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Auburn is still in wait-and-see mode when it comes to senior offensive lineman Nick Brahms. Brahms has been sidelined for much of the preseason while dealing with an undisclosed injury, leaving his availability for the start of the season in question. The uncertainty surrounding Brahms' status appears as though it will continue into game week, with Auburn's season opener against Mercer now just eight days away. "Right now, we got to find out where he's at, because there's still some things he's working through at this point," Auburn coach Bryan Harsin said Thursday evening during his weekly radio show. Brahms, it should be noted, underwent a knee procedure in December that kept him out of the Birmingham Bowl and limited him during spring practices. He was full-go for the start of fall camp, working with the first-team offense earlier this month before being sidelined the last couple of weeks.

A sixth-year senior, Brahms opted to return to Auburn and take advantage of the NCAA's free year of eligibility made available to student-athletes during the pandemic. The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder has started 33 games at Auburn over the last four seasons, including 28 consecutive starts at center spanning the second half of the 2019 campaign and culminating with last season's Iron Bowl. "Nick's a guy, he chose to come back, and he's experienced, he's tough, he's wanting to be successful on the football field one more time," Harsin said. "And we'll see... We'll find out what it looks like with his career moving forward." - Birmingham News

(DS#999 C) rSr/2023

C Nick Brahms, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/29/22 - Eku Leota, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 263 (DS#32 DE) + More +

Eku Leota posted 23 tackles, ten tackles for loss, and seven sacks for Auburn last season after playing the previous two years for Northwestern of the Big Ten. Leota took a while to adapt to the rigors of playing in the Southeastern Conference. He didn't get to participate in spring football last year. He missed out on time in the weight room since he didn't arrive to the Plains until July, which put him at a disadvantage. Last season, Leota put up numbers and made life easier for fellow EDGE rusher Derick Hall. Leota's prowess makes it difficult for offenses to double-team Hall, who made the pre-season all-SEC coaches team. Getting playing time last season was tough for Leota. Auburn had T.D. Moultry and others on the team were ahead of the 6?4 256 pounder.

Leota managed four starts and did well in his snaps. Now, he's expecting to be a leader on a team that needs to perform well on defense. "My expectation is that we're going to have a lot of sacks and a lot of pressures," Leota said. We have a lot of pass rushers on this team. We have a secondary that can lock people up, which gives us more time to get to the quarterback. I feel like this year; we are building a lot of chemistry on the defense since the start of pre-season practice." Leota has put on around 10 pounds of muscle. He told reporters that he was more a finesse pass-rusher earlier in his career. He's hoping the added strength will make him a better rusher since teams will have to fear his bullrush as much as his speedy moves. "I really want to work on being more consistent with my power moves," Leota said. I feel like I'm more of a finesse guy, but I really need to be more consistent with the speed to power as well, especially in the SEC because those guys are big." - Birmingham News

(DS#32 DE) Sr/2023

DE Eku Leota, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/29/22 - Payton Thorne, rSr/2025, Auburn, 6-2, 207 (DS#27 QB) + More +

2022 PRESEASON MANNING AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Payton Thorne, Jr., Michigan State,...After a record-setting season in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne is back for the Spartans in 2022. Thorne set a school single-season record with 27 touchdown passes in 2021, surpassing Kirk Cousins, who previously held the record with 25 TDs in 2011. Thorne also ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in total offense (third with 3,414 yards), passing yards (third with 3,233), passing yards per game (third with 248.7), passing efficiency (sixth with 148.1 rating), pass completions (tied for sixth with 234) and pass attempts (seventh with 388). Overall in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne was 234-of-388 passing (.603) for 3,233 yards, 27 TDs and 10 interceptions. - Michigan State Football

(DS#27 QB) rSr/2025

QB Payton Thorne, Auburn
News Source: Michigan State Football
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08/29/22 - *Colby Wooden, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-4, 278 (DS#16 DE) + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM: DL - Colby Wooden, Auburn,...A fourth-year junior, Wooden made 61 tackles last season, including five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. In career 28 games, he's made nine sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss and 107 tackles. - Auburn Football

