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One of Auburn's reserve offensive lineman is leaving the program. Senior offensive lineman Prince Michael Sammons entered the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday, AL.com has learned. Sammons was a four-star member of the Tigers' 2016 recruiting class. He didn't see any game action for Auburn last season. Sammons becomes the seventh Tigers player to enter the portal in the last 32 days. - Birmingham News

(DS#999 OT) rSr/2022

OT Prince Michael Sammons, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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05/24/21 - Eku Leota, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 263 (DS#32 DE) + More +

The first commitment of the Harsin era at Auburn, Leota joins the Tigers as a proven commodity when it comes to pass rushers. Leota only played in eight games for the Wildcats in 2021 - he did not play against Auburn in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl - but he still managed to be the team's leader in sacks (4) and was fourth in tackles for loss (5.5). The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Leota comes to Auburn with a chance to start right away. While Derick Hall seems to have a firm grasp on one of the starting EDGE positions, the other one appears up for grabs. Leota will undoubtedly be one of several Tigers vying for that role once the team reconvenes in the summer. - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#32 DE) Sr/2023

DE Eku Leota, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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05/21/21 - Marcus Harris, rSr/2024, Auburn, 6-2, 304 (DS#18 DT) + More +

The Auburn Tigers have yet added another player to bolster the defensive line. Former Kansas defensive end Marcus Harris committed to the Tigers on Friday. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Harris will be a rising sophomore this fall. Harris announced his decision on Twitter. A Montgomery native, Harris redshirted at Kansas in 2019 before breaking out as a playmaker last fall. He started five games and played in eight for the Jayhawks and recorded 27 total tackles, a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Harris went through spring at Kansas and capped things off with 2.5 tackles and one tackle for loss in the Jayhawks' spring scrimmage. Harris was a three-star prospect coming out of Park Crossing, per 247 Sports. He had offers from 22 other schools, including Troy, UAB and Washington State. - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#18 DT) rSr/2024

DT Marcus Harris, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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05/14/21 - Bydarrius Knighten, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-0, 198 (DS#33 SS) + More +

The Auburn Tigers have added another experienced defensive back to their roster. Former Southeast Missouri State defensive back Bydarrius Knighten announced his commitment to the Tigers on Friday. The 6-foot, 197-pound Knighten will come to Auburn with one year of eligibility remaining. A native of Tunica, Mississippi, Knighten entered the 2020 season as a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. He recorded 40 tackles - included 27 solo tackles - with one interception and one tackle for loss in eight games last fall. Knighten received first team All-OVC honors and was an honorable mention HERO Sports Sophomore All-American in 2018. He was a second team All-OVC selection the following year. In total, Knighten played in 45 games at SEMO with 262 total tackles, 23 pass break-ups, six interceptions and four tackles for loss. He announced he was entering the transfer portal on April 26. - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#33 SS) rSr/2022

SS Bydarrius Knighten, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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05/13/21 - Tony Fair, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-1, 343 (DS#70 DT) + More +

Auburn's defensive line is getting a massive addition this season, literally. Bryan Harsin's program dipped into the transfer portal this week and picked up a commitment from UAB grad transfer Tony Fair, a 6-foot-3, 335-pounder who will have one year of eligibility remaining. Fair, who announced his decision on his social media channels Wednesday afternoon, picked Auburn from a final three that also included Ole Miss and Purdue.

A native of South Bend, Ind., fair graduated from UAB a week and a half ago before opting to enter the transfer portal last Monday. By Wednesday, a trio of Auburn defensive coaches - including defensive coordinator Derek Mason and defensive line coach Nick Eason - contacted him, and he received an offer from the program in short order. The Tigers quickly rose to the top for Fair, who told AL.com last week that he was "leaning toward Auburn" and was eyeing a decision by the middle of this week. - Birmingham News

(DS#70 DT) rSr/2022

DT Tony Fair, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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05/12/21 - Tony Fair, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-1, 343 (DS#70 DT) + More +

The Auburn Tigers have added some much-needed depth to their defensive line. Former UAB defensive tackle Tony Fair committed to Auburn on Wednesday. Fair is a redshirt senior and will have one year of eligibility with the Tigers. Bryan Harsin speaks with the media after Auburn's A-Day scrimmage. "Man it's been a long journey and I thank every coach for finding interest in me," Fair wrote in part on social media. "… The team I have chosen to finish my last college season with is the Auburn Tigers." The 6-foot-3, 335-pound Fair joins the Tigers after spending the past two seasons with the Blazers. He recorded 21 tackles, three tackles for loss and one fumble recovery in nine games in 2020 after a debut season in which he registered 36 tackles, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two quarterback hurries. - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#70 DT) rSr/2022

