Football News: 6-10-2026
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Auburn Football News: 6-10-2026
Auburn Football Ranks Surprisingly High in ‘Most Experienced Teams’ List:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-football-ranks-surprisingly-high-in-most-experienced-teams-list
Auburn sits outside the top-10 of On3's SEC preseason power rankings:
Why This Auburn Player Described QB Byrum Brown as ‘A True Leader’:
New Stat Reveals Just How Dominant Auburn Football Recruiting Has Been:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/new-stat-reveals-dominance-auburn-football-recruiting
Current Auburn Receiver Working to Land Well-Connected WR Prospect:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/current-auburn-wr-jeremiah-koger-working-to-land-well-connected-wr-prospect-james-branch
Commitment day is close for Rion Jackson. Where does Auburn stand?:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/06/09/auburn-football-rion-jackson-prediction-commitment-date/90474645007/
Brother of Auburn CB, 2028 Recruit Picks Up Offer From Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/brother-of-auburn-cb-2028-recruit-picks-up-offer-from-program-jeremiah-arnoux
Alex Golesh proves recruiting prowess once again by beating UGA for 4-star cornerback:
https://flywareagle.com/alex-golesh-proves-recruiting-prowess-once-again-by-beating-uga-for-4-star-cornerback-01ktq1ntv8vt
Georgia insider has good and bad news for Auburn fans on Chance Gilbert's commitment:
https://flywareagle.com/georgia-insider-good-bad-news-auburn-fans-chance-gilbert-commitment
Auburn Football Ranks Surprisingly High in ‘Most Experienced Teams’ List
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
With so many new transfers joining the Auburn Tigers over the past few months, it is easy to forget that many of these players have already had top-level experience in their respective careers. The stats have not forgotten, though, as the Tigers rank ninth in the country in terms of experience, per CBS Sports.
The Tigers’ ninth ranking is a result of the 29,393 snaps taken by their players over the course of their careers so far, with 16,664 of those attributed to the offense and only 12,699 to the defense. The Tigers’ offense ranks an impressive eighth overall in total snaps played, while DJ Durkin’s defense fell all the way to 30th.
Additionally, the Tigers rank 13th overall in terms of total games played with 1,003, as well as ninth overall in total starts with 401.
So, what does this mean for the Tigers? First and foremost, it means that the squad, the offense in particular, has a level of experience that, despite a short time on the Plains, should serve the team well throughout the course of the season. After all, football experience is football experience, regardless of uniform.
Additionally, it means that the Tigers are working with a more inexperienced defense than many would expect, given their expected level of production. With that said, rising junior Xavier Atkins did not play many games at LSU in his freshman season before transferring to Auburn, but he still dominated in his first-ever full season as a starter in 2025.
As the saying goes, though, ‘experience outranks everything,’ and the Tigers’ offense will attempt to be proof of that rule in 2026. Byrum Brown, now in his final year of eligibility with multiple full seasons under his belt, is joined by Jeremiah Cobb in the backfield, who played his first full season as a starter in 2025, but has significant game experience throughout his years.
Defensively, Da’Shawn Womack headlines an Auburn unit that otherwise depends on less experienced players like the aforementioned Atkins. Womack has played three seasons ahead of the 2026 season, including two at LSU and one at Ole Miss. He has yet to see full production in a season, though, so the veteran Womack still has much to prove to the world.
At the end of the day, winning football games can come down to experience, but it is far from limited to just that factor. Effort, scheming, adjusting and a litany of other factors consistently make the difference in football games, but having an experienced roster, and a top-10 in the nation-level experienced roster at that, certainly can make those other aspects much easier.
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Auburn sits outside the top-10 of On3's SEC preseason power rankings
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
The recent power rankings of the SEC by On3 placed the Auburn Tigers at No. 13 just ahead of Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Missouri. Auburn is entering the first year of a new head coach, Alex Golesh, with a massive roster change.
Golesh was hired from the University of South Florida after three seasons in Tampa. As an offensive-minded coach, he led the Bulls to winning records in each of his three seasons and two bowl victories. Along with his coming to Auburn, he saw 13 of his USF players come through the transfer portal.
The biggest get for the Tigers this offseason was the transfer of USF quarterback Byrum Brown. The senior quarterback was the only player in the college last season to throw for over 3,000 yards and rush for over 1,000. His playmaking ability was a huge part of Golesh's success at USF.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Tigers managed to keep defensive coordinator DJ Durkin in the building. He was the rumored name for the head coaching vacancy the Tigers had during the last few weeks of the 2025 season. Durkin served as the interim head coach after the firing of Hugh Freeze. For him to stay at Auburn, Athletic Director John Cohen made Durkin one of highest paid coordinators in the nation at $2.7 million.
Durkin and the Tigers' defense kept Auburn in many games throughout the 2025 campaign. To the point where even the defense was the side of the ball scoring points for the Tigers. This year, the defense has many players with little to no playing time on that side of the ball, but with a functioning offense, you can expect that to give their defense some breaks when needed.
It seems a culture change has taken place inside the program since the arrival of Golesh. Former players and coaches have played a role in preaching to the current roster about the importance of being a part of Auburn football.
Auburn begins conference play in week three in Jordan-Hare Stadium against Florida on Sept. 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT. The Tigers kick off the season against Baylor in a neutral-site game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Why This Auburn Player Described QB Byrum Brown as ‘A True Leader’
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
There are many facets in a quarterback’s game that can make a major difference come gameday, but Auburn Tigers quarterback Byrum Brown reportedly has a quality that may stand chief among them: leadership.
Cole Best, a fellow USF transfer who joined the Auburn roster with his head coach, Alex Golesh, told Al.com recently that Brown’s leadership is above and beyond what many would expect from such a big-name quarterback.
“That guy’s got a smile on his face every day. He’s the same guy every day. He’s the first one there to lift guys up,” he said. “Anything you need. You call Byrum, you text Byrum, he’s there. And he’s a true leader. I think that’s why guys truly rally around him.”
Interestingly, Best describes all of these qualities of Brown before even referring to him as a leader, as if his being a leader is something that the team has grown used to over the course of the spring and summer, or, in Best’s case, years of playing with him.
Of course, accuracy, decision-making, strength, running ability or a host of other qualities of a quarterback’s game tend to stand out on paper, but leadership is one thing that really cannot be taught, and it is something that the Tigers have struggled to find over the past few years.
As such, when Brown first transferred to the Plains, there were many talks about if or how he would be able to lead the team, but Golesh has always had supreme confidence in his quarterback’s abilities, both on the field and as a leader.
“His comfort zone is being in the building,” Golesh said back in April. “His comfort zone is being in the film room and just learning and learning and learning and learning. Through the winter, he took a big step as a leader in terms of he was around everybody. He tried to make a huge effort from a connection piece. And I think he's trying to do that here as well. I think that'll be his biggest step.”
Brown is just as new to Auburn as many of his teammates, and yet he seems to be rising above the unfamiliarity as he leads his squad into what could very well be a new era of Auburn football.
Even though Brown seems to have stepped up in the leadership aspect, he certainly has help, especially from Tigers who have been on the Plains for multiple years. Chief among them is Jeremiah Cobb, who brings an Auburn familiarity to a running back room that otherwise has very little Auburn experience, as well as Demarcus Riddick and others on the defensive side.
Overall, leadership, though once a bit shaky, seems to no longer be an issue on the Plains.
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New Stat Reveals Just How Dominant Auburn Football Recruiting Has Been
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It is no secret to anyone in Auburn at this point that Alex Golesh, the newest head coach of the Auburn Tigers, can recruit with the best. In this past month alone, he has added several top-rated recruits, but a new stat that recently came to light may illustrate just how good the Tigers’ recruiting has been as of late.
The stat itself is simple: Auburn, in its 2027 class, now holds a top-five recruit in five different states, meaning that in a tenth of American states, the Tigers possess one of the five-best football players in the 2027 class.
Those states? Alabama (of course), Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Delaware.
The Tigers’ top-five Alabama recruit, Isaac McNeil, who the Tigers picked up last Tuesday, is a four-star linebacker who is currently rated as the third-best player in his home state.
Additionally, Donivan Moore, a four-star defensive lineman who is also from Alabama, sits just outside the top five and is rated as the sixth-best in the state. Pending his production in his final high school season, the Tigers could have two top-five in-state players.
Just across the border in Georgia, the Tigers’ latest pickup, four-star cornerback Chance Gilbert, is currently rated as the fourth-best player in the state. He announced his commitment on Monday night, bolstering an already-strong Auburn class with some additional star power.
A pair of running back recruits represent the Tigers’ top-five prospects in both Missouri and Illinois, as Kingston Miles, who committed to the Plains on June 1, is currently rated as the fifth-best player in the state of Missouri, while Myson Johnson-Cook is currently rated as the third-best player in Illinois.
This pair of top-rated four-star running backs certainly bodes well for the future of Auburn’s rushing attack, which is getting a bit of a stimulus this year with the addition of Baylor transfer Bryson Washington to an already-strong room led by senior Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb.
Finally, the Tigers boast the No. 1 player in the state of Delaware in Layton von Brandt, a four-star offensive tackle who hails from Middletown. Brandt is also rated as the fifth-best offensive tackle in his class, and he is a massive pickup for an Auburn offensive line that is still looking to find its future identity.
Many have said that Golesh can only recruit three-stars, but his latest recruiting push seems to illustrate that he is able to shoot just about as high as he would like and still see success, even when competing with top programs like Alabama and Georgia.
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Current Auburn Receiver Working to Land Well-Connected WR Prospect
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
If there is one high school that the Auburn Tigers seem determined to make a pipeline out of, it is St. Francis Academy in Baltimore, Md.
The Tigers already have quite a few players who hail from the academy, including edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack and wide receiver Jeremiah Koger, and the program has shown significant interest in many top recruits from the Maryland school.
On Monday night, one of those current St. Francis grads, Koger, put out a post on X calling for Auburn fans to help him land his ‘brother,’ three-star wide receiver James Branch. Branch, naturally, hails from St. Francis, and Koger is clearly trying to use his connection with the school and with Branch to land Auburn yet another recruit.
So, is Branch even interested in Auburn? According to Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Tigers currently stand third on Branch’s list, falling behind Maryland, which has a 33.9% chance, and James Franklin’s Virginia Tech, which stands with a 22.6% chance.
The Tigers do not follow too far behind, with a 19.4% chance, but work clearly still needs to be done if Auburn is to land the route runner. Branch visited the Plains last weekend as part of a visit group that included four-star offensive lineman Reed Ramsier, who committed just a few days later, and four-star safety Chance Gilbert, who announced his commitment on Monday.
Clearly, whatever the Tigers were doing on that visit was convincing, but they will have to continue to convince Branch if they want to land him. If he commits, he would be the second wide receiver in Auburn’s 2027 class, joining Brylan Odour, a three-star pass catcher who hails from Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Even if the Tigers miss out on Branch, there are still two other prospects from St. Francis that the Tigers are currently trending for. First, Branch’s fellow wide receiver, four-star Samir Edwards, currently sits with a 25% chance to land at Auburn, though his commitment would be in the class of 2028.
Additionally, safety Christopher Griffin, a three-star in the class of 2028, currently stands with a 41% chance to land in Auburn, though Maryland leads in his recruitment with a 46% chance.
It certainly seems like, in several of these cases with players from St. Francis, that it is a battle between SEC play at Auburn or staying close to home at Maryland. If the Tigers can convince these recruits that playing for Golesh’s program is worth the distance from home, both Auburn’s 2027 and 2028 classes may grow exponentially with players from what is being considered a rapidly developing SEC pipeline program.
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Commitment day is close for Rion Jackson. Where does Auburn stand?
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
Auburn football began the week by adding two quality 2027 commitments in offensive lineman Reed Ramsier and defensive back Chance Gilbert. Will their momentum continue on Wednesday?
The Auburn Tigers are in an intense battle with Virginia Tech for four-star EDGE rusher Rion Jackson, and the winner will be decided on Wednesday when he announces his commitment at 11:30 a.m. CT. How strong are Auburn's chances to add the No. 30 EDGE in the 2027 class?
Last week, Auburn had five predictions from recruiting experts favoring them, three from Rivals and two from 247Sports. The same holds ahead of Wednesday's scheduled commitment as Auburn remains the heavy favorite.
However, the only factor that could alter Jackson's decision is his visit to Virginia Tech last weekend. Jackson mentioned to Jeffrey Lee of Rivals during his visit to Auburn earlier this month that relationships with coaches will play a role in where he commits. It will be interesting to see how well the recruiting pitch from the Hokies' coaching staff worked ahead of Wednesday's scheduled commitment.
Ahead of Jackson's commitment, Virginia Tech ranks ahead of Auburn in 247Sports' 2027 recruiting rankings at No. 6, where the Tigers slide in at No 15. However, Auburn will inch closer to the Hokies should Jackson pledge.
Jackson will announce his commitment on Rivals' YouTube page on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. CT.
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Brother of Auburn CB, 2028 Recruit Picks Up Offer From Program
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
Family ties have always gone deep with the Auburn Tigers. After all, the Tigers currently have multiple sets of brothers on their roster, including the Toodle brothers, the Smith brothers, the Fegans brothers and the Melendez brothers.
If the Tigers can land their latest offer, Jeremiah Arnoux, there is a chance we will see yet another group of brothers on the roster.
Arnoux, the brother of Auburn cornerback Shamar Arnoux, is a class of 2028 cornerback prospect from Carrollton, Ga. After he received his offer from the Tigers on Wednesday, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the young corner to talk all things Auburn, including how his brother may impact his recruitment.
https://x.com/JeremiahArnoux/status/2062358452618346545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2062358452618346545%7Ctwgr%5E2c2ca73f08968e008331d1aad251261593b42755%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fbrother-of-auburn-cb-2028-recruit-picks-up-offer-from-program-jeremiah-arnoux
“[My offer] was an exciting moment. I had competed at the camp, and hearing that they believed in me enough to offer was a blessing,” he said. “Auburn stood out mostly because of the culture in the town, plus I have a brother that is on the team.”
The elder Arnoux was a three-star prospect when he committed to Florida State as part of its 2025 class, but transferred to the Plains after a single year with the Seminoles. Of course, most brothers dream of playing the game they love with each other at a high level, and the Arnouxs have an opportunity to make that dream a reality.
“I would say Auburn is one of the top schools on my board right now,” the younger Arnoux said, “especially due to the fact I have a family member that I could potentially play alongside… I’m looking forward to getting back on campus, spending more time around the staff, and learning more about the program.”
Quite a bit more goes into picking a program than just familial ties, though; Arnoux is looking for some very specific traits in his future college.
“[I’m looking for] a place where I can be developed on and off the field, build strong relationships with the coaching staff, and compete at a high level,” he said. “I like to compete, no matter who it is.”
