quarterback in high school at Cordova. This past weekend he was back on campus with his family to watch his son Ja'Cori participate in a football camp with the Tigers. I ran into Ryan and Ja'Cori last fall at Texas A&M when they were visiting the Aggies for the Auburn game. After playing with the Cowboys, Ryan remained in the area and Ja'Cori is now playing at powerhouse Allen High School. He played last season as a freshman and has a chance to become a really good prospect in the next year or two. He'll just be a sophomore this fall, but Ja'Cori Smith is a name to keep an eye on in recruiting down the road.
Strong final amateur start for Koivun
It was his final tournament as an amateur and a great way for Auburn junior Jackson Koivun to go out. After helping the Tigers to a pair of national championships in three years and finishing his career as one of the most decorated college golfers ever, Koivun handled one of the most demanding tests in golf with the poise he's shown since he first stepped on campus. Not only did it show he made the right decision, but he's going to compete right away to win tournaments at the highest level.
Firing rounds of 72, 71, 74 and 68 on the Par 70 layout at Shinnecock Hills, Koiviun clinched a share of the low amateur with Oklahoma's Ryder Cowan with a score of 5-over par. That was good enough for a tie for 23rd overall. It was Koivun's eighth cut in 10 starts on the PGA Tour.
Now it's time to do things for real. In two weeks Koivun will make his professional debut. It's set for the following week, July 2-5, at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
******************
Former Auburn pass-rusher signs with Raiders for $7.4 million
By Mark Inabinett
al.com
The third-down dam has started to burst in NFL Draft signings. Entering the weekend, 14 of the 257 players selected in April had not signed their first NFL contracts, including the first six selections of the third round.
Two of those third-round picks have now signed, including Auburn alumnus Keyron Crawford. The Las Vegas Raiders announced Crawford’s signing after drafting the defensive end at No. 67 – the third pick of the third round – on April 24.
Crawford signed a four-year, $7.376 million contract that included a signing bonus of $1.824 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of Crawford’s contract.
The value of the contract and the size of the signing bonus are determined by the NFL’s rookie-wage scale and are non-negotiable. The holdup in the third-round signings has been attributed to agents seeking to extend guaranteed money beyond the signing bonus.
Fully guaranteed contracts and increasing proportions of guaranteed money have been creeping down the NFL Draft list annually, but the league’s teams appear to be holding firm for another year on leaving the signing bonus as the only guaranteed money in the contracts for players picked in the third through seventh rounds.
The second player picked in the third round – Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim – also signed his first NFL contract this weekend.
Among the four unsigned prospects at the top of the third round is Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height, whose college-football journey started at Auburn in 2020 and 2021. The San Francisco 49ers chose Height with the No. 70 pick on April 24.
Crawford played his final two college seasons at Auburn after transferring from Arkansas State. Crawford recorded five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss for the Tigers in 2025. He also had an interception in a 31-15 victory over South Alabama on Sept. 13.
The day after drafting Crawford, the Raiders traded defensive end Tyree Wilson to the New Orleans Saints. Wilson played 463 defensive snaps, 41 percent of Las Vegas’ total, and started three games last season.
The trade opens an opportunity for Crawford to fill those snaps and compete with Malcolm Koonce to play more opposite Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby at the other end of the Raiders’ defensive line. Koonce played 501 defensive snaps last season.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages