Jared Smith is hard to miss when Auburn’s defense takes the practice field. At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, he looks the part of an edge rusher who could cause problems for anyone lined up across from him.
The challenge for Smith so far has been turning that frame into production. He hasn’t piled up college results yet, but there’s a simple reason for that: last season, as a true freshman, he was stuck behind NFL-caliber players like Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford on the depth chart.
That picture is changing heading into his sophomore season. The former five-star recruit from Thompson High School now has a much clearer route to the field and is expected to be a starter for the Tigers on one of the edges.
Smith said his offseason focus wasn’t built around one glaring technical fix. Instead, he talked about tightening up the smaller details, especially his urgency between plays, as he tries to reach another level.
A year ago, he was mostly a situational piece. Auburn used him sparingly, and when he was on the field, it was usually in obvious passing situations where he could hunt the quarterback as an extra rusher.
Even in that limited role, he still made noise. Smith finished with four tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble last season. He also showed another layer of his game during the A-Day scrimmage, when he came up with an interception off Byrum Brown.
If he gets a full-time role this season, those numbers could climb fast. Auburn believes his playmaking should show up even more once he becomes a regular part of the defensive line rotation, and if that happens, his stat line has room to jump.
Bucks and edges coach Coleman Hutzler has liked what he’s seen from Smith in camp, even if the grind of the middle portion has tested him a bit.
“Seen great growth from Jared,” Hutzler said. “Done a great job, man.
He really did some good things in the offseason. We’ve broken up camp into blocks.
His first block he was flashing and doing some good things for us.
“Hit the normal, middle of camp some aches and pains and woes and my body hurts, and we’re growing through that.”
Hutzler said the first things that jump out are Smith’s size and athletic traits, especially his length and quick twitch ability.
“He’s been blessed with a ton, and he’s continuing to work to refine those things and maximize those tools he’s been blessed with,” Hutzler said. “That’s been the fun part to see his growth.”
Smith still has room to grow, but Auburn is finally in position to let those rare physical gifts show up where they matter most: on the field.
In Other News...
Auburn Practice Just Raised A New Depth Chart Concern
Auburns Week 3 preseason practice on Aug. 18 at the Woltosz Football Performance Center offered a small but notable glimpse at how the roster is being shaped as camp moves along. With several players out or limited because of injury or protocol, the Tigers had to shuffle things around, and those absences gave the staff a better look at some of the pieces fighting for roles as the season approaches.
Among the more interesting developments was former Troy wide receiver Tray Taylor taking part in practice on a partial basis, while Bryce Cain spent time rotating through work with the secondary instead of lining up with his usual group. For a team already managing a handful of sidelined players, those kinds of adjustments can matter quickly, especially when Auburn is still trying to settle answers across the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Added A Receiver Alex Golesh Clearly Wanted In Camp
Auburn continued to reshape its receiver room by bringing in Tray Taylor, a compact slot target with stops at Troy, Coastal Carolina and Tyler Junior College. Alex Golesh had been looking to add more depth inside after the Tigers lost Duke Smith, and Taylor gives the staff another option at a spot that can get thin quickly in camp. His experience and versatility also make him a candidate to help on special teams, which only adds to his value as Auburn keeps sorting out the back end of the depth chart.
Taylors arrival fits the kind of quiet roster move that can matter later in the season, especially for a player whose path has already included multiple stops and a recent eligibility boost for 2026 tied to a class action lawsuit ruling. Auburn does not need every addition to be a headline-grabber, but Golesh clearly wanted another receiver who could handle work in the slot and provide some stability while the staff continues to adjust to the departures it has absorbed. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn May Have Found A New Way To Use Former Freeze Receiver
Auburns fall camp offered a small but notable personnel wrinkle when Bryce Cain was spotted working with the cornerbacks, a sign the Tigers may be exploring a new role for the redshirt sophomore. Cain arrived as a wide receiver recruit in the 2024 class, but his offensive opportunities have been limited through his first two seasons, leaving plenty of room for the staff to look at different ways to get value from his athleticism.
The move is not locked in, and Auburns preseason prep will tell the story of whether this is a short-term experiment or a real position shift as the Tigers build toward the 2026 season. Still, any time a former receiver gets time with the defensive backs, it hints at a staff trying to find the best fit for a player who has yet to carve out a steady role. [Read more 🡒]