Arnoux still has two more full seasons of high school ball and watching his brother play in college before it will come time for him to make a final decision, so, moving forward, he tells us he is committed to continuing to work and becoming the best player he can be.
“I plan to stay humble, keep working, and focus on getting better every day,” he said. “The offers are a blessing, but they don’t change the work that still needs to be done.”
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Alex Golesh proves recruiting prowess once again by beating UGA for 4-star cornerback
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Arguably, one of the biggest questions people had when Alex Golesh was hired as Auburn’s new football coach this past offseason was whether or not he could recruit against the big boys of the SEC like Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin.
While that question hasn’t yet been definitively answered with a yes, the 41-year-old Golesh has shown he won’t back down, winning yet another commitment on Monday from 4-star defensive back Chance Gilbert over rival Georgia, among others.
Chance Gilbert has built a relationship with Champ Anthony
“I really love the environment when it comes to Auburn,” Gilbert said. “That’s the number one thing that stood out.”
Out of East Coweta HS in Sharpsburg, Ga., Gilbert is ranked the No. 8 cornerback in the country, and per Rivals’ Charles Power, is a “versatile defensive back with a well-rounded combination of athleticism, ball skills, and overall coordination.”
At 5-foot-11.5 and 175 pounds, he has the speed and long strides to run with receivers.
While he plays cornerback and safety in high school, Gilbert says that Auburn wants him to play at safety. During his visits to the Plains, he has spent time with safeties coach Tim Banks and current Auburn safety Champ Anthony.
“Being around the coaches and the players really stood out for me, especially Champ,” Gilbert said. “He’s definitely a guy I’ve been around. He’s been speaking about God. I love players like that. He’s the first person out of all the visits I’ve been to who actually spoke about stuff like that.
“Like I said, the players. Being around the players is what stood out. I mean, the campus is beautiful. Outside of the campus, all the restaurants around, really beautiful. I love stuff like that. That’s where I’m from. Coming from Senoia, Georgia, they remind me a lot of it.”
Gilbert is the Tigers’ 16th commitment in the 2027 class and moves Auburn up to 16th in the nation in recruiting rankings, per 247Sports.
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Georgia insider has good and bad news for Auburn fans on Chance Gilbert's commitment
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
The Auburn Tigers were able to out-recruit the Georgia Bulldogs for Sharpsburg, GA, native Chance Gilbert. The 4-star Peach State defensive back's commitment elevated the Tigers into the top 10 for the 2027 high school cycle.
Alex Golesh continued his strong recruiting run with this addition, but DawgNation's Jeff Sentell doesn't believe Kirby Smart and UGA are out of the running for the East Coweta Indians star. With that said, Sentell did concede that Auburn has an advantage that Athens can't contend with.
"There are a few things to note here. The first is that Georgia saw Gilbert as a cornerback. Auburn projects him to play safety. ... This recruitment is definitely not over, either. The expectation here is that the Bulldogs will continue to put in the effort to flip the 6-foot-1, 170-pound rising senior. Gilbert is definitely talented enough for the Dawgs to play the long game here," Sentell wrote.
"While most will center on financial incentives here, there’s one additional aspect of Gilbert’s decision that did favor the Tigers. ... That was their campus location. The Auburn campus is only about 50 minutes away from his home in Sharpsburg. That’s one thing that really matters to Gilbert across his recruiting process. ... He wanted to stay close to home. Auburn was a lot closer to Athens. That also had to play a factor here."
Some good, some bad news on Gilbert. It goes without saying that recruitment is never done for anyone, but you do have to worry about Georgia being in Gilbert's previous top four before AU entered the mix late.
Smart has a perennial contending program that may be hard to say no to. Especially if their product is far superior to what's being put on Pat Dye Field from the home locker room.
Alex Golesh Has to show proof of concept at Auburn in 2026 to keep strong 2027 recruiting class
Golesh is building an extremely strong 2027 class so far. 4-star Appoquinimink (DE) left tackle Layton von Brandt, 4-star The First Academy (FL) IOL Reed Ramsier, 4-star East St. Louis running back Myson Johnson-Cook, and 4-star Bessemer City DE/DT Donivan Moore are the early headliners for the class. It's a well-rounded group that's obviously offensively focused. Golesh and Co. have a lot more offensive cupboards to replenish than DJ Durkin and Co. due to the lack of continuity. The work has already begun.
Of course, the work cannot stop. Golesh can't recruit well and then call it a day, ignoring the actual football part like his predecessor did. There needs to be actual proof of concept on the Plains. Many of these recruits are buying into the idea that things are finally going to be different under Golesh. No one is committing to an SEC school with zero hopes of being featured on a winner.
Golesh doesn't need to deliver a championship, but there cannot be any controversy or lack of alignment. It's been too many consecutive tenures of coaches whose time on the Plains made it seem like not the Loveliest Village. Golesh needs to bring the feeling back. He seems to understand the assignment, but it's only the offseason. Things will be a lot different when the games start in a few months.