(DS#16 DE) Jr/2023

DE *Colby Wooden, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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08/29/22 - Derick Hall, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 254 (DS#5 OLB) + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM: DL - Derick Hall, Auburn,...Hall, a senior, registered nine sacks in 2021, including three in the Iron Bowl. In three seasons he's recorded 12.5 sacks among 17.5 tackles for loss. - Auburn Football

(DS#5 OLB) Sr/2023

OLB Derick Hall, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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08/29/22 - *Tank Bigsby, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 215 (DS#8 RB) + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM: RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn,...The SEC freshman of the year in 2020, Bigsby rushed for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021. In two seasons on the Plains, the 6-0, 213-pound junior has rushed for 1,933 yards and 15 touchdowns to rank No. 20 in Auburn career rushing. - Auburn Football

(DS#8 RB) Jr/2023

RB *Tank Bigsby, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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08/29/22 - Anders Carlson, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-5, 219 (DS#7 K) + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC THIRD TEAM: PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn,...Carlson, returning for his fifth season after recovering from knee surgery, has 67 career field goals, connecting at a 72 percent clip. He's added 151 points after touchodwns He's recorded 170 career touchbacks on kickoffs. - Auburn Football

(DS#7 K) rSr/2023

K Anders Carlson, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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08/29/22 - Oscar Chapman, rSr/2025, Auburn, 6-3, 206 (DS#23 P) + More +

2022 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM: P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn,...Chapman, a junior, ranked second in the SEC in punting in 2021, averaging 44.1 yards on 57 kicks, including 23 inside the 20-yard line. - Auburn Football

(DS#23 P) rSr/2025

P Oscar Chapman, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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08/29/22 - Owen Pappoe, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 225 (DS#5 ILB) + More +

Auburn football has signified its player-led leadership for the upcoming season, naming tight end John Samuel Shenker, linebacker Owen Pappoe and edge rusher Derick Hall its team captains Tuesday, less than two weeks ahead of the season. Although he was considered a potential draft prospect, Pappoe decided to return to Auburn for his senior season after suffering a leg injury in 2021 that forced him to miss the bulk of the Tigers' season. Pappoe was also voted a team captain ahead of the 2021 season, logging 93 tackles as a sophomore in what was considered an All-SEC campaign. "Getting Owen back from the spring was huge in terms of leadership, in terms of how he makes other people feel when he's out there with them," linebackers coach Christian Robinson said. "And I'm very proud of him and the strides that he's taken to come back into being conditioned and ready to perform. So he's done an awesome job with that." - Birmingham News

(DS#5 ILB) Sr/2023

ILB Owen Pappoe, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/25/22 - Nick Brahms, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 300 (DS#999 C) + More +

The availability of Auburn starting center Nick Brahms is up in the air with two weeks to go until the Tigers' season opener against Mercer. Brahms, a sixth-year senior who chose to return for an additional season, has been dealing with an undisclosed injury this preseason. He has been held out of practice for the last week, including two scrimmages and Saturday's practice at Jordan-Hare Stadium that was open to the media. "Still just kind of waiting that one out a little bit, see where he is at," Auburn coach Bryan Harsin said. "At some point we'll figure out what his situation is, but just kind of let him settle in a little bit, heal up and then figure out what the final decision's gonna be."

Brahms underwent knee surgery in December that kept him out of the Birmingham Bowl and limited him during spring practices. He was cleared to return this summer and opened fall camp as Auburn's first-team center. The Navarre, Fla., native is a former four-star prospect who has appeared in 40 games after redshirting as a true freshman. He has 33 career starts at center, including 28 consecutive starts spanning the second half of the 2019 season and running through last season's Iron Bowl. - Birmingham News

(DS#999 C) rSr/2023

C Nick Brahms, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/21/22 - Anders Carlson, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-5, 219 (DS#7 K) + More +

