Auburn’s cornerback room looked like a problem coming out of spring. By the time preseason camp arrives, it’s being talked about as a strength.
That turnaround starts with the work cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke and the staff did after losing five corners from last year’s roster, including starters Jay Crawford and Kayin Lee. Auburn attacked the rebuild through the transfer portal, bringing in five newcomers this offseason and reshaping the room in a hurry.
The most experienced names in the group are the ones expected to set the tone when camp opens. Jordan, a UCLA transfer, was one of Auburn’s top defensive players during spring practice and looks like a strong bet to claim a starting job.
He earned All-Big 10 honorable mention last season after finishing with 19 tackles and 10 pass breakups. Van Dyke has called him quiet, but he’s expected to be one of the leaders in the secondary.
Rayshawn Pleasant is the other veteran presence at the top of the depth chart. He’s the only returner who logged meaningful snaps last season, making two starts while backing up Crawford and Lee.
Pleasant brings a different kind of value: athleticism and ball production. He scored on both a kick return and a pick-6 in 2025, and with Jordan still searching for his first college interception, Pleasant may be the defender Auburn leans on most to create game-changing plays.
Behind them, the competition gets younger and more interesting. Blake Woodby and Devin Williams are the returners in the room, while underclassmen like Gavin Jenkins and others will push for roles.
Jenkins and Woodby are viewed as the two younger players with the best chance to fight for starting spots. Even though Champ Anthony and AnQuon Fegans are listed as safeties, both can help at corner if needed.
Another name in the mix is Arnoux, who played regularly as a freshman at Florida State last season. Still, South Florida head coach Alex Golesh made it clear in the spring that there’s more to unlock there.
“He’s got to grow up in a lot of ways, but is uber, uber talented,” Golesh said in April. “We need him to continue to grow, and mature, and learn what it is to play hard every single snap.”
The breakout candidate in the room is Jenkins, the lone corner to follow Van Dyke from South Florida. He barely played as a true freshman last season, but Auburn clearly liked enough of what it saw to bring him in. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he brings the kind of length that jumps out right away in the secondary.
Van Dyke was drawn to Jenkins’ ball skills, which showed up in high school when he played both corner and wide receiver. He was a late addition to South Florida’s 2025 recruiting class, then started to earn more trust in practice later in the season. It may still be early for Jenkins to become a full-time SEC starter, but both Van Dyke and Golesh see real upside.
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