Auburn’s defensive line room is heading into the season with a clear mandate: build enough trust to keep six, seven or even eight bodies in the rotation.
That’s the number Vontrell King-Williams says he wants available when the Tigers line up in 2026, and he made it plain earlier this week while speaking with the media.
"If I can get six or seven or even eight ready, let's roll with it,"
For a group this young, that kind of depth isn’t a luxury. It’s the job. And with a few weeks still left before Auburn opens against Baylor, King-Williams is still trying to turn raw talent and college experience into a dependable SEC front.
Darion Smith is one of the players in the middle of that push. He flashed as a pass rusher last season, but King-Williams isn’t interested in boxing him into obvious passing downs. The goal is bigger than that.
"You want to just be a third-down guy, or you want to be an every-down guy?"
Smith, a sophomore from St. Francis Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, has answered by getting his weight up to around 270 pounds and working to become more physical against the run.
Dallas Walker has taken a different path, and King-Williams likes where it’s heading. Walker earned another year of eligibility and has moved into a leadership role in the room.
King-Williams challenged him to own that responsibility, and believes he has done it. Walker is also down around 30 pounds from last season, and that trim should make him more mobile without costing him size.
He remains a run stopper first, but King-Williams thinks he has enough athleticism to cause problems in passing situations too.
Then there are Malik Autry and Jourdin Crawford, two players Auburn recruited with the belief they could help early. King-Williams is looking for consistency from both, and that part of the room still sounds unfinished. Autry, in particular, has the tools to become one of the top rotational pieces, but his development appears to be moving a little slower than expected.
That’s why Friday’s scrimmage matters. It should give Auburn a better read on just how deep this defensive line really is, and how close the Tigers are to giving King-Williams the kind of rotation he wants. Cody Sigler is also in the mix, competing for a role as the position battle continues.
In Other News...
Alvin Henderson Is Crashing Auburns Toughest Position Battle
Alvin Henderson has made the kind of early fall impression that tends to get a coachs attention, especially in a room as crowded as Auburns running back group. Strong work on special teams and a solid first scrimmage have pushed him into the conversation, and head coach Alex Golesh along with running backs coach Larry Porter have both pointed to his recent improvement as a reason he is suddenly part of the picture behind starter Jeremiah Cobb.
For Auburn, that matters because the depth chart still feels very much up for grabs beyond the top spot. Omar Mabson, Bryson Washington and Nykahi Davenport are all still in the mix, which means Henderson is trying to break through in a battle where nothing has been handed out yet. The Tigers like having options, but the next stretch of camp will tell whether Hendersons surge is the start of something bigger or just the latest twist in a tightly contested race. [Read more 🡒]
Former Auburn WR Just Added To A Frustrating Tigers Debate
Camden Browns first NFL preseason game gave Auburn fans a familiar jolt of what might have been. The former Tigers receiver turned in a strong debut for the Dallas Cowboys, catching three passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns, while head coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed to Browns steady work in practice and his value on special teams.
For Auburn, Browns performance lands in a debate that never fully goes away when former players break out elsewhere: whether the talent was overlooked, underused or simply developed on a different path. Brown had limited chances in Auburn orange, but he was a standout at Georgia Southern and led the Sun Belt in touchdowns there, giving his latest showing another layer of frustration for a fan base still watching former wideouts find traction after leaving The Plains. [Read more 🡒]
Jarrett Stidham Keeps Giving Auburn Fans A Reason To Watch Denver
Jarrett Stidham gave Auburn fans another familiar reason to keep an eye on Denver in the preseason, turning in a steady outing against Atlanta. The former Tiger completed 9 of 15 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, including a scoring connection with Jaleel McLaughlin, in a performance that showed he can still make a case for himself in the Broncos quarterback room.
Bo Nix was held out of the game, but his hold on the starting job has already been established after strong production in his first two NFL seasons. That leaves Stidham in a familiar spot, fighting for meaningful playing time behind a quarterback Auburn fans know well, and every efficient showing like this one only keeps the conversation alive a little longer. [Read more 🡒]