Jayson Jones – Syndication Server

Five Tigers receive invites to NFL Combine

Four Auburn seniors and one junior defensive lineman have been invited to compete in the upcoming NFL Combine.

Five Auburn Tigers have received an invitation to the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Defensive backs [autotag]D.J. James[/autotag], [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] along with defensive linemen [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] will perform in front of NFL scouts and coaches during the final week of February.

The senior Harris and junior Rogers will compete with other defensive linemen and linebackers in individual drills on Thursday, February 29, while the trio of senior defensive backs will take the field a day later on Friday, March 1.

Harris and Simpson were the clear stars of a solid Auburn defense last season and could play their way into the early Day 2 conversation, while DJ James seems like a lock to be drafted sometime between the third and fourth rounds.

Senior [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] should be a lock for the third or fourth round as well, although his injury history could sway some teams in other directions.

Auburn’s most intriguing prospect is junior Justin Rogers. The Kentucky transfer collected 17 tackles and 1 sack in his lone year on the Plains but profiles as a late 5th-round pick because of his large 6-foot-3, 346-pound frame and quickness from the interior line.

If all five Tigers competing in the combine get drafted, it would tie the 2023s class as the most Auburn alumni picked in the draft since 2020.

There is a possibility that non-combine invitees [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag] hear their names called on Day three as well. If that were the case, Auburn’s seven draft day selections would be the most since 1989.

Full list of Auburn players invited to the 2024 NFL Combine

Marcus Harris
Justin Rogers
DJ James
Nehemiah Pritchett
Jaylin Simpson https://t.co/gobe8D7N1m

— Matt Cohen (@Matt_Cohen_) February 13, 2024

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter @TheRealBHauch

Auburn shakes up depth chart for Week 9 matchup with Mississippi State

Austin Keys and Keionte Scott are back as starters after returning last week from injury.

Auburn returned two starters on defense last week and they are now back in the starting lineup ahead of Auburn’s Week 9 game against Mississippi State.

[autotag]Keionte Scott[/autotag] missed three games after undergoing ankle surgery but couldn’t be kept off the field against Ole Miss. He played 71 snaps and made five tackles and defended two passes and is back as the starting star cornerback.

Middle linebacker [autotag]Austin Keys[/autotag] also made his return after missing five games, playing 26 snaps and making four tackles. He and [autotag]Larry Nixon III[/autotag] are both listed as the starting middle linebacker for Mississippi State, separated by an OR

There was another change along the defense with [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] now listed as the starting nose tackle after backing up [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] all season, Jones is now the backup.

Rogers actually started against Ole Miss and played a season-high 42 snaps. He made the most of his opportunity, making four tackles, including one for a loss.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Co. also tweaked the offensive depth chart, [autotag]Jeremiah Wright[/autotag] is now listed as a backup right guard with [autotag]Jalil Irvin[/autotag]. Wright was previously listed as the backup right tackle but has been replaced by [autotag]Jaden Muskrat[/autotag].

Here is a look at the complete depth chart.

Jim Nagy predicts Jaylin Simpson to ‘blow up’ at NFL combine

The Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl is impressed with Jaylin Simpson’s performance through three games.

Auburn safety [autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] has made his presence known to opposing offenses through three games.

He has hauled in three interceptions, which is the most in that span since [autotag]Jerraud Powers[/autotag] reeled in three in three games in 2007. He is also one of the highest-graded defensive players on the Tigers’ roster with an 80.1 overall grade by Pro Football Focus.

He is already generating plenty of NFL buzz and has caught the attention of Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy.

In a recent interview with On3, Nagy mentioned the athleticism of Simpson by pointing out that he can dunk a basketball despite being 5-feet-11. Matching that with his on-field presence, Simpson could make a splash at next year’s NFL combine.

“So you’re talking about a guy that’s gonna blow up the combine. You see the range,” Nagy said in an interview with On3’s Andy Staples. “He’s got true centerfield skills, and probably athletic enough to play some nickel. I think that’s what a lot of teams right now are looking for, that nickel/free type of player, and they’ve got so many good ones.”

Simpson is having a wonderful season to this point, but Nagy says that the combination of Simpson with linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] is a lethal one for the Auburn defense.

“You add Simpson into the mix and Eugene Asante at linebacker, I watched him the other day. Unbelievable against Cal, and to think that he was on the bench last year and on the scout team, crazy to think because they had Owen Pappoe a year ago as an off-the-ball linebacker who was the fastest guy at last year’s combine,” Nagy said. “Eugene Asante is every bit as fast on tape and he’s a more natural football player than Owen Pappoe was and this guy didn’t even play, wasn’t even on our watch list.”

