The Two Most Critical Positions on Defense for Auburn to Address in the Portal

The Auburn Tigers will have a relatively new defense in 2026.

Auburn Tigers defensive back Rayshawn Pleasant is one of multiple defensive backs to leave the program. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- The Auburn Tigers have had a list of defenders enter the transfer portal. This leaves many gaps needing to be filled on the defensive side of the ball.

The transfer portal is set to open on Jan. 2. Auburn Tigers on SI examines the two most critical positions needed from the transfer portal on the defensive side of the ball for the Auburn Tigers. 

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Defensive line/Edge rushers

Auburn is losing both of its starting edge rushers to the NFL Draft, with Keldrick Faulk and Keyron Crawford being the two players entering the draft. The players leave a large void in the front seven for the Tigers. Auburn did sign edge rusher Chris Wells on early signing day, but one player could not fill the void left behind by Faulk and Crawford. 

Auburn is also set to lose Malik Blocton, who announced his intention to enter the transfer portal Thursday morning, and defensive lineman Antonio Coleman, who stated that he was entering the portal soon after Alex Golesh was hired.

The defensive line and linebacker core were one of the most stout units on the Auburn defense, holding teams under their usual rushing average for the entire season and finishing with the 12th best rushing defense in the country during the 2025 season.

The entire defensive line will likely have a new look coming into 2026, and it will be up to Golesh and his staff to replace the outgoing players with players leaving the program with players that are in the transfer portal. 

Cornerbacks

Starting Auburn cornerback Jay Crawford announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday afternoon, leaving a void in the cornerback room. Rayshawn Pleasant was often the cornerback that stepped in for Crawford when he was injured, but now there is no depth behind Pleasant. Pleasant will likely be the starting corner beside Kayin Lee, should Auburn not bring in any cornerbacks.

Crawford only recorded 15 tackles, one interception, and 4 pass defenses. For a cornerback, not having a lot of tackles and pass defenses means you are not often targeted. That factor alone makes Crawford hard to replace.

Auburn will have to, at a minimum, find a depth cornerback to fill the void being left by Crawford. Expect Lee and Pleasant to be the starting cornerbacks for the Tigers next season, with new faces sitting behind them on the depth chart. 

In all, Auburn is losing key pieces on the defensive line and the cornerback room. These two position groups are one of the gears of the Auburn defensive machine that made it elite last season. Expect Auburn’s defense to potentially take a step back from the level it was at last season, but still compete at a high level.