3 Auburn Players Who Could Break Out, Boost Stock in Fall Camp

The Auburn Tigers sit just a few days away from their first official day of fall camp in the Alex Golesh era, and the optimism around the program is certainly high, even despite question marks at multiple positions.

However, although there are concerns at certain spots on the roster, especially in the trenches, there are also opportunities for players to make a statement and boost their stock in the weeks leading up to Auburn’s season opener against Baylor on Sept. 5.

Let’s dive into three Tigers who could break out and potentially earn more playing time in fall camp this season.

1. Bryson Washington

Baylor transfer running back Bryson Washington was one of the most coveted transfer portal additions over the offseason, and the excitement surrounding him was enormous when he committed and signed to the Tigers in January.

Washington spent three years with the Bears, redshirting in 2023 before an explosive 2024 campaign, during which he recorded 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman. He was named a 2025 Preseason All-American heading into last year, but he ultimately took a step back in 2026, rushing for 788 yards and six touchdowns.

He was held at bay against Auburn in last season’s opener, as well, tallying just 54 yards on 14 carries against the Tigers’ strong defensive front.

However, we haven’t heard much about Washington until recently, when head coach Alex Golesh revealed to local media that he’s physically “not there yet.” Washington battled a soft tissue injury earlier this year that caused him to miss a good amount of spring practice.

He appears to be starting to get back into shape, so if the former 1,000-yard rusher continues to make strides throughout fall camp, Washington could definitely jump back up to that “RB2” status and compete for valuable snaps behind starter Jeremiah Cobb.

2. Blake Woodby

One of the best, if not the best, position groups on Auburn’s roster is the defensive back room, which features a healthy mix of veteran experience and young talent.

Sophomore defensive back Blake Woodby headlines the “young talent” category as one of the most exciting sophomores in the Tigers’ defensive backfield. He was a consensus four-star out of high school, ranking as the No. 23 cornerback and No. 181 player overall in the class of 2025, per 247Sports.

Woodby saw limited action as a true freshman last season, appearing in 11 games on special teams and defense and recording just two tackles. However, a large reason for the lack of playing time was due to Auburn’s strong depth at corner, a room that included Kayin Lee, Jay Crawford and Rayshawn Pleasant.

Lee and Crawford hit the transfer portal after last season concluded, which opened the door for Pleasant, UCLA transfer Andre Jordan Jr. and USF transfer Gavin Jenkins, who Golesh called a future NFL corner.

It remains unknown who will earn the two starting roles at corner among Pleasant, Jordan, Jenkins and Woodby, but Woodby certainly has an opportunity to boost his stock and make his case for more snaps than last year — even if it’s in the two-deep.

3. Jack Leyrer/Cole Skinner/Deryc Plazz

Maybe the interesting and important position battle is on the offensive line, particularly at the two guard spots. USF transfer Cole Best will start at center, with Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil and James Madison transfer Jo Simmons expected to start at tackle, but the two guard spots are still up for grabs.

Stanford transfer Jack Leyrer, USF transfer Cole Skinner and Miami transfer Deryc Plazz are currently competing for the spots, and it’s unclear if there’s a frontrunner, but there’s certainly a solid chance that any of the three could ultimately be named a starter.

Leyrer spent the last five years at Stanford, appearing in 26 total games with 16 starts. He didn’t play in 2025 due to a season-halting injury, but he played a heavy role in the rotation as a senior in 2024, seeing action in 12 games with 10 starts. Among those 10 starts, two were at left tackle and eight came at left guard.

Skinner follows Golesh and company over to the Plains after three seasons at USF, playing in 28 career games with eight starts — four at right guard and four at left guard. He appeared in 12 games a season ago with four starts at right guard.

Plazz, contrary to Leyrer and Skinner, doesn’t hold much experience at the collegiate level, seeing action in just five games over two years at Miami. He appeared in four contests in 2025 amidst the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff semifinal run last year, and he seems to have made massive improvements thus far this offseason, solidifying himself as a strong contender for one of the two offensive guard jobs.

It’s hard to single out one of these three to label as a top candidate to “break out,” as nobody has emerged as a true leader heading into fall camp. However, no matter how it shakes out, there’s no doubt that competition is healthy and brings out the best of them.

And for Auburn, that’s all you can really ask for from a position group with a haul of fresh portal additions and five projected new starters.

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