Auburn football: Pair of cornerbacks returning for 2023

The Auburn football program will be losing several key players to the NFL Draft this year. Most notably, star running back Tank Bigsby has declared for the draft, but also important factors on the defense like Derick Hall, Eku Leota, Owen Pappoe, and Colby Wooden.

However, it was announced over the New Year’s holidays that the Tigers expect to return two impact cornerbacks for the 2023 season in Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James.

Pritchett, a senior out of Jackson, AL, finished up his fourth season with Auburn football in 2022 and is planning to use his COVID year of eligibility to play again in 2023. Throughout his career on the Plains, Pritchett has racked up a total of 63 solo tackles and 30 assisted tackles over 93 games. He also recorded one sack, one forced fumble, and two interceptions.

Also returning for one more season is former Oregon Duck DJ James, who transferred into the program under Bryan Harsin last year. The Mobile, AL, native played three seasons in Eugene before transferring back to his home state alongside Robby Ashford and Jayson Jones.

During his only season with Auburn football, James logged 25 solo tackles and 12 assisted tackles for a total of 37, as well as one interception and eight pass breakups. He will use his COVID year of eligibility to return in 2023.

Both cornerbacks will turn down their senior bowl invites and return to the Plains, remaining in the secondary group alongside Jaylin Simpson, Donovan Kaufman, and Keionte Scott.

In a year that is requiring a lot of recruiting and transfer portal work to fill in the roster, returning two key starters on the defense is a big deal for new head coach Hugh Freeze in his first year at the helm of the Auburn football program. Though there is still much work to be done, the 2023 team is starting to shape up nicely.