Win football games, and the rest will sort itself out. Keep losing? Well, these recruits are only committed on paper right now.
Auburn Football Ranks Surprisingly High in ‘Most Experienced Teams’ List:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-football-ranks-surprisingly-high-in-most-experienced-teams-list
Auburn sits outside the top-10 of On3's SEC preseason power rankings:
Why This Auburn Player Described QB Byrum Brown as ‘A True Leader’:
New Stat Reveals Just How Dominant Auburn Football Recruiting Has Been:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/new-stat-reveals-dominance-auburn-football-recruiting
Current Auburn Receiver Working to Land Well-Connected WR Prospect:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/current-auburn-wr-jeremiah-koger-working-to-land-well-connected-wr-prospect-james-branch
Commitment day is close for Rion Jackson. Where does Auburn stand?:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/06/09/auburn-football-rion-jackson-prediction-commitment-date/90474645007/
Brother of Auburn CB, 2028 Recruit Picks Up Offer From Program:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/brother-of-auburn-cb-2028-recruit-picks-up-offer-from-program-jeremiah-arnoux
Alex Golesh proves recruiting prowess once again by beating UGA for 4-star cornerback:
https://flywareagle.com/alex-golesh-proves-recruiting-prowess-once-again-by-beating-uga-for-4-star-cornerback-01ktq1ntv8vt
Georgia insider has good and bad news for Auburn fans on Chance Gilbert's commitment:
https://flywareagle.com/georgia-insider-good-bad-news-auburn-fans-chance-gilbert-commitment
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By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
With so many new transfers joining the Auburn Tigers over the past few months, it is easy to forget that many of these players have already had top-level experience in their respective careers. The stats have not forgotten, though, as the Tigers rank ninth in the country in terms of experience, per CBS Sports.
The Tigers’ ninth ranking is a result of the 29,393 snaps taken by their players over the course of their careers so far, with 16,664 of those attributed to the offense and only 12,699 to the defense. The Tigers’ offense ranks an impressive eighth overall in total snaps played, while DJ Durkin’s defense fell all the way to 30th.
Additionally, the Tigers rank 13th overall in terms of total games played with 1,003, as well as ninth overall in total starts with 401.
So, what does this mean for the Tigers? First and foremost, it means that the squad, the offense in particular, has a level of experience that, despite a short time on the Plains, should serve the team well throughout the course of the season. After all, football experience is football experience, regardless of uniform.
Additionally, it means that the Tigers are working with a more inexperienced defense than many would expect, given their expected level of production. With that said, rising junior Xavier Atkins did not play many games at LSU in his freshman season before transferring to Auburn, but he still dominated in his first-ever full season as a starter in 2025.
As the saying goes, though, ‘experience outranks everything,’ and the Tigers’ offense will attempt to be proof of that rule in 2026. Byrum Brown, now in his final year of eligibility with multiple full seasons under his belt, is joined by Jeremiah Cobb in the backfield, who played his first full season as a starter in 2025, but has significant game experience throughout his years.
Defensively, Da’Shawn Womack headlines an Auburn unit that otherwise depends on less experienced players like the aforementioned Atkins. Womack has played three seasons ahead of the 2026 season, including two at LSU and one at Ole Miss. He has yet to see full production in a season, though, so the veteran Womack still has much to prove to the world.
At the end of the day, winning football games can come down to experience, but it is far from limited to just that factor. Effort, scheming, adjusting and a litany of other factors consistently make the difference in football games, but having an experienced roster, and a top-10 in the nation-level experienced roster at that, certainly can make those other aspects much easier.
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Auburn sits outside the top-10 of On3's SEC preseason power rankings
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
The recent power rankings of the SEC by On3 placed the Auburn Tigers at No. 13 just ahead of Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Missouri. Auburn is entering the first year of a new head coach, Alex Golesh, with a massive roster change.
Golesh was hired from the University of South Florida after three seasons in Tampa. As an offensive-minded coach, he led the Bulls to winning records in each of his three seasons and two bowl victories. Along with his coming to Auburn, he saw 13 of his USF players come through the transfer portal.
The biggest get for the Tigers this offseason was the transfer of USF quarterback Byrum Brown. The senior quarterback was the only player in the college last season to throw for over 3,000 yards and rush for over 1,000. His playmaking ability was a huge part of Golesh's success at USF.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Tigers managed to keep defensive coordinator DJ Durkin in the building. He was the rumored name for the head coaching vacancy the Tigers had during the last few weeks of the 2025 season. Durkin served as the interim head coach after the firing of Hugh Freeze. For him to stay at Auburn, Athletic Director John Cohen made Durkin one of highest paid coordinators in the nation at $2.7 million.
Durkin and the Tigers' defense kept Auburn in many games throughout the 2025 campaign. To the point where even the defense was the side of the ball scoring points for the Tigers. This year, the defense has many players with little to no playing time on that side of the ball, but with a functioning offense, you can expect that to give their defense some breaks when needed.
It seems a culture change has taken place inside the program since the arrival of Golesh. Former players and coaches have played a role in preaching to the current roster about the importance of being a part of Auburn football.
