Auburn’s defense is going to look a lot different next season-and not just because of scheme or coaching tweaks. Another key piece is heading out the door.
Starting inside linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. has officially announced he’s entering the transfer portal, joining fellow defensive starters Jay Crawford and Malik Blocton in seeking new opportunities. That makes three significant departures from a unit that showed flashes of real potential in 2025.
Woodyard’s exit is a notable one. After spending his first three seasons buried on the depth chart, the Mobile native finally broke through in 2025, becoming a consistent presence alongside standout linebacker Xavier Atkins.
Woodyard started 11 of Auburn’s 12 games this season and finished as the team’s second-leading tackler. His stat line-67 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two sacks-reflects both his physicality and his knack for finding the football.
But it wasn’t just the counting stats that told the story. Auburn’s defense quietly put together one of the better run-stopping efforts in the SEC this year, finishing the regular season ranked 12th nationally in fewest rushing yards allowed per game.
Woodyard was a big part of that. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned an 88.9 run defense grade-good for fourth-best in the entire conference.
That’s not just solid; that’s elite.
While Auburn is retaining defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and keeping hold of Atkins, Woodyard’s departure leaves a clear void in the middle of the defense. His experience, production, and physicality will be tough to replace.
As of now, 22 Auburn players are expected to enter the transfer portal when it officially opens on January 2. The portal remains open until January 16, giving players a two-week window to find their next stop-and giving Auburn a chance to regroup, reload, and retool a defense that’s suddenly in transition.