Tag: colby wooden

Roc Bellantoni set to re-join Auburn coaching staff

Hugh Freeze’s latest hire has previous experience with the program.

Auburn Football has called upon an old friend to fill the EDGE coach vacancy.

[autotag]Roc Bellantoni[/autotag], who served as EDGE coach and special teams coordinator under [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] during the 2022 season, is heading back to the Plains after a two-year stint with Tom Herman’s staff at Florida Atlantic. On3’s Justin Hokanson reported this news.

He joined Auburn’s staff in 2022 after serving as special teams coordinator at Utah State. He has also coached at Washington State, Buffalo, Villanova, and Eastern Illinois. Bellantoni spent the last two seasons as FAU’s defensive coordinator. Last season, FAU finished No. 10 in the American Athletic Conference in points allowed (30.3) and No. 9 in yards allowed per game (416.7).

During the 2022 season, Bellantoni coached [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], who would become the defense’s top pass rushers. The duo ended the season in the top two in pressures created. Hall led the team with 47 pressures (28 quarterback hurries), and Wooden was next in line with 35 pressures (24 quarterback hurries). Both players were taken in the top four rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.

Similar success is possible for Bellantoni in his second stint as Auburn’s EDGE coach. [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] returns to the unit after making 81 stops with eight sacks and a forced fumble during his first two seasons on the Plains. Freshmen [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] had great first seasons and will be key players on defense again this season.

The future at the position is bright as well. Five-star freshman [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] is set to join the program in the fall, and Auburn also added former Sam Houston EDGE rusher [autotag]Chris Murray[/autotag] from the transfer portal to add depth.

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Packers DL Colby Wooden gets stronger, adds 15 pounds during offseason

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Colby Wooden knew he needed to get bigger and stronger to survive up front in the NFL, so the 2023 fourth-round pick went to work this offseason and eventually added 15 pounds. 

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Colby Wooden knew he needed to get bigger and stronger to survive up front in the NFL, so the 2023 fourth-round pick went to work this offseason and eventually added 15 pounds.

Listed at 273 at the combine and 278 pounds as a rookie, Wooden is now up over 290 — and as heavy as 293. He hopes the extra weight and strength will produce a second-year leap.

“Being light down there, they’ll definitely circle you out and highlight you,” Wooden told Bill Huber of SI.com. “I definitely needed to get stronger. It’s a grown-man world down there. I just needed to get stronger.”

Wooden played both on the edge and inside at Auburn. The Packers moved him almost exclusively to the interior as a rookie, and the results were mixed. He produced 11 pressures and 12 stops across over 250 defensive snaps, per PFF, but he struggled to hold up against the run and faded as a pass-rusher late. By the end of the season, Wooden was being out-snapped and out-played by Karl Brooks, a sixth-round pick.

Although the Packers think Wooden can play some on the edge in the new 4-3 defensive front under Jeff Hafley, most of his work is expected to be inside again.

Attacking the weight room allowed Wooden to get bigger and stronger in advance of Year 2.

“He has put on a few lbs,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think that’ll do him well, especially with some of the things we’re going to ask him to do. But he’s looked great up to this point.”

Wooden will rotate in and out with Kenny Clark, TJ Slaton, Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks at defensive tackle for Hafley and the Packers in 2024. It’s a potentially loaded position on the roster. And now, after Wooden’s weight gain, a little bit heavier.

Auburn in the NFL: Week 18 Recap

Auburn alumni showed out in NFL Week 18

The NFL regular season has come to an end.

With it, many Auburn alumni have packed their bags and begun their offseason.

Still, we say many Tigers make headlines in the final week of the regular season, with some Auburn alumni helping their squads qualify for the playoffs.

Panthers defensive tackle [autotag]Derrick Brown[/autotag] set an NFL record, [autotag]Carlton Davis[/autotag], [autotag]Jamel Dean[/autotag], and KJ Britt helped the Bucs clinch the NFC South, [autotag]Anders Carlson[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] are heading to the postseason as rookies, and [autotag]Braden Smith[/autotag]’s Colts lost a heartbreaker to the Texans.

Here is a look at several headlines from Week 18 that feature Auburn’s top NFL players.

