Auburn’s plan for 2026 has been out in the open since Alex Golesh’s first press conference on the Plains: run the ball, and run it first. That kind of offense only works if the backfield can carry real weight, and one national analyst thinks the Tigers are well equipped for it.
Phil Steele’s latest ranking of college football’s running back rooms puts Auburn at No. 14 in the country. The list is headed by Mizzou, Texas, Louisville, Miami, Florida, Georgia, Texas Tech, Oregon, USC, Florida St., Ohio St., Boise St., Michigan, Auburn and Ole Miss.
What makes Auburn’s spot notable is that Steele’s ranking does not even include Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ top rusher from 2025 and the only player on the roster this season who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year.
Even without Brown, Auburn has a deep group. Jeremiah Cobb is the name at the top of the board after a senior season in which he ran for 969 yards and five touchdowns. Behind him, though, the picture is still being sorted out, and it is not yet clear who will open the year as the Tigers’ RB2.
Bryson Washington entered the offseason as the popular choice for that role after transferring in from Baylor. He rushed for 788 yards and six touchdowns in a limited 2025 season there, but injury and fitness concerns have clouded his place on the depth chart. Still, he has been trending in the right direction lately.
Washington is not the only contender pushing for snaps. Omar Mabson, a sophomore who has not logged a major workload yet at Auburn, has drawn attention all offseason for the tools he brings to the table, even if he ultimately lands behind Washington.
There is also a familiar Golesh connection in the mix. Nykahi Davenport, a sophomore and former USF back, is trying to carry over what he did as the Bulls’ RB1. As a true freshman, he rushed for 612 yards and seven touchdowns, giving Auburn another legitimate depth option in a room that already looks crowded.
Troy transfer Tae Meadows, a senior, and sophomore Alvin Henderson are also waiting for their chances, though neither appears likely to challenge for a starting job this season.
The biggest variable around the group may not be the backs at all. Auburn’s offensive line will likely determine whether this room can flourish or get bottled up, depending on how the unit comes together over the stretch run.
In Other News...
Auburn Just Showed How Far Its Willing To Go For Golesh
Auburn did more than simply hire Alex Golesh. It committed to him with a six-year deal that puts his annual compensation at $6.75 million, a package split between direct salary and payments to his LLC and rounded out with the kinds of benefits that usually signal a school is making a major investment in its coach. The agreement also includes an automobile allowance, club memberships, moving expenses and ticket allocations, plus performance incentives tied to regular-season wins.
The contract details make clear Auburn wanted structure as much as commitment, with buyout language that spells out what would be owed if the relationship ends at different points along the way. That kind of language is standard in big coaching deals, but the level of specificity around Goleshs contract shows just how carefully Auburn is trying to protect its side of the bargain while also making sure the coach knows exactly what the school is promising in return. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Got Pulled Into A Messy SEC Eligibility Fight
The latest eligibility fight in college sports has started to ripple well beyond the schools directly involved, and Auburn has now been drawn into the conversation as the SEC keeps absorbing the fallout. The issue centers on recent rulings that have changed how fifth-year eligibility is handled, a shift that has already influenced player movement and raised fresh questions about roster building and competitive balance across the conference.
Diana Florence, the lawyer involved in the Colorado 5 in 5 case, has been gathering statements from student-athletes affected by those decisions, while Oregon coach Dan Lanning has already gone public with his criticism of the new rules. His concerns about fairness to current players and the sports integrity underscore why this dispute is becoming so much bigger than a technical eligibility argument, especially for SEC teams trying to manage a constantly changing personnel picture. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Defensive Pecking Order Is Finally Starting To Take Shape
As Auburn wraps up preseason camp under new head coach Alex Golesh, the defensive picture is becoming clearer after a couple of scrimmages helped sort out who is handling the first-team work and who is pushing from behind. The Tigers have spent August trying to build a reliable two-deep across the front, at linebacker and in the secondary, and the early read from camp is that experience and steady practice showings are starting to matter as much as raw talent.
There are still a few spots where the competition is alive, but the broader shape of the defense is beginning to emerge. Auburn is moving toward a more defined pecking order at defensive tackle, defensive end, linebacker, cornerback and nickelback, which is exactly what a staff wants before the season starts. The last days of camp may not settle every battle, but they should give the Tigers a much better sense of who they trust when the games begin. [Read more 🡒]