The Auburn Tigers have lost their first player due to opt-out.
Standout cornerback [autotag]D.J James[/autotag] has decided to withdraw from the Music City Bowl against Maryland to focus on the upcoming NFL Draft.
The senior has played his final game as a Tiger but has accepted an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he will join teammates [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] for the game in February.
James is coming off a signature season for the Tigers in which he earned an 83.8 PFF coverage grade. That grade was good enough for ninth in all of FBS.
After transferring from Oregon to Auburn in 2022, James tallied 75 total tackles for the Tigers, intercepting 3 passes and officially defending 17 passes.
He was a major reason [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag]’s team is bowl-eligible this season, as himself and safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] led an Auburn secondary that finished 33rd in FBS in opponent passing yards per game (206.9)
Auburn’s top coverage corner is likely a Day 2 Draft pick according to most sources. While he likely won’t be selected as high as former teammate and 2022 Tennessee Titans draft pick [autotag]Roger McCreary[/autotag], James has should join McCreary, [autotag]Jamel Dean[/autotag], [autotag]Carlton Davis[/autotag], and [autotag]Jonathan Jones[/autotag], as former Tiger cornerbacks playing large roles in the NFL.
NFLDraftBuzz.com has James slotted as the No. 17 cornerback on their draft board, while Pro Football Network ranks the senior just inside of their top 60 overall.
While many people may remember James’ time as a Tiger unfairly due to his final play with the team, he was undoubtedly the best cornerback on the roster during his time with the team and arguably their best player.
Auburn will miss him dearly when they take on a pass-heavy Maryland attack led by Taulia Tagovailoa, the brother of former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
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