Auburn begins conference play in week three in Jordan-Hare Stadium against Florida on Sept. 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT. The Tigers kick off the season against Baylor in a neutral-site game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Why This Auburn Player Described QB Byrum Brown as ‘A True Leader’
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
There are many facets in a quarterback’s game that can make a major difference come gameday, but Auburn Tigers quarterback Byrum Brown reportedly has a quality that may stand chief among them: leadership.
Cole Best, a fellow USF transfer who joined the Auburn roster with his head coach, Alex Golesh, told Al.com recently that Brown’s leadership is above and beyond what many would expect from such a big-name quarterback.
“That guy’s got a smile on his face every day. He’s the same guy every day. He’s the first one there to lift guys up,” he said. “Anything you need. You call Byrum, you text Byrum, he’s there. And he’s a true leader. I think that’s why guys truly rally around him.”
Interestingly, Best describes all of these qualities of Brown before even referring to him as a leader, as if his being a leader is something that the team has grown used to over the course of the spring and summer, or, in Best’s case, years of playing with him.
Of course, accuracy, decision-making, strength, running ability or a host of other qualities of a quarterback’s game tend to stand out on paper, but leadership is one thing that really cannot be taught, and it is something that the Tigers have struggled to find over the past few years.
As such, when Brown first transferred to the Plains, there were many talks about if or how he would be able to lead the team, but Golesh has always had supreme confidence in his quarterback’s abilities, both on the field and as a leader.
“His comfort zone is being in the building,” Golesh said back in April. “His comfort zone is being in the film room and just learning and learning and learning and learning. Through the winter, he took a big step as a leader in terms of he was around everybody. He tried to make a huge effort from a connection piece. And I think he's trying to do that here as well. I think that'll be his biggest step.”
Brown is just as new to Auburn as many of his teammates, and yet he seems to be rising above the unfamiliarity as he leads his squad into what could very well be a new era of Auburn football.
Even though Brown seems to have stepped up in the leadership aspect, he certainly has help, especially from Tigers who have been on the Plains for multiple years. Chief among them is Jeremiah Cobb, who brings an Auburn familiarity to a running back room that otherwise has very little Auburn experience, as well as Demarcus Riddick and others on the defensive side.
Overall, leadership, though once a bit shaky, seems to no longer be an issue on the Plains.
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New Stat Reveals Just How Dominant Auburn Football Recruiting Has Been
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It is no secret to anyone in Auburn at this point that Alex Golesh, the newest head coach of the Auburn Tigers, can recruit with the best. In this past month alone, he has added several top-rated recruits, but a new stat that recently came to light may illustrate just how good the Tigers’ recruiting has been as of late.
The stat itself is simple: Auburn, in its 2027 class, now holds a top-five recruit in five different states, meaning that in a tenth of American states, the Tigers possess one of the five-best football players in the 2027 class.
Those states? Alabama (of course), Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Delaware.
The Tigers’ top-five Alabama recruit, Isaac McNeil, who the Tigers picked up last Tuesday, is a four-star linebacker who is currently rated as the third-best player in his home state.
Additionally, Donivan Moore, a four-star defensive lineman who is also from Alabama, sits just outside the top five and is rated as the sixth-best in the state. Pending his production in his final high school season, the Tigers could have two top-five in-state players.
Just across the border in Georgia, the Tigers’ latest pickup, four-star cornerback Chance Gilbert, is currently rated as the fourth-best player in the state. He announced his commitment on Monday night, bolstering an already-strong Auburn class with some additional star power.
A pair of running back recruits represent the Tigers’ top-five prospects in both Missouri and Illinois, as Kingston Miles, who committed to the Plains on June 1, is currently rated as the fifth-best player in the state of Missouri, while Myson Johnson-Cook is currently rated as the third-best player in Illinois.
This pair of top-rated four-star running backs certainly bodes well for the future of Auburn’s rushing attack, which is getting a bit of a stimulus this year with the addition of Baylor transfer Bryson Washington to an already-strong room led by senior Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb.
Finally, the Tigers boast the No. 1 player in the state of Delaware in Layton von Brandt, a four-star offensive tackle who hails from Middletown. Brandt is also rated as the fifth-best offensive tackle in his class, and he is a massive pickup for an Auburn offensive line that is still looking to find its future identity.
Many have said that Golesh can only recruit three-stars, but his latest recruiting push seems to illustrate that he is able to shoot just about as high as he would like and still see success, even when competing with top programs like Alabama and Georgia.
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Current Auburn Receiver Working to Land Well-Connected WR Prospect
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
If there is one high school that the Auburn Tigers seem determined to make a pipeline out of, it is St. Francis Academy in Baltimore, Md.
The Tigers already have quite a few players who hail from the academy, including edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack and wide receiver Jeremiah Koger, and the program has shown significant interest in many top recruits from the Maryland school.
On Monday night, one of those current St. Francis grads, Koger, put out a post on X calling for Auburn fans to help him land his ‘brother,’ three-star wide receiver James Branch. Branch, naturally, hails from St. Francis, and Koger is clearly trying to use his connection with the school and with Branch to land Auburn yet another recruit.
