Auburn Defensive Players to Watch vs. Texas A&M

A new year, the same issues for Auburn. At least defensively that is.

With less than a month remaining in the season, the Tigers elected to part ways with second-year coach Bryan Harsin following a 9-12 start to the tenure. Under the direction of Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, one of the top running backs in program history, Auburn hopes to close out its season with a chance to be .500.

Much like the departure of Harsin, change has come to Auburn on the defensive side. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason elected to replace Jim Knowles at Oklahoma State this offseason, leading to the hiring of Jeff Schmedding. Unfortunately, the numbers haven't improved.

Auburn currently ranks 13th among SEC schools in scoring defense, allowing opponents to average 31 points per game. The Tigers are lacking depth in the trenches, leading to their defense to put up putrid numbers for most of the season.

The only run defense worse than the Tigers in the SEC? Texas A&M, which is a loss away from being bowl ineligible for the first time since 2008. Could this be a high-scoring game on the ground by both teams?

Follow along with AllAggies.com as we continue to provide an in-depth look at every opponent on Texas A&M's schedule. Now, let's look at several key defensive players returning for the Tigers' defense.

EDGE Derick Hall

A bright spot last season in the front seven, Hall returned hoping to build off his 2021 campaign. Last year, he led the Tigers in sacks (nine), and tackles for loss (12.5) while finishing second in forced fumbles (two) to go along with 54 total tackles.

Hall still remains Auburn's best defensive lineman. He's recorded a team-high 6.5 sacks and has totaled 10.5 tackles for loss. He also ranks top-10 among SEC pass-rushers in pressure rates and has tallied two multi-sack games.

DE Colby Wooden

For years, Auburn has been known for its successful defensive linemen, including names such as Derek Brown, Marlon Davidson, Nick Fairley and Montravius Adams. Wooden has kept the tradition alive for another year as he looks to be a mid-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after a quality year on The Plains.

Last season, Wooden finished with 61 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, five sacks and seven quarterback pressures. After adding 10 pounds of muscle to shift inside, Wooden has totaled five sacks but has added two more tackles for loss with three games left. The fourth-year vet also has tallied a career-best 23 total pressures.

LB Owen Pappoe

No surprise, Pappoe is back after missing most of last season due to injury, and hasn't missed a beat. He's a quick-twitch linebacker that excels in space and will make running backs pay if they meet at the proper angle.

Pappoe has the tools teams are looking for in a leading tackler. He can play the run, has the recovery speed to make plays in coverage, and has even recorded a pass breakup and forced a pair of fumbles. In nine games, the senior has also recorded six games of seven-plus tackles, including a 16-tackle performance against Ole Miss.

CB Nehemiah Pritchett

Every team in the SEC features a high-end No. 1 receiver. Pritchett for the most part has been tasked with covering the top target exclusively for most of the regular season.

Prichett has the lanky 6-1 size most NFL scouts look for in perimeter cornerbacks. The problem, however, is his physical play style. In coverage this season, Pritchett has been flagged with four pass interference calls, two of which led to touchdowns against Penn State in Week 3 and LSU in Week 5, respectively.

Pritchett has also struggled with open-field tackling this season. That said, he's also recorded five pass deflections and a forced fumble.

CB DJ James

A transfer added from Oregon this offseason, James has been the more consistent cornerback in coverage. This season, he's allowed receivers to record catches of just 35 percent of all targets while also leading the team in pass deflections (6).

James' biggest weakness is much like the weakness of most secondary members; tackling. As a unit, Auburn has a missed tackle rate of over 23 percent. The Tigers have also allowed nine touchdowns in coverage. James has been credited with allowing two touchdowns in coverage this season.

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