Auburn’s secondary spent Tuesday morning in a short but revealing practice window, and the Tigers’ defensive back room showed plenty of talent even as the depth chart remains unsettled.
The session came as Auburn moved from preseason work into mock game week preparation, with AL.com watching the entire secondary over the 35-minute period. The most notable personnel note was Bryce Cain, who has continued practicing with the cornerbacks after moving over from wide receiver last week.
The first drill put the emphasis on forcing turnovers, with both corners and safeties working on ripping the ball out of a partner’s hands. The safeties stood out early. Champ Anthony, Eric Winters and AnQuon Fegans all flashed active hands.
A contact drill followed, and that’s where the physical edge showed up. Winters and Anthony delivered the loudest collisions of the group, though Sylvester Smith-Reed and Blake Woodby also brought some hard contact of their own.
Footwork and ball skills took center stage in the third drill, which had players backpedaling before catching a pass. Andre Jordan Jr. and Rayshawn Pleasant were the cleanest performers in the group, stacking back-to-back flawless reps with speed and technique on display.
Cain looked comfortable in that setting, too. His background at wide receiver showed up in the way he moved and caught the ball, and he handled the drill smoothly without missing a beat.
Not everyone was as sharp. Shamar Arnoux had a rougher sequence after securing a pass with his body and then bobbling it before finally finishing the rep. Woodby also had a couple of bobbles.
Gavin Jenkins continued to trend upward and showed flashes that highlighted his athleticism and quickness.
For now, Auburn’s secondary looks like a true battle at both corner and safety. There are no clear starters yet, but the group has enough talent to shape the Tigers’ defense in a major way this season.
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For Auburn followers, the bigger takeaway is simple: Nix appears positioned to begin his NFL path with a real shot at meaningful snaps, not buried in a crowded depth chart. Denver spent the offseason dealing with plenty of quarterback chatter, including outside speculation tied to Aaron Rodgers, but the current expectation is that Nix and Stidham will headline the room. However the final roster shakes out, Auburns interest in this spot isnt going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
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Auburn Still Has One Roster Decision Hanging Before The Opener
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One of the latest pieces is former Troy wide receiver Tray Taylor, who can practice with Auburn but is not yet cleared to play in games. Golesh framed the situation as part of a broader roster-management puzzle, with the Tigers trying to stay flexible until the eligibility picture settles and one final decision becomes clearer before the opener. [Read more 🡒]