So, is Branch even interested in Auburn? According to Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Tigers currently stand third on Branch’s list, falling behind Maryland, which has a 33.9% chance, and James Franklin’s Virginia Tech, which stands with a 22.6% chance.
The Tigers do not follow too far behind, with a 19.4% chance, but work clearly still needs to be done if Auburn is to land the route runner. Branch visited the Plains last weekend as part of a visit group that included four-star offensive lineman Reed Ramsier, who committed just a few days later, and four-star safety Chance Gilbert, who announced his commitment on Monday.
Clearly, whatever the Tigers were doing on that visit was convincing, but they will have to continue to convince Branch if they want to land him. If he commits, he would be the second wide receiver in Auburn’s 2027 class, joining Brylan Odour, a three-star pass catcher who hails from Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Even if the Tigers miss out on Branch, there are still two other prospects from St. Francis that the Tigers are currently trending for. First, Branch’s fellow wide receiver, four-star Samir Edwards, currently sits with a 25% chance to land at Auburn, though his commitment would be in the class of 2028.
Additionally, safety Christopher Griffin, a three-star in the class of 2028, currently stands with a 41% chance to land in Auburn, though Maryland leads in his recruitment with a 46% chance.
It certainly seems like, in several of these cases with players from St. Francis, that it is a battle between SEC play at Auburn or staying close to home at Maryland. If the Tigers can convince these recruits that playing for Golesh’s program is worth the distance from home, both Auburn’s 2027 and 2028 classes may grow exponentially with players from what is being considered a rapidly developing SEC pipeline program.
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Commitment day is close for Rion Jackson. Where does Auburn stand?
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
Auburn football began the week by adding two quality 2027 commitments in offensive lineman Reed Ramsier and defensive back Chance Gilbert. Will their momentum continue on Wednesday?
The Auburn Tigers are in an intense battle with Virginia Tech for four-star EDGE rusher Rion Jackson, and the winner will be decided on Wednesday when he announces his commitment at 11:30 a.m. CT. How strong are Auburn's chances to add the No. 30 EDGE in the 2027 class?
Last week, Auburn had five predictions from recruiting experts favoring them, three from Rivals and two from 247Sports. The same holds ahead of Wednesday's scheduled commitment as Auburn remains the heavy favorite.
However, the only factor that could alter Jackson's decision is his visit to Virginia Tech last weekend. Jackson mentioned to Jeffrey Lee of Rivals during his visit to Auburn earlier this month that relationships with coaches will play a role in where he commits. It will be interesting to see how well the recruiting pitch from the Hokies' coaching staff worked ahead of Wednesday's scheduled commitment.
Ahead of Jackson's commitment, Virginia Tech ranks ahead of Auburn in 247Sports' 2027 recruiting rankings at No. 6, where the Tigers slide in at No 15. However, Auburn will inch closer to the Hokies should Jackson pledge.
Jackson will announce his commitment on Rivals' YouTube page on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. CT.
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Brother of Auburn CB, 2028 Recruit Picks Up Offer From Program
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
Family ties have always gone deep with the Auburn Tigers. After all, the Tigers currently have multiple sets of brothers on their roster, including the Toodle brothers, the Smith brothers, the Fegans brothers and the Melendez brothers.
If the Tigers can land their latest offer, Jeremiah Arnoux, there is a chance we will see yet another group of brothers on the roster.
Arnoux, the brother of Auburn cornerback Shamar Arnoux, is a class of 2028 cornerback prospect from Carrollton, Ga. After he received his offer from the Tigers on Wednesday, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with the young corner to talk all things Auburn, including how his brother may impact his recruitment.
https://x.com/JeremiahArnoux/status/2062358452618346545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2062358452618346545%7Ctwgr%5E2c2ca73f08968e008331d1aad251261593b42755%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fbrother-of-auburn-cb-2028-recruit-picks-up-offer-from-program-jeremiah-arnoux
“[My offer] was an exciting moment. I had competed at the camp, and hearing that they believed in me enough to offer was a blessing,” he said. “Auburn stood out mostly because of the culture in the town, plus I have a brother that is on the team.”
The elder Arnoux was a three-star prospect when he committed to Florida State as part of its 2025 class, but transferred to the Plains after a single year with the Seminoles. Of course, most brothers dream of playing the game they love with each other at a high level, and the Arnouxs have an opportunity to make that dream a reality.
“I would say Auburn is one of the top schools on my board right now,” the younger Arnoux said, “especially due to the fact I have a family member that I could potentially play alongside… I’m looking forward to getting back on campus, spending more time around the staff, and learning more about the program.”
Quite a bit more goes into picking a program than just familial ties, though; Arnoux is looking for some very specific traits in his future college.
“[I’m looking for] a place where I can be developed on and off the field, build strong relationships with the coaching staff, and compete at a high level,” he said. “I like to compete, no matter who it is.”