DT Tony Fair, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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05/05/21 - Tony Fair, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-1, 343 (DS#70 DT) + More +

The UAB football team is expected to have the deepest defensive line since its historic return in 2017 but is now without one of its most experienced players. Following two seasons on the Southside, Tony Fair announced his intention to enter the transfer portal today on his social media account. Fair graduated from UAB this past weekend and enters the portal as a graduate transfer. Prior to his arrival at UAB, Fair spent one season at Indiana State before transferring to Pima Community College (Ariz.) for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In two seasons at Pima, Fair tallied 144 total tackles (10.5 for loss) and three sacks. - Birmingham Post Herald

(DS#70 DT) rSr/2022

DT Tony Fair, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham Post Herald
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05/05/21 - Jay Hardy, rSr/2026, Auburn, 6-3, 317 (DS#108 DT) + More +

Another Auburn defensive lineman has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Sophomore defensive tackle Jay Hardy went into the portal Monday morning, AL.com has learned. It comes after junior defensive end Jaren Handy entered the transfer portal last week. Hardy is a former four-star recruit from Tennessee who was part of the Tigers' 2020 recruiting class. He only played in one game last season and then - like Handy - didn't participate in Auburn's spring game in April. - Birmingham News

(DS#108 DT) rSr/2026

DT Jay Hardy, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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05/04/21 - Jordyn Peters, Sr/2021, Auburn, 6-1, 202 (DS#19 FS) + More +

Jordyn Peters received an early birthday gift. After sitting at home with his mom for three days and watching his teammates get drafted, Jordyn Peters made his own plans for the future and signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Jets hours before his birthday. He will be joining Auburn teammate safety Jamien Sherwood. The former Auburn player was a starting safety his senior year and a contributing defensive back all four years he was there. He finished with 101 career tackles, and he made 42 of them his final year. His best game was his final game of his career, the Citrus Bowl against Northwestern, when he made six tackles and had two pass breakups. Peters described his departure from Auburn as "bittersweet" because he wished he could have made more of an impact on defense, but he was hampered by injuries. Peters was most known for his special teams contributions, though. While he was at Auburn, he blocked four punts, including three in his sophomore season. - Birmingham News

(DS#19 FS) Sr/2021

FS Jordyn Peters, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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05/04/21 - Eli Stove, Sr/2021, Auburn, 5-11, 194 (DS#57 WR) + More +

Eli Stove is one of former Auburn wide receiver coach Kodi Burns' favorite players he's ever coached, and Burns is positive any team that signs him will benefit from his hard work and talent. That team will be Los Angeles Chargers, who signed Stove as an undrafted free agent Saturday, following the 2021 NFL Draft. At Auburn, Stove was a veteran wide receiver who managed to be one of the top five receivers in four of his five years despite injuries. Both his fourth and fifth seasons, he was the third-most productive receiver on the team. In 2020, he finished with 44 catches for 359 yards and three touchdowns. - Birmingham News

(DS#57 WR) Sr/2021

WR Eli Stove, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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04/22/21 - *Tank Bigsby, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 215 (DS#8 RB) + More +

Auburn running back Tank Bigsby made a name for himself by running hard last fall. With his sophomore season on the horizon, he doesn't have interest in letting up, either. Bigsby was asked on March 19 whether or not he would consider running out of bounds more to preserve his health. Bigsby made it clear that's not an option. "I was always taught once you make 'em feel you they don't want to feel you no more, for real," Bigsby said. "You have to be physical at running back. I don't think I'll go out of bounds." - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#8 RB) Jr/2023

RB *Tank Bigsby, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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04/18/21 - Eugene Asante, rSr/2025, Auburn, 6-1, 223 (DS#13 OLB) + More +

North Carolina's first football scrimmage of spring practice found a very different Eugene Asante chasing down ball carriers at Kenan Stadium on Saturday. The junior linebacker from Chantilly, Va., spent the better part of the past two seasons as Chazz Surratt's backup, playing mostly on special teams. And as a reserve, he didn't feel he had the authority to be very vocal. Asante earned his chance to start in the Orange Bowl when Surratt opted out to begin his NFL draft preparation. And based on his performance, Asante has made the position his. As his responsibilities have increased as a starter, so too has his presence this spring. "From a mindset standpoint, I think I certainly changed a little bit," Asante said. "I had to be more vocal with the young guys and I had to step into a role. Chazz played a great role in tutoring and mentoring me."

