Auburn DL Issues Warning to Critics, Opponents: ‘Watch the Tape After the Season’

The Auburn Tigers have consistently boasted some of the best defensive linemen in the country year after year, from players like Derrick Brown and Montravius Adams to even players like Keldric Faulk, and their keystone piece this year, who looks quite a bit different than his most famous predecessors, is looking to join the list.

Cody Sigler, who transferred over from Arkansas State ahead of the 2026 season, has already received honors as PFF’s highest-graded SEC returning defensive lineman, but he is looking to make much more of an impact than just being graded well in the preseason.

In fact, he told the press on Tuesday that the common conception of him as a ‘high-effort guy’ is borderline insulting to him, as he believes he provides quite a bit more to a defense than just effort.

"I hate being called a high effort guy,” he said. “I think that's just because of what I look like, they call me a high effort guy. But I don't really care, just watch the tape after the season and I bet they won't be calling me that no more."

Auburn DT Cody Sigler after practice today: "I hate being called a high effort guy... I think that's just because of what I look like, they call me a high effort guy. But I don't really care, just watch the tape after the season and I bet they won't be calling me that no more."
— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) August 25, 2026

Sigler’s tape certainly backs up his assertion, as his five sacks last season led Arkansas State’s defensive linemen, save for fifth-year senior Ethan Hassler, who had a career year for the Red Wolves.

Notably, that was Sigler’s only year with the Red Wolves, as he spent three years prior at West Alabama, a Division Two program. Like Champ Anthony, Sigler worked his way up through Division Two, to Division One and now to the SEC, where he is expected to start and is looking to dominate.

However, he will certainly have a new level of difficulty this year, especially in the SEC, but a stat to note is that last year, the average SEC offensive lineman stood around 6-foot-3 and weighed over 300 pounds. Sigler, by comparison, stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs nearly exactly 300 pounds, so against the average SEC defensive lineman, the trenches will be a battle of wills and technique against Sigler, not size and sheer domination.

Sigler’s PFF grade certainly seems to insinuate that he will be a difference-maker for the Tigers in 2026, with or without his ‘high effort’ designation, but Sigler is looking to prove, clearly as soon as possible, how much value he has to bring to the Plains, even and especially beyond his level of effort.

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