Outside of those two players, Nagy says that he is intrigued by defensive backs [autotag]Nehemiah Pritchett[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ James[/autotag], as well as transfers [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

The key to stopping UMass runs through Auburn’s defensive line

Auburn must slow down UMass QB Taisun Phommachanh, who played a “comfortable” game against New Mexico State, on Saturday.

UMass named Taisun Phommachanh its starting quarterback ahead of the Minutemen’s season-opener against New Mexico State.

The decision by UMass head coach Don Brown proved to be wise, as the former Georgia Tech and Clemson quarterback passed for 192 yards and rushed for an additional 96 yards in the 41-30 victory over the Aggies last Saturday.

Brown told the media Monday that they are pleased with Phommachanh, and hope to continue using packages that make him comfortable.

“We tried to give [Phommachanh] some plays that he’s very comfortable with,” Brown said Monday. “We’re really comfortable with him. (Offensive coordinator Steve) Casula has done a good job preparing him, and I thought that bared out.”

Phommachanh has Power Five experience but did not see much action during his time at Clemson and Georgia Tech. That is one advantage that Auburn has on the UMass quarterback, as the Tiger defense is primed to battle the best offenses in the country.

This weekend, Auburn sends two returning starters to the defensive line, [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag]. Jones, the Tigers’ starting defensive tackle, missed just one tackle in 370 snaps. As for Harris, he created 15 pressures last season.

Two exciting transfers will fill out the defensive line. Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]Elijah McAllister[/autotag] will get the start at jack linebacker after recording seven total pressures last season in Nashville.

The most exciting starter for the UMass game is [autotag]Mosiah Nasili-Kite[/autotag]. Kite, who is the SEC’s most underrated transfer according to Mike Farrell Sports, made 26 tackles last season and created 16 pressures with two sacks at Maryland in 2022.

It is not a given, but it is almost a lock that Auburn will earn its first win of the 2023 season on Saturday against UMass. In order to guarantee a win, the defensive line will need to be relentless in their effort to make Phommachanh uncomfortable all game long.

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Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 52 Justin Rogers

He brings SEC experience and upside to Auburn’s defensive line.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is transfer defensive lineman [autotag]Justin Rogers[/autotag]. One of Auburn’s top pickups through the portal, he brings experience and upside to the interior of the defensive line.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Detroit, Michigan

Height: 6-3

Weight: 346

Previous School: Kentucky

Class in 2023: Junior

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 1 in Michiagn / No. 7 DT

Career Stats

Year	G	Tackles	TFLs	Sacks	PDs	FFs
2020 (Kentucky)	7	9	1.0	1.0	0	0
2021 (Kentucky)	12	16	2.5	1.5	0	0
2022 (Kentucky)	12	35	1.5	0.5	0	0

Depth Chart Overview

Rogers was mostly a nose tackle in his three seasons at Kentucky but with Auburn also having [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag], the two will both see some time at tackle when they are on the field together. The two massive linemen will look to clog up the interior of the field when Auburn is looking to stop the run.

One area that Rogers is looking to improve in is his ability to force negative play, he has made 5.0 tackles for loss in his career, if he can increase that number it will make a huge difference for Auburn’s defense.

Justin Rogers’ Photo Gallery

Tigers defensive line praised in new list

This Auburn defensive line could give teams nightmares in 2022.

Teams may have some trouble with Auburn in the trenches when the season begins this September.

A new list from On3 laid out their top-12 defensive lines in the NCAA before the start of the season, and Tigers fans may be pleased to hear that Auburn made the list at No. 10. Here is what writer Mike Huguenin had to say about the Tigers’ defensive line:

The Tigers lost a lot of depth pieces along the line, but the starting group is quite good and, barring injury, there still should be enough depth. Hall is a big-time pass rusher. Wooden is the group’s star. Jones, an Oregon transfer who is an Alabama native, is a big body (6-6, 330) in the middle.

Both [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] have gotten quite the press over the offseason, and the duo will look to back up the praise and perhaps improve their NFL draft stock when the Tigers hit the gridiron to start the year. Oregon transfer [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] should not be overlooked either, however, and the Alabama product is likely to show out for his home state with the firepower on either side of him in 2022.

Auburn will play its first game on Sept. 3 when it squares off against the Mercer Bears at home.

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2022 Auburn football preview: Defensive Line

Auburn’s defensive line is full of talented players and should be fun to watch.

Despite a massive amount of turnover this offseason, the defensive line group is one of the deepest groups on the roster and has a chance to lead the entire defense.

