Why This Coach is ‘Not Enamored’ With Auburn’s Byrum Brown

A coach that played the new Auburn quarterback last season isn't impressed with what he saw in a USF uniform last season.

Auburn transfer quarterback Byrum Brown comes to the Plains looking to write off some narratives being said in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Auburn Tigers have been receiving quite a bit of hype since Alex Golesh took over on the Plains at the end of last season, but no Tiger has gotten quite as much attention as Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ new quarterback who transferred over from USF to follow his coach.

As with many big names in college football, opinions of Brown vary heavily from person to person, with some going as far as to label him as ‘Cam Newton 2.0,’ while others believe his top-level production from last season will not carry over into a grueling SEC schedule.

One coach who faced Brown last season chose to stay anonymous, but he made it pretty clear that he was not overly impressed with Brown as a complete quarterback.

“I'm not one of these Byrum Brown haters, but I'm also not one of these guys who thinks he's a first-round [NFL draft] pick, either," the anonymous coach said. "He's all right. I'm not enamored with the guy."

Now, of course, by the nature of this coach choosing to stay anonymous with this quote, we do not know if this was a coach who defeated or lost to Brown last season, either of which could be informing his decision to make this statement. However, the list of teams the Bulls lost to last season is limited to just four of 13 total opponents, so this quote is statistically twice as likely to have come from a coach who lost to Brown.

Critics of Brown have focused on two perceived issues in his game: his throwing motion and his low completion percentage. Though the former is largely a matter of opinion, as Brown has proven to be able to put up top-tier passing numbers despite a unique throwing motion, the low completion percentage will certainly be a stat to keep an eye on throughout the 2026 season.

Brown will have significant aid this season, though, as five of his expected 2026 targets at Auburn were 2025 targets of his while at USF, so there is a level of familiarity, camaraderie and connection that should make life a good bit easier for Brown as he stares down a schedule that is, admittedly, several times harder than the schedule he faced last year at USF.

If Brown can get his completion percentage up in 2026 while staying consistent with his other production, especially against tougher talent, it will be hard to deny that he is a top-level NFL Draft prospect.

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