Auburn’s Byrum Brown Named in Top-10 SEC Quarterback List

Much of the hope in the Auburn Tigers’ 2026 offense resides with Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ new quarterback, who is looking to put an end to the quarterback woes the Tigers have had since Bo Nix left in 2021. It appears the chances for this are steadily increasing, as on Monday, On3’s Chris Low ranked Brown as the No. 8 quarterback in the SEC.

Brown has been ranked, ranked again and ranked some more throughout this offseason, but this ranking represents the best opinion on him since Josh Pate ranked him at No. 2 back in June.

So, what do these analysts see in Brown?

It starts with the rushing game, as Brown was among the best rushers in football last year and the fourth-best rusher among quarterbacks with his 1,008 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. When injury-free, Brown’s rushing production has improved each year, which bodes well for his last season of eligibility with the Tigers.

Brown’s top-level rushing opens the door for option plays to be particularly successful, especially with the Tigers’ top-level running back depth. Additionally, it should prove to save the Tigers from a litany of inevitable busted plays, as Brown’s scrambling ability has saved the USF Bulls from a number of sacks and negative plays over the course of his career.

Brown has also shown an ability to complete any of a variety of passes, from touch passes to quick slants and even deep balls, despite what many armchair quarterbacks would tell you about his throwing motion. Brown passed for over 3,000 yards last season to a group of receivers that will largely be represented on the Plains this year, and the familiarity he already has with his group should bode well for the Tigers’ passing production this season.

There are, of course, still some question marks surrounding Brown, who has had limited experience in matchups against the SEC throughout his career. Many speculate that the transition from Group of Five football to a loaded SEC schedule could hamper his rushing production, especially as the wear and tear begins to add up.

However, Brown is consistently ranking among the best in the SEC, despite a lack of experience in the conference, which alludes to the fact that analysts are of the belief that the transition will have some effect on Brown, but he will not have the ‘welcome to the SEC’ type of season that others are projecting.

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