Auburn’s Defense Ranked Interestingly Low in Year One of Golesh Tenure

The Auburn Tigers have boasted some of the best defenses in the country over the past few years, and yet, they are still being slept on entering the 2026 season. Recently, Jake Crain of On3’s Crain and Cone shared their show’s rankings for top SEC defenses, and the Tigers made the list, albeit all the way down at No. 7.

👑 TOP 10 SEC DEFENSES RANKED

DO YOU AGREE? pic.twitter.com/02dmmQBFvt
— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) July 22, 2026

Of course, there is an argument that the Tigers’ defense will regress this year, especially with key losses like Kayin Lee, Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, but there is also quite a strong argument that the defense may improve this year. After all, Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin is not famed for allowing his units to regress, and quite a bit of the Tigers’ defense are returners from last year’s unit.

So, what can Tiger fans expect from their defense this year? Let’s break it down, position group by position group.

Starting with the defensive line, this is where Tiger fans will likely see the fewest familiar faces this year, as Durkin is expected to use some form of a rotation consisting of four transfers and two returners. Of the transfers, edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack stands out, as the Ole Miss transfer was among the highest-ranked in the portal, though we are still awaiting the outcome of his reckless endangerment charge, a Class A misdemeanor that has a court case scheduled for mid-August.

Transfer seniors Dallas Walker, Nate Johnson and Cody Sigler are also expected to have a big-time impact on the trenches, while Hugh Freeze-recruited linemen Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry are expected to potentially earn some starting minutes throughout the season.

Then, the linebacker room, where Auburn is not only strongest, but potentially one of the best groups in the nation. Led by Xavier Atkins, the clear defensive MVP for the Tigers last year, the group boasts incredible depth, including SEC All-Freshman Teamer Demarcus Riddick, who was limited with an injury for much of his sophomore season, Bryce Deas and Elijah Melendez.

At defensive back, the Tigers have top-tier talent in Sylvester Smith-Reed, Anquon Fegans and Blake Woodby among the returners, while senior UCLA transfer Andre Jordan, Jr. is expected to make a splash in his first year in the SEC.

Finally, the Tigers have Champ Anthony back at free safety along with Eric Winters, while Kaleb Harris and Jacoby Mathews are expected to headline the strong safety position. Interestingly, there are no notable newcomers in this position group, which was quite strong for the Tigers last year and is now at full strength once again.

So, not much has changed for the Tigers this year beyond the defensive line, which they have reloaded with experienced transfers, which is yet another reason Golesh is being compared to Curt Cignetti, who was famed for focusing more on experience than star level. If the Tigers’ defense looks anything like last year, though, their defensive ranking will almost certainly climb into the SEC’s top three before long.

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