Updated Friday, September 4, 2026. This is Auburn’s official Week 1 depth chart, released Monday, August 31 ahead of the Aflac Kickoff Game against Baylor in Atlanta. It is updated with each weekly release and after every game.
Alex Golesh’s first Auburn depth chart reads like a South Florida reunion: quarterback Byrum Brown and receivers Keshaun Singleton, Chas Nimrod and Jeremiah Koger all followed him from Tampa. Brown won the job decisively and Jeremiah Cobb is the clear lead back. Almost everything else on the chart, especially on the offensive line and across the defense, is listed with an OR.
Offense
| Position | Starter | Reserves |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Byrum Brown | Tristan Ti’a |
| RB | Jeremiah Cobb | Omar Mabson II OR Bryson Washington OR Nykahi Davenport |
| WR | Chas Nimrod OR Christian Neptune | Brian Williams Jr., Kory Pettigrew, DeShawn Spencer, Sam Turner |
| WR | Keshaun Singleton | |
| WR | Jeremiah Koger | |
| TE | Jake Johnson OR Arlis Boardingham OR Jonathan Echols OR Xavier Newsom | — |
| LT | Jo Simmons | Kenneth McManus IV, Parker Pritchett, TJ Hedrick, Wilson Zierer |
| LG | Jacob Strand OR Deryc Plazz OR Jack Leyrer | |
| C | Cole Best | |
| RG | Cole Skinner OR Kail Ellis OR Jacobe’ Ward | |
| RT | Stanton Ramil |
Defense
| Position | Starter | Reserves |
|---|---|---|
| DT | Cody Sigler OR Walter Mathis Jr. OR Darrion Smith | Jourdin Crawford, Malik Autry, Nate Johnson |
| NT | Dallas Walker IV | |
| DE | Chris Murray OR Darrion Smith | |
| EDGE | Da’Shawn Womack OR Jared Smith | Joe Phillips |
| LB | Elijah Melendez OR Bryce Deas | Michael Matthews-Canty |
| LB | Xavier Atkins OR De’Marcus Riddick | |
| LB | Bryce Deas | |
| CB | Andre Jordan Jr. OR Champ Anthony | Blake Woodby, Shamar Arnoux |
| CB | Rayshawn Pleasant OR Gavin Jenkins | |
| Star | Sylvester Smith-Reed OR Champ Anthony OR A’Quon Fegans | Fred Gaskin III |
| S | Champ Anthony OR A’Quon Fegans | |
| S | Eric Winters OR Kaleb Harris |
Special Teams
| K | Alex McPherson; Connor Gibbs |
| P | Hudson Kaak; John McGuire OR Max Bourke |
| LS | Hudson Powell; Travis Wakefield |
| KR | Rayshawn Pleasant; Bryce Cain OR Omar Mabson OR Fred Gaskin |
| PR | Rayshawn Pleasant; Christian Neptune OR Bryce Cain |
Position Breakdown
Quarterback. Byrum Brown won the job outright and is the only quarterback listed with no OR. Tristan Ti’a is the backup.
Running back. Cobb is the clear No. 1 in his fourth season. The second spot is a three way share between Omar Mabson II, Bryson Washington and Nykahi Davenport, which says more about depth than indecision.
Receiver. Singleton, Koger and Nimrod all came from USF and will be featured. Nimrod, who missed the last five games of 2025 with a leg injury, shares his spot with Christian Neptune. Young receivers Brian Williams Jr. and DeShawn Spencer are expected to play against Baylor.
Tight end. A four way OR: Jake Johnson, Arlis Boardingham, Jonathan Echols and Xavier Newsom.
Offensive line. Jo Simmons, Cole Best and Stanton Ramil are set at the tackles and center. Both guard spots are three way competitions that Golesh will let play out in Atlanta.
Defensive front. Dallas Walker IV is the nose. Darrion Smith is listed at both tackle and end, so he plays regardless of which OR wins. Da’Shawn Womack OR Jared Smith at the edge.
Linebacker. The room has been set for months in practice even if the chart uses ORs: Bryce Deas is listed at two spots, with Elijah Melendez, Xavier Atkins and De’Marcus Riddick rotating.
Secondary. Champ Anthony appears at corner, Star and safety, the most versatile piece on the defense. Rayshawn Pleasant starts at corner and handles both return jobs. Eric Winters OR Kaleb Harris at the other safety.
The Bottom Line
Auburn knows its quarterback, its lead back, its receivers and its kicker. Everything else is a rotation until Golesh sees it against Baylor. The opener is previewed at Baylor vs. Auburn and the full slate is on our Auburn schedule. This page is updated with each weekly chart.