ESPN has High Praise for New Auburn QB Byrum Brown

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown joins the Tigers after a stellar career at USF.

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown joins the Tigers after a stellar career at USF. | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Alex Golesh has completely reset the Auburn Tigers' quarterback room, seeing the existing room of Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight all transfer while bringing in USF transplants Byrum Brown and Locklan Hewlett as well as Oregon State transfer Tristan Ti'a.

Brown, a veteran with 32 career starts and nearly 10,000 yards and nearly 100 touchdowns to his career, headlines the unit and will be Auburn's third starting quarterback in three years. Already a high-profile transfer, ESPN has joined the praise for the Tigers' acquisition with Max Olson recently ranking him fourth among quarterbacks in this year's transfer portal cycle.

Brown was ranked as the second-highest SEC transfer behind LSU's Sam Leavitt. Meanwhile, Knight (Ole Miss) was ranked 13th and Arnold (UNLV) 24th, while Daniels (Florida State) was not listed.

"This was a no-brainer as soon as Golesh got the job at Auburn, and the Tigers lost all three of their QBs who started games in 2025 because it was obvious Brown was on the way," Olson wrote. "It'll be exciting to see him take a step up in competition with his USF teammates and try to prove he's a serious NFL prospect as a senior."

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After injuries limited him in 2024, Brown shone tremendously in 2025 with 3,158 passing yards, his second 3,000-yard passing season, to go with a career-high 28 touchdowns against only seven interceptions. He added a career-high 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing, solidifying himself as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.

His 42 total touchdowns led all FBS quarterbacks, and he was also rated as the No. 1 Group of Five quarterback by rating and by PFF grade.

"Brown's strong arm complements his excellent frame and mobility," ESPN's Tom Luginbill wrote in Olson's ranking. "He stays poised and throws with a strong base within the pocket and extends plays, keeps his eyes downfield and finds receivers late when he gets moved off his spot. He is an outstanding runner with an impressive blend of quickness, power and speed. Brown is an unorthodox passer with a long, quirky release, but he has been very productive and is a dynamic player overall."

Golesh has a big task ahead of him to turn a program around after five straight losing seasons. With Brown running his offense, the Tigers have a strong chance to finally turn its woes into success.