Auburn football offers ‘23 5-star LB given likely McClain/Pappoe departures

If you know Auburn football, then you definitely know the names Owen Pappoe and Zakoby McClain. The pair of linebackers are both returning starters for the upcoming season after leading the Tigers in tackles in 2020. With a new defensive coordinator in Derek Mason and largely a new defensive scheme, McClain and Pappoe will be heavily relied upon to bring the heat at the line of scrimmage.

However, McClain is heading into his senior season on the Plains while Pappoe will check in as a junior, meaning it’s possible that this could be the pair’s last season in orange and blue. Both McClain and Pappoe made names for themselves in 2020 and could be contenders for the NFL Draft come 2022. McClain led the Tigers in tackles with 113 total (the third-most in the SEC) and three sacks, while Pappoe fell right behind his teammate in the rankings with 93 total tackles and four sacks.

The Tigers are returning three freshman LBs from last season who now have more experience, and Chandler Wooten is back in the rotation after sitting out last season due to COVID-19, but come 2023 Auburn may be looking for reinforcements.

That’s where Drayk Bown comes in. The Auburn football team has officially become the latest to extend an offer to the 5-star linebacker, who now has 21 offers in hand, according to 247Sports. The high school sophomore has already been given a crystal ball projection, as well, with all experts picking Notre Dame.

Bowen is the No. 1 linebacker in the recruiting class of 2023, in addition to being ranked as the best player out of the state of Indiana. As a sophomore in 2020, Bowen racked up 80 tackles including 13 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Owen Pappoe was a 5-star recruit out of high school, and it’s possible that Bryan Harsin and his coaching staff are on the hunt for the Tigers’ next big 5-star linebacker.