Auburn is already getting some preseason recognition before Alex Golesh even coaches his first game on the Plains.
With SEC Media Days still less than two weeks away, Athlon Sports rolled out its preseason All-SEC teams this week, and four Auburn players landed on the list as the Tigers head toward the 2026 season.
The biggest name on the Auburn side is linebacker Xavier Atkins, whose first year as a real college contributor turned into a breakout. Atkins piled up 84 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season.
Thirteen of those tackles for loss came in SEC games, the most in the league. His tackle total and sack total also ranked third in the SEC in 2025.
Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant earned first-team honors from Athlon after a 2025 season in which he started only two games but still made his presence felt all over the field. He finished with 16 tackles, three pass deflections and two interceptions, including one he took back for a touchdown. Pleasant also delivered in the return game, bringing back a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in Auburn’s season-opening win over Baylor.
Running back Jeremiah Cobb is another Auburn player to watch heading into the fall. He came up 31 yards short of 1,000 last season, but still posted five 100-yard games, with three of them coming in SEC play.
Cobb is set to be the day one starter in the backfield this year and will lead a deep Tigers running back group. Athlon placed him on its fourth team.
The fourth Auburn player recognized by Athlon was a transfer with a different path to the SEC. The Auburn transfer began his college career at Division II West Alabama, spent three seasons there, then moved on to Arkansas State for the 2025 season. He was named second team All-Sun Belt after finishing with 35 tackles, seven tackles for loss and five sacks for the Red Wolves.
In Other News...
Charles Barkley Keeps Making Auburn Proud On Every Stage
Charles Barkley was back on a familiar summer stage at the 2026 American Century Championship, and the Auburn legend once again gave fans a reason to keep watching. He finished 62nd in the 90-person field, a result that fit the long-running appeal of Barkleys golf appearances: he is still competitive, still entertaining and still drawing attention well beyond the leaderboard.
Barkley also made clear he knows plenty of people had a little extra interest in how he would fare. He said he appreciates those betting on him and believes his game is getting better, while fellow competitor John Smoltz offered a strong endorsement of the progress Barkley has made over the years. For Auburn fans, it is another reminder that Barkley keeps representing the school with the same mix of personality and persistence that has defined him for decades. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Has Another Young Defensive Lineman Fans Will Be Watching Closely
Jourdin Crawford arrived at Auburn with the kind of rsum that makes people notice before he ever takes a college snap. The Birmingham native was a productive high school player and a four-star recruit, and even after a quiet freshman season, the sophomore defensive lineman still stands out because of the size and power he brings to the middle of the defense. Auburn has plenty of interior options to sort through, but Crawford gives the Tigers a different look when he is on the field.
His first year offered only a small glimpse of what he might become, and now the focus shifts to how much more he can handle in 2026. Crawford is aiming for a bigger role alongside the other interior linemen, and he sounds confident that he can help the Tigers in a meaningful way. For a defense always looking for more disruption up front, he is one of those young players worth tracking closely as camp and the season move forward. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Infielder Chris Rembert Just Heard His Name Called Early
Chris Remberts wait ended sooner than plenty of draft followers around Auburn might have expected, as the infielder came off the board early in the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia. For a program that keeps producing pro talent, it was another reminder that Auburn infielders continue to draw attention when the draft room starts moving.
Rembert was taken in the second round at No. 51, a spot that speaks to how strongly he was viewed in the class. The selection also fits into the larger recent history around Auburn draft picks, where the Tigers have continued to stack up names that hear theirs called well before the later rounds. [Read more 🡒]