New position coach [autotag]Jimmy Brumbaugh[/autotag] has a great problem on his hand with too many talented players to start them all.

The group is led by defensive end [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], both are returning starters and will be key contributors for the defense. They are backed up by a group that features several returning contributors and multiple newcomers who have a chance to make an impact right away.

One of those is [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag], who transferred from Oregon and looks like an ideal fit in the middle of the defense. Another noteworthy newcomer is [autotag]Jeffrey M’Ba[/autotag] the No. 1 overall JUCO player from last year’s signing class and could become a great player as he gets more experience.

Wide Receiver Preview

Tight End Preview

Running Back Preview

Offensive Line Preview

Quarterback Preview

Edge Preview

Colby Wooden has high confidence in Auburn’s defense

Auburn defensive end Colby Wooden believes that Auburn’s defense could be the best in the SEC this season.

Auburn junior defensive end [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], like every member of the 2022 roster, has seen the lack of confidence that the media has in Auburn, as they voted the Tigers to finish last in the SEC West during SEC Media Days last month.

“We aren’t going to say too much about it, and we are going to handle it on the field,” Wooden said during a recent interview with Auburn Undercover. “I can definitely say the camaraderie and brotherhood definitely got better this offseason dealing with everything we have dealt with. We are ready to show that.”

The locker room seems to be more invested in head coach Bryan Harsin as he begins year two on the Plains, which looks to translate to the field. Wooden says that Auburn’s defense could be the best in the conference, and says that they have the units to confirm the claim.

“We have me and [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag] returning. We added a big presence with [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag] (transfer from Oregon). We have [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Eku Leota[/autotag] coming off the edge, two very good pass rushers,” Wooden says. “I don’t see why we can’t the best and most dominant SEC group.”

Wooden enters his fourth season on the Plains in 2022, carrying 107 total tackles with him. He comes into 2022 as the team’s leading returning tackler, as he made 61 stops, 8.5 being for loss. He was fourth on Auburn’s defensive leaderboard behind [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag], [autotag]Chandler Wooten[/autotag], and [autotag]Smoke Monday[/autotag].

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Auburn set to host experienced Pac-12 transfer for visit

Auburn is hosting an experienced veteran defensive lineman from UCLA on a visit on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live reported that the Tigers will be hosting UCLA defensive lineman transfer Odua Isibor. His visit is set to begin on Thursday on the Plains.

If there is one word to describe Isibor, it is experienced. The native of Phoenix, Arizona spent a total of five years in Westwood. His career with the Bruins began in 2017. This was ultimately the lone year where he didn’t play exclusively.

As a freshman, he would redshirt. After the 2017 season ended, he would go on to play in 42 of the next 43 games that the Bruins played. Over the course of his final four seasons, he accumulated 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Although his stats may not seem too glaring, he still had 14 starts as a Bruin. Ten of those starts came at outside linebacker, while the other four came on the defensive line. It goes to show that Isibor is very versatile. The coaching staff could use him in different roles whether it be off the edge or along with the interior.

He was projected to be a starter on the defensive front for Chip Kelly in his final year of eligibility. In a turn of events, he will now utilize his sixth and final year of eligibility elsewhere. His mentality on the field and in the locker room should not be taken lightly. I look for the Tigers to make him a priority regardless of what his role may be for Bryan Harsin’s team.

The Tigers will return several key pieces along their defensive front. Several of those being [autotag]Derrick Hall[/autotag], [autotag]Colby Wooden[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Harris[/autotag], and [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag]. However, they also brought in Oregon transfer [autotag]Jayson Jones[/autotag]. It is unclear as to what the Tigers’ plans may be for Isibor if he were to commit.

However, it is crucial to have depth along the defensive line, especially in one of the tougher conferences in all of college football — SEC. A veteran and experienced transfer like Isibor is something the coaching staff and Auburn faithful would appreciate. This will be something to keep an eye on closely as he makes the trip to the Plains for his visit.

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Spring Football Preview: Projecting the defensive line

This group needs to develop depth quickly.

Auburn was due for some attrition along the defensive line.

The Tigers had to many talented players for everyone to get enough playing time and when Nick Eason left for Clemson it only worsened the situation.

But losing six players to the transfer portal was unexpected and has thinned out Auburn’s depth.

The Tigers return their top defensive lineman in Colby Wooden and quality starter in Marcus Harris. Marquis Burks gives them another experienced player they will lean on.

After those four, Auburn has several promising players who have yet to carve out roles for themselves and are now in line for serious playing time.

Here is a look at the group.