Auburn in the NFL: Week 15 Recap

Auburn alumni were busy fighting for playoff spots in NFL Week 15

The NFL regular season is over in less than one month, meaning many Auburn alumni are either gearing up for a playoff run or preparing for a vacation in Cancun.

As we do every week, Auburn Wire will take a look at some of the most notable performances from Auburn Alumni across the League.

Auburn Alumni were busy again in Week 15.

Former Tigers [autotag]K.J Britt[/autotag] and [autotag]Jamel Dean[/autotag] got the best of [autotag]Anders Carlson[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], [autotag]Darius Slayton[/autotag] surpassed 60 receiving yards for the fourth time this season, [autotag]Marlon Davidson[/autotag] recorded his first sack of the season, and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag]’s Seahawks upset [autotag]Jack Driscoll[/autotag]’s Eagles.

Here is a look at several headlines from Week 15 that feature Auburn’s top NFL players.

Tight end Luke Deal announces return to Auburn football

Deal says that “unfinished business” is the reason that he is coming back to Auburn for a sixth season.

One of Auburn’s most experienced offensive players has announced that he will return to the program for the 2024 season.

[autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag], a former three-star tight end from the 2019 recruiting cycle, revealed Thursday that he will return to Auburn next season for his sixth season of eligibility.

Deal spoke with Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover shortly after announcing his decision. He tells Caldwell that he is strong enough to play for another season and is excited to see the progress that the team is expected to make. He also wants to take care of some “unfinished business” before he departs from the program.

“There’s a couple of games, the Georgia game and Alabama game, but especially the Bama game. That will stick in my mind for 364 days,” Deal said in an interview with Auburn Undercover. “That’s something I can’t quite let go yet. My wife and I are here and we love it here. I’m blessed with another year of eligibility. I’m ready to lead this team next year. We’re going to have some serious dudes and we’re going to win some serious ballgames next year.”

His return makes him one of Auburn’s most experienced players. Since arriving in 2019, he has been involved in 1,302 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He has also participated in 52 games with 16 starts over the last five seasons.

He was a part of Auburn’s 2019 class that was ranked No. 13 according to 247Sports. [autotag]Zion Puckett[/autotag], [autotag]Ja’varrius Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag], [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Fromm[/autotag], and [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] join Deal as members of the class who are still on Auburn’s roster. The class was headlined by linebackers [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag] and [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], as well as former Auburn quarterback [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag].

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Auburn in the NFL: Week 4 Recap

Touchdowns, field goals, and defensive storylines defined Auburn Alumni in NFL Week 4.

Each week throughout the NFL season, Auburn Wire will take a look at some of the most notable performances from Auburn Alumni across the League.

It was a busy week for former Tigers filled with touchdowns, notable performances, and highlights.

Here is a look at several week four headlines from Auburn’s top NFL players.

Packers rookie class makes profound impact in Week 1 victory

The Packers got big impact from the 2023 rookie class during their Week 1 win over the Bears.

You never get a second chance to make first impressions, and the Green Bay Packers’ 2023 draft class left a mark during their first action on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

“I was really proud of our young guys,” head coach Matt LaFleuer said following the game. “I’m not quite sure how many rookies we had out there today, but there were a lot of them…That rookie class has got just, they love ball.”

Lukas Van Ness, Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed, Anders Carlson, Colby Wooden, and Karl Brooks all made an impact during Green Bay’s 38-20 victory against the Bears on Sunday.

Van Ness, the 13th overall pick showed off the athleticism that made him a Top 15 pick when he chased down Justin Fields for his first career sack on second down near the goalline that helped keep the Bears out of the endzone. To go along with his first career sack, Van Ness logged five pressures on 35 snaps.

Luke Musgrave, the 42nd overall pick reeled in three receptions for 50 yards. Musgrave also had a key block on an Aaron Jones third down run that kept Green Bay’s opening drive alive. His stumbling 37-yard catch in the fourth quarter set up a touchdown. 

Jayden Reed, the 50th overall pick made an impact on offense and special teams. The dynamic wide receiver caught two passes for 48 yards. On special teams, Reed had a 35-yard punt return in the third quarter that set the Packers up at Chicago’s 42-yard line. The Packers scored four plays later on a touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Aaron Jones to go up 24-6.

Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks, a pair of day three defensive linemen combined to play 65 snaps. The duo recorded seven pressures (four for Wooden, three for Brooks) and one sack (Brooks). 

Anders Carlson, the 207th overall pick was perfect in his pro debut. The Auburn kicker made his lone field goal attempt and went 5-5 on extra point attempts. The rookie kicker drilled a 52-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to put the Packers up 10-6 at the break.

Rookie of the Game

After a turbulent training camp and preseason, it was great to see Carlson put together a perfect afternoon on the road at Soldier Field. His 52-yard field goal right before halftime would have been good from 60-yards.

There are bound to be bumps in the road during his rookie season, but a perfect start to the season will go a long way for Carlson’s confidence moving forward. 

Keldrick Faulk is set to make an impact this season

It will be difficult for defensive coordinator Ron Roberts to keep the true freshman off the field this fall.

After the departure of [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] to the NFL, Hugh Freeze knew that he needed to bring in experienced players from the transfer portal to fill those roles.

He did so by snagging [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag], [autotag]Stephen Sings[/autotag], and [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag]. There is zero doubt that their combined experience will be beneficial to the defense, but there is a true freshman in the mix that is poised to be a valuable player for the unit.

Freshman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] almost went another direction with his recruitment, as he flipped to Auburn just before signing day. Since then, he has proven to be worthy of the flip. He has worked just as hard in the field as he has in the weight room, and it has caused defensive coordinator Ron Roberts to place him in a new spot.

“He played Jack most of the spring. A lot of our four-down stuff, it’s the same thing,” Roberts said. “So he was doing it half the dag-gum time, so we moved him to end. He’s 290 pounds by the summertime, so he’s kind of filled that spot. He’s in there fighting for the job. I don’t know how it’s going to pan out the next couple of weeks, but he’s going to be an impact player for us this season.”

That says plenty about what kind of player Faulk can be. Sure, the Tigers’ depth chart is filled with plenty of transfers, but Faulk’s quick development could be a great sign of what is to come from the coaching staff.

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A look at Auburn’s top NFL draft prospects ahead of the 2023 season

Here’s a look at the five Auburn players who have the best chance of hearing their names called during the 2024 NFL draft.

After a disappointing 2022 NFL draft that only saw one player selected, Auburn had better luck in the 2023 edition with five players ultimately hearing their names called.

In a draft headlined by defensive talent, [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] kicked off the draft for Auburn by being selected No. 37 overall by the Seattle Seahawks. Fellow defensive players [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag] were selected in rounds No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The lone offensive player to be taken was premier back [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag], who was selected No. 88 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, with kicker [autotag]Anders Carlson[/autotag] rounding out the draft by being drafted in the sixth round by the Green Bay Packers.

What could the 2024 NFL draft look like for the Auburn Tigers? Ric Serritella of NFL Draft Bible shared his top five Tigers that have the best chance to be selected in next year’s draft with Lindy’s Sports.

Based on his picks, Auburn’s haul to the NFL draft will once again be defensive-heavy. Here’s a look at Auburn’s top five NFL draft prospects heading into the 2023 season according to Ric Serritella.

Who are Auburn’s top defensive players according to Pro Football Focus?

Expect Auburn’s secondary to be filled with plenty of experience in 2023.

Looking ahead to what Auburn’s defense could look like in 2023, it is clear that the Tigers will be heavily experienced in the secondary.

Auburn’s front seven needed the most attention following the departures of [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag], [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag], and [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] to the NFL. Auburn also lost [autotag]Jeffrey M’Ba[/autotag] and [autotag]Dylan Brooks[/autotag], two players that were expected to fill those roles, to the transfer portal.

Auburn added players such as Elijah McAllister, Jalen McLeod, and Justin Rogers to play key roles in the front seven, but Auburn’s secondary will be filled with homegrown talent.

Players such as D.J. James, Nehemiah Pritchett, and Keionte Scott return to Auburn’s secondary. They should take a step forward and capitalize on last season’s performances in 2023.

Auburn fans can expect the aforementioned names to have solid seasons based on Pro Football Focus data.

From solid pass rushers to those who give opposing receivers fits, here’s a look at Auburn’s top defensive players ahead of the 2023 season based on last season’s PFF grade.