Auburn DL, Former 5-Star Announces Return for 2026

The Auburn Tigers just received huge news on this New Year’s Day.

Freshman defensive tackle Malik Autry will return to Auburn for his sophomore season, he announced on social media early Thursday afternoon.

With his declaration to remain with the Tigers, Autry becomes the third Tiger to announce his intention to stay on the Plains. Sophomore star linebacker Xavier Atkins and sophomore linebacker Demarcus Riddick are the other two players who have made it public thus far.

This is a massive win for Alex Golesh, DJ Durkin, and company, as Autry is an elite talent from just down the road.

Autry was rated five stars out of high school by 247Sports, and he was ranked as the No. 4 defensive lineman and No. 25 overall player in the class of 2025. The Opelika native was also listed as the No. 2 prospect from the state of Alabama, sitting behind now-Oregon defensive back Na’een Offord.

Additionally, Autry was Auburn’s highest-rated signee it its 2025 recruiting class, which ranked No. 6 nationally in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings.

Autry saw a solid amount of action in his freshman campaign this past season, notching 86 total snaps across nine games, per Pro Football Focus. He compiled eight tackles, with his best outing of the year coming in Auburn’s win over Mercer, during which he recorded three tackles and a 73.7 defensive PFF rating.

The former five-star progressively improved over the course of his inaugural season. According to PFF, Autry received a rough 44.6 defensive rating in the Tigers’ opener at Baylor, where he played 11 snaps in Auburn’s victory in Waco. He also earned an underwhelming 48.7 rush defense rating, which is normally his strength.

However, as the year went on and he gained more experience, his rating started to increase significantly, as indicated by the impressive 73.7 rating against Mercer. He didn’t see the field in Auburn’s season-ending Iron Bowl loss to Alabama.

In a period of common departures, Autry’s intention to return to Auburn next season is certainly refreshing. The Tigers currently have 30 players set to open the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2, including four defensive linemen. Defensive tackles Malik Blocton and Antonio Coleman, and edge rushers Amaris Williams and Jamonta Waller are all expected to explore other options starting on Friday.

Although Autry’s return is important, as he will look to be a large contributor for the Tigers’ defensive front next year, Auburn certainly needs to bring in multiple pieces from the transfer portal in the upcoming window.

With a plethora of defensive linemen from 2025 graduating and out of eligibility, the Tigers’ trenches on both sides of the football will require a massive portal reload.