Auburn may have found a young pass-rush piece in Darrion Smith.
The freshman defensive lineman flashed in the Tigers’ 2025 season opener against Baylor, when Auburn was trying to protect a slim second-half lead and needed a defensive jolt. Smith only logged eight snaps, but he made them count, finishing with two quarterback pressures and an 83.3 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus.
That debut was just a preview. Smith played only 78 snaps the rest of his freshman season, but he stayed on the radar as a promising option on the Tigers’ front.
With Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford and Amaris Williams ahead of him last year, his path was blocked. Now, the door is open for a bigger role.
That possibility showed up during Thursday’s media viewing window, when Smith worked with the first-team defensive line. He was grouped with Jared Smith, Dallas Walker and Da’Shawn Womack.
“With that kid, man,” said Auburn defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams, “when you tell him you can’t do something, he takes it to heart and he rose.”
A speed-heavy group featuring Jared Smith, Darrion Smith and Womack could be a natural fit on passing downs, especially with defensive coordinator DJ Durkin’s blitz-heavy approach. That setup points to Smith having a chance to carve out work as a third-down edge threat.
But Auburn isn’t treating him like just a specialty piece. King-Williams wants more.
“I mess with him a little bit, but it’s sincere. I say, ‘Hey Darrion, you want to just be a third down guy or you want to be an every down guy?’”
King-Williams said. “We challenged him to pick up the weight, where he got up to about 270 pounds.
We challenged him to be more physical in the run game, he’s doing that, and so just continuing to challenge that kid.”
So far, that challenge appears to be landing. Smith’s work with the first-team line on Thursday suggests real momentum, but the next three weeks will matter. Auburn still wants to see consistency and a more complete game before deciding whether the sophomore can take that next step.
“Continuing to push him to be not just a third down guy, not just a situational guy, but to be an every down guy is what we’re striving for,” King-Williams said, “because we can have more depth and can roll guys the way we always do.”
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 🡒]