So did his older brother, Larry Asante, who worked his way from playing a year in junior college; to a starring role at Nebraska after switching positions from linebacker to safety; to intercepting Drew Brees in the highlight moment from playing five seasons in the NFL. Eugene Asante has referenced the way his brother was abruptly cut from the Oakland Raiders in 2015 as a reason why he plays with such a high motor. Because in the real world, "your dreams can get cut at any time." Asante gained a lot of confidence - both in himself and from his teammates - during their Orange Bowl loss to Texas A&M. He led the team with a career-high 10 tackles, including seven solos, in just his second career start. He made the plays Surratt usually made from playing on the interior of their scheme. - Raleigh News Observer

(DS#13 OLB) rSr/2025

OLB Eugene Asante, Auburn
News Source: Raleigh News Observer
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04/17/21 - Jaylin Simpson, rSr/2024, Auburn, 6-0, 179 (DS#7 FS) + More +

2021 is Jaylin Simpson's redemption year. Just like for most people, Simpson's 2020 did not go as planned, and he's ready to move on from circumstances he couldn't control. Despite the pandemic, last season actually started out well for Simpson. After a redshirt freshman year playing behind Javaris Davis and Noah Igbinoghene, Simpson entered 2020 fall camp as one of the five guys competing to fill the cornerback spot across from Roger McCreary, which opened with Davis's and Igbinoghene's departures. The competition was fierce, but Simpson won the job. However, he wasn't able to keep it, through no fault of his own.

Simpson was among the first group of defenders to hit the field in the season opener against Kentucky. He performed so well, recording four tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, that the SEC named him newcomer of a week. But by the second game, Simpson was hit by injury. He didn't play against Georgia or Arkansas and was limited the rest of the season. "I was very - hurt physically, but I was really hurt mentally," Simpson said. "I had just got my feet wet, first game." In the meantime, his teammate Nehemiah Pritchett seized his chance and became one of the top defensive backs in the league, allowing the fewest yards per target of any cornerback in the SEC, which made it very hard for someone to knock him out of his spot. - Birmingham News

(DS#7 FS) rSr/2024

FS Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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04/15/21 - Derick Hall, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 254 (DS#5 OLB) + More +

Derick Hall has made a name for himself this spring. The junior edge defender has been a steady and reliable presence in practices and team meetings for Auburn's defense as it adapts to a new coaching staff and defensive coordinator Derek Mason's new scheme. That dependability has not gone unnoticed, either. "He brings the consistency that you need with leadership," outside linebackers coach Bert Watts said. "And any great leader is going to be consistent. They're going to do the right things every single day, not just on the field but off the field.

They're going to have a steady mindset, be steady emotionally and not be up and down depending on how the day went or the day before went. "That's what Derick is. He's Mr. Consistency." Hall has emerged as a leader in Watts' position room this spring, doing so while making his own adjustments to a new position. After playing mostly at Buck and defensive end during his first two seasons on the Plains, Hall is now listed at the new edge defender position in Mason's defense. "It completely different," Hall said. And as the Tigers' third-leading sack producer last season, the Gulfport, Miss., native figures to be the team's top edge-rusher heading into the 2021 season. - Birmingham News

(DS#5 OLB) Sr/2023

OLB Derick Hall, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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04/10/21 - Chandler Wooten, rSr/2022, Auburn, 6-3, 224 (DS#40 ILB) + More +

Chandler Wooten became a father in the fall, but when winter rolled around, he may have felt more like a grandpa. After opting out of last season due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wooten returned to the field with his teammates back in January to participate in Auburn's offseason workout program. Needless to say, after more than five months away from the team and the game he loves, Wooten needed time to get back into the swing of things. "There was a little rust in the first part of workouts," inside linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding said. "He was joking around that he felt a little bit old at that point - but the rust is off."

As Auburn is underway with the second half of spring practices, Wooten was a player who on Wednesday garnered some unprompted praise from Schmedding, who said the fifth-year senior is having a "heck of a spring" so far. It would be easy to forget about Wooten, or for the veteran to get lost in the mix after sitting out last season, especially given what Auburn brings back at the linebacker position this season. Most of the attention, understandably, is on junior Owen Pappoe, a former five-star prospect who has been a starter since Day 1 on the Plains, and senior Zakoby McClain, who led the nation in tackles a year ago. - Birmingham News

(DS#40 ILB) rSr/2022

ILB Chandler Wooten, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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