Jordan Palmer likes what he’s seeing in Auburn’s quarterback room, and he’s not being subtle about it. The longtime QB trainer believes Byrum Brown could drive one of the SEC’s most intriguing storylines next season, with a Heisman push that shows up every week.
“I think one of the biggest storyline this year is going to be Byrum Brown and a Heisman run every week because how productive he is,” he said.
Palmer spent the offseason working with Brown as the former USF quarterback settled in at Auburn and joined head coach Alex Golesh. What stood out to Palmer wasn’t just the talent. It was the way Brown carried himself, the way he worked, and the way people around him talked about him.
“I did start to notice it was something different when people started saying things like, ‘The best kid I’ve ever been around’ from coaches, or ‘The most humble star player,’” Palmer said. “I started hearing the most and the biggest from coaches and really good players, so I was really intrigued in the beginning.”
That impression only deepened once the training got rolling. Brown even canceled visits back to Auburn so he could keep working with Palmer. During a planned trip to Cabo, he was still sending videos of weighted ball training to make sure his technique was right and the feedback was on point.
Palmer also pointed to what Brown has already done against SEC opponents, including USF’s upset win over Florida at the beginning of the 2025 season. In his view, the quarterback has already shown enough production to make the outside skepticism hard to understand.
That’s part of why Palmer thinks Auburn might be sitting on something bigger than most people realize as Golesh begins his first season leading the Tigers.
“I don’t think anybody sees Auburn coming,” he said. “These rankings, these conversations, the chatter, I don’t think anybody sees Auburn coming. Being out there, seeing what’s going on, being other places, I think this could be a really special year and a fun time to be an Auburn Tiger fan.”
Brown’s profile makes that belief easy to understand. Palmer drew a physical comparison to Cam Newton, the last Auburn player to win the Heisman Trophy. At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Brown has already put together two seasons with more than 3,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards, and if he brings that kind of production into the SEC, he’ll be in the Heisman conversation all through 2026.
Still, Palmer says the real key is buy-in, and that’s been a major point of emphasis from Golesh during his first offseason in charge. If the Tigers follow that lead, Palmer believes the ceiling gets a lot higher.
That starts with Brown, who has already made an impression in his first year on the Plains.
“That’s really hard to do at the professional level, let alone at the collegiate level, and you need a dynamic playmaking-leader quarterback who’s accountable and does everything right,” Palmer said. “It’s kind of the only way that works. . .I think they have more than that.”
In Other News...
Auburns Opening Week Offense Still Has Two Big Battles Left
Auburn has wrapped up its three-week preseason camp and turned its focus to a Week 1 matchup with Baylor, with the offensive depth chart starting to come into view. Byrum Brown is projected as the starting quarterback, and several other spots have begun to settle after a string of scrimmages, giving the Tigers a clearer sense of how the first offense might line up when the season opens.
Even with much of the room taking shape, there are still a couple of notable battles left to sort out before Auburn takes the field. The projected starters and backups are already hinting at how the Tigers plan to use a mix of returning players and transfers, but the final answers at those key spots will tell more about the offenses Week 1 identity than the early camp buzz ever could. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn May Have A Receiver Who Changes Everything If He Delivers
Fall camp has already offered Auburn a few clues about how the passing game might look, and Keshaun Singleton has been one of the more encouraging ones. The South Florida transfer has turned heads in scrimmages, enough to draw strong praise from head coach Alex Golesh, who sees a receiver with major upside if the daily approach stays steady. His connection with quarterback Byrum Brown only adds to the intrigue, especially with the offense still sorting out where its biggest playmakers will come from.
Singleton has not been the loudest name in the receiver room, but he has become one of the more trusted ones. The coaching staff and Brown both appear comfortable leaning on him, which matters as Auburn tries to build an identity through camp. For a team looking for someone to separate from the pack, Singleton has made himself part of that conversation, even if the real answer still depends on what he does once the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]
Former Auburn Star Is Building Buzz For Something Bigger In Coaching
Sammie Coates is already making his mark beyond Auburn, and its happening on a sideline rather than a highlight reel. The former Tigers star has taken over at Columbia High School, where a 41-14 win over Greensboro snapped a staggering 101-game losing streak and gave the program its first victory since 2015. Coates pointed to a better team culture, more players in the program and help from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute as part of the turnaround.
For Auburn fans, the interesting part is where this could lead next. Coates has coaching experience to go with the name recognition, and this kind of early success can start building real momentum for a young coach trying to climb. If Columbia continues moving in the right direction, his path could open even wider, making this more than just a feel-good local win and something worth monitoring in the seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]