Auburn’s offensive line is starting to take shape in fall camp, and the first-team look on Wednesday came with a few names in spots that weren’t exactly expected.
According to Auburn Tigers On SI’s Gunner Norene, the top unit lined up from left to right with Jo Simmons, Jacob Strand, Cole Best, Cole Skinner and Stanton Ramil. Behind them, the second group featured Parker Pritchett, Deryc Plazz, Kail Ellis, Jacobe’ Ward and Wilson Zierer.
The battle is still very much alive with Week 1 set for September 5, but the second week of camp has already delivered a few surprises.
The biggest one so far is Strand showing up ahead of Plazz at left guard. Strand, the Oregon State transfer, was not supposed to jump the Miami transfer so quickly, though nothing is locked in yet. Stanford transfer Jack Leyrer is also still part of the mix, even if he appears to be trailing the other two at the moment.
That said, nobody is out of it yet. With three transfers competing at one spot, the staff still has plenty to sort through before anyone can feel comfortable calling a winner. Guard is one of those positions where chemistry matters as much as talent, and Auburn is still figuring out who can mesh best with the rest of the interior line.
If Strand is healthy, he looks like a real candidate to get the nod early. He missed spring ball, but he has clearly closed ground fast.
Leyrer could also factor in as a backup at right guard, a spot he hasn’t played before. It’s the only offensive line position, center aside, where he has not taken a rep.
At Stanford, he started eight games at left guard, six at left tackle and two at right tackle.
There’s also movement at tackle, where Simmons seems to be settling in on the blindside. Ramil, who started 13 games over the past two years at left tackle for Michigan State, dealt with an injury that kept him out for more than half of the 2025 season. He also wasn’t fully healthy during spring, and that opened the door for Simmons, the James Madison transfer, to make a strong push.
That’s a notable development, given Ramil’s background as a Thompson standout in AHSAA 7A football. He seemed like a natural fit to claim the home-state left tackle job, but the situation remains fluid. There’s still a chance the two could end up swapping places later, or that injuries force another reshuffle.
The one spot that appears settled is center, where Best is not in danger of losing the job to Ellis. Tyler Hudanick still has plenty on his plate trying to piece this line together, though there is at least some continuity with Joel Gordon and his boss, Alex Golesh.
The expectation is that it may take some time for this offensive line to hit its stride in 2026. But once the group learns to play fast, Byrum Brown’s dual-threat ability could help cover for some of the uncertainty in protection and give the defense more to work with than it had last year.
That’s the hope as Golesh begins his first season at the helm.
In Other News...
Auburns First Full-Pad Practice Raised One Big Question On Offense
Auburns first full-pad practice of fall camp offered the kind of early snapshot coaches and fans have been waiting for, especially on an offense trying to come together quickly. The line in front of Byrum Brown is still a work in progress, with most of it built from transfers, so every live period carries a little extra weight as the Tigers sort out who can keep the pocket clean and help the unit settle in.
Special teams also has its own competition brewing, with Jacob Bronowski sorting through multiple options as the Tigers look for stability in the return game. Rayshawn Pleasant has already been identified as the kickoff returner, but the punt-return job is still open, giving Auburn one more camp battle to watch as the offense continues to search for rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns First Full-Pads Practice Put Two Early Camp Battles In Focus
Auburns seventh preseason practice on Aug. 12 brought the first full-pads work of camp, and with it the first real chance to watch the Tigers sort through early jobs. The session included an 11-on-11 period, multiple offensive and defensive rotations and a steady stream of personnel notes as the staff continued to sort out who fits where before the season gets closer. Several NFL scouts were also on hand, adding a little extra weight to a practice that already carried the feel of an evaluation day.
Among the most watchable parts of the workout was the second-rotation offense, where Tristan Ti'a took the lead and Bryson Washington handled the bulk of the work at running back. Those reps offered a clearer look at two camp battles Auburn is beginning to frame, especially with the practice intensity ramping up now that the pads are on. The full picture is still developing, but this was the kind of session that can start separating early contenders from everyone else. [Read more 🡒]
Bryson Washington Is Giving Auburn A Camp Decision To Make
Bryson Washingtons first months at Auburn have been more about catching up than showing out, but the Baylor transfer has started to work his way into the conversation during preseason camp. An injury kept him from doing much in the spring, so his early push was slowed before it really got going, yet Auburn running backs coach Larry Porter has pointed to Washingtons experience and production as reasons the Tigers are still paying close attention.
For now, Washington is running on third-team reps behind Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson, which gives Auburn a pretty clear picture of where he stands entering camp. The more interesting part is what happens as the days stack up, because Porter believes the backs skill set should keep improving as he gets healthier and gets more work, leaving Auburn with a decision to make if that momentum keeps building. [Read more 🡒]