The Auburn Tigers are behind the 8-ball along the edge defensively, with uncertainty surrounding the team's ability to penetrate the pocket from the outside and get to the quarterback after mass roster turnover.
As AL.com's Peter Rauterkus notes, the Tigers lost key pieces but haven't replenished the ranks with trustworthy transfers. Rauterkus believes DJ Durkin, Vontrell King-Williams, and Co. will need to rely on breakouts from young players to be satisfied with the DE room.
"The Tigers added production the portal, but the biggest question may be whether or not this team has a consistent pass rusher," Rauterkus wrote. "Missouri transfer Nate Johnson and Ole Miss transfer Da’Shawn Womack both come from other SEC programs, but neither posted eye popping numbers in 2025. Chris Murray is also back, but he was mostly a backup for the Tigers last season.
"Auburn’s young edge rushers may be the most exciting players on the defensive line. Jared Smith was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and may be primed for a breakout season in 2026. JJ Faulk and Joe Phillips have also yet to contribute much at Auburn, but now may be their chance to create bigger roles for themselves. Generating pressure could be a concern for Auburn going into 2026."
With new head coach Alex Golesh needing to focus on rebuilding the offense from scratch, and Hugh Freeze's promised payouts no longer available to several recruits and Tigers from last year's team, the defense may have been underrecruited somewhat in the portal. On paper, at least.
Luckily, there is one way Auburn can come up with a solution that comes from the top down.
Auburn hoping culture can fuel offense and defense this season
Golesh is focusing on establishing a culture of accountability and toughness on the Plains. If his message works, and he works well with Durkin and the defensive staff, the Tigers' defensive front may get swept up by the energy on gameday and want to make big plays for their teammates.
Top recruiting classes don't always directly translate to success. On the flipside, underwhelming classes on paper can come alive with the right coaching staff. Curt Cignetti's Indiana Hoosiers say hello.
If things are working at the top, it'll trickle down the depth chart from Byrum Brown to the very last walk-on playing special teams. Golesh deeply cares about what his process looks like, so let's hope that works better than the last guy, who couldn't give a damn.