Arnoux still has two more full seasons of high school ball and watching his brother play in college before it will come time for him to make a final decision, so, moving forward, he tells us he is committed to continuing to work and becoming the best player he can be.
“I plan to stay humble, keep working, and focus on getting better every day,” he said. “The offers are a blessing, but they don’t change the work that still needs to be done.”
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Alex Golesh proves recruiting prowess once again by beating UGA for 4-star cornerback
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Arguably, one of the biggest questions people had when Alex Golesh was hired as Auburn’s new football coach this past offseason was whether or not he could recruit against the big boys of the SEC like Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin.
While that question hasn’t yet been definitively answered with a yes, the 41-year-old Golesh has shown he won’t back down, winning yet another commitment on Monday from 4-star defensive back Chance Gilbert over rival Georgia, among others.
Chance Gilbert has built a relationship with Champ Anthony
“I really love the environment when it comes to Auburn,” Gilbert said. “That’s the number one thing that stood out.”
Out of East Coweta HS in Sharpsburg, Ga., Gilbert is ranked the No. 8 cornerback in the country, and per Rivals’ Charles Power, is a “versatile defensive back with a well-rounded combination of athleticism, ball skills, and overall coordination.”
At 5-foot-11.5 and 175 pounds, he has the speed and long strides to run with receivers.
While he plays cornerback and safety in high school, Gilbert says that Auburn wants him to play at safety. During his visits to the Plains, he has spent time with safeties coach Tim Banks and current Auburn safety Champ Anthony.
“Being around the coaches and the players really stood out for me, especially Champ,” Gilbert said. “He’s definitely a guy I’ve been around. He’s been speaking about God. I love players like that. He’s the first person out of all the visits I’ve been to who actually spoke about stuff like that.
“Like I said, the players. Being around the players is what stood out. I mean, the campus is beautiful. Outside of the campus, all the restaurants around, really beautiful. I love stuff like that. That’s where I’m from. Coming from Senoia, Georgia, they remind me a lot of it.”
Gilbert is the Tigers’ 16th commitment in the 2027 class and moves Auburn up to 16th in the nation in recruiting rankings, per 247Sports.
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Georgia insider has good and bad news for Auburn fans on Chance Gilbert's commitment
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
The Auburn Tigers were able to out-recruit the Georgia Bulldogs for Sharpsburg, GA, native Chance Gilbert. The 4-star Peach State defensive back's commitment elevated the Tigers into the top 10 for the 2027 high school cycle.
Alex Golesh continued his strong recruiting run with this addition, but DawgNation's Jeff Sentell doesn't believe Kirby Smart and UGA are out of the running for the East Coweta Indians star. With that said, Sentell did concede that Auburn has an advantage that Athens can't contend with.
"There are a few things to note here. The first is that Georgia saw Gilbert as a cornerback. Auburn projects him to play safety. ... This recruitment is definitely not over, either. The expectation here is that the Bulldogs will continue to put in the effort to flip the 6-foot-1, 170-pound rising senior. Gilbert is definitely talented enough for the Dawgs to play the long game here," Sentell wrote.
"While most will center on financial incentives here, there’s one additional aspect of Gilbert’s decision that did favor the Tigers. ... That was their campus location. The Auburn campus is only about 50 minutes away from his home in Sharpsburg. That’s one thing that really matters to Gilbert across his recruiting process. ... He wanted to stay close to home. Auburn was a lot closer to Athens. That also had to play a factor here."
Some good, some bad news on Gilbert. It goes without saying that recruitment is never done for anyone, but you do have to worry about Georgia being in Gilbert's previous top four before AU entered the mix late.
Smart has a perennial contending program that may be hard to say no to. Especially if their product is far superior to what's being put on Pat Dye Field from the home locker room.
Alex Golesh Has to show proof of concept at Auburn in 2026 to keep strong 2027 recruiting class
Golesh is building an extremely strong 2027 class so far. 4-star Appoquinimink (DE) left tackle Layton von Brandt, 4-star The First Academy (FL) IOL Reed Ramsier, 4-star East St. Louis running back Myson Johnson-Cook, and 4-star Bessemer City DE/DT Donivan Moore are the early headliners for the class. It's a well-rounded group that's obviously offensively focused. Golesh and Co. have a lot more offensive cupboards to replenish than DJ Durkin and Co. due to the lack of continuity. The work has already begun.
Of course, the work cannot stop. Golesh can't recruit well and then call it a day, ignoring the actual football part like his predecessor did. There needs to be actual proof of concept on the Plains. Many of these recruits are buying into the idea that things are finally going to be different under Golesh. No one is committing to an SEC school with zero hopes of being featured on a winner.
Golesh doesn't need to deliver a championship, but there cannot be any controversy or lack of alignment. It's been too many consecutive tenures of coaches whose time on the Plains made it seem like not the Loveliest Village. Golesh needs to bring the feeling back. He seems to understand the assignment, but it's only the offseason. Things will be a lot different when the games start in a few months.
Win football games, and the rest will sort itself out. Keep losing? Well, these recruits are only committed on paper right now.
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