Auburn kicker Anders Carlson is back on the practice fields for fall camp and he's "good to go," he said Wednesday, nine months removed from an ACL injury that sidelined him for the final three games of Auburn's 2021 season. "The first few months were tough and hard and long days, but since then, a lot of green lights," Carlson said. "The knee feels extremely strong." Although he's 100%, Carlson said he plans to wear a brace while kicking for all of 2022. "It feels strong without the brace," Carlson said. "I like to workout without the brace, do some running, but just in terms of if something does happen. And also, I took it off two weeks ago and was kicking without it. Everything was fine, but it just didn't feel as tight, necessarily, or strong, so I thought it was the best decision to put it on."

After an onside kick in last year's 43-34 loss to Mississippi State, Carlson went down with the injury. He was 14-for-21 on field goal attempts through 10 games last year and made 35 extra point attempts. He's both third in Auburn career points scored (352) and second in program history in career field goals made (67). He trails only his brother, Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, in the latter category. Head coach Bryan Harsin said Carlson was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts in Auburn's Saturday scrimmage. "It was good to have him back out there, too, after the injury and to see him get out there and get a few kicks," Harsin said. "He's been really doing well in camp, but tonight it was good to be out in the stadium, I think, for him as well." - Opelika-Auburn News

(DS#7 K) rSr/2023

K Anders Carlson, Auburn
News Source: Opelika-Auburn News
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08/19/22 - Tate Johnson, rSr/2026, Auburn, 6-3, 271 (DS#999 TE) + More +

Auburn's offensive line got a boost of stability in the offseason with the return of center Nick Brahms for a sixth season, but with the fifth-year starter coming off an offseason knee procedure, the Tigers have had two additional players receive first-team reps at center this preseason. Brandon Council - a seventh-year player - and junior Tate Johnson have rotated in at center along with Brahms during the first week-plus of practices, providing Auburn with additional depth at center should Brahms be slowed by his surgically repaired knee. Johnson received some first-team work at center during Saturday's scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with head coach Bryan Harsin noting Johnson's improved understanding of Auburn's offensive concepts. Johnson was also with the starting offensive line at center during the media viewing period of Tuesday afternoon's practice.

Johnson has come on strong this offseason and "has done a really nice job," according to offensive line coach Will Friend, after appearing in just one game as a reserve in his first two seasons. "Man, it's night and day," Council said. "I remember when we got here in 2020, you'd think Tate was a guy, 'Man, is he going to play here?' But, oh my God, the progression's been unreal for this kid. He's stepped up when we needed him the most…. We're proud of him as a unit. He's just added another tool to the box." Council has prior experience at center from his time at Akron, where he spent his first four college seasons. Council started 24 consecutive games in which he as healthy at Akron, including two at center during the 2019 season. His versatility has been a plus since he arrived at Auburn, though most of his work with the Tigers has been at guard, and he has also repped at both guard spots this preseason. It's Johnson, though, who could emerge as Auburn's best bet at center in the event Brahms is limited, especially since Jailil Irvin - the backup at center the last two seasons, and who started the Birmingham Bowl in place of Brahms -- has been seen working at guard this fall. - Birmingham News

(DS#999 TE) rSr/2026

TE Tate Johnson, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/16/22 - Derick Hall, Sr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 254 (DS#5 OLB) + More +

There was one position that didn't get to fully showcase its ability during Auburn's first fall scrimmage - and no, we're not talking about the quarterbacks, who sported orange non-contact jerseys Saturday evening in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Because the Tigers' quarterbacks didn't go live in the team's first preseason scrimmage, Auburn's edge defenders didn't get to go full bore. Derick Hall and Eku Leota were relegated to a game of tag when it came to pass-rushing opportunities Saturday evening, but the duo-coming off a highly productive 2021 campaign-still came through with some pressure in the backfield. Leota was credited with one sack during the scrimmage, while Hall could have finished with a couple of his own, coach Bryan Harsin said afterward. Neither one got to actually hit the quarterbacks, but that didn't stop them from flaunting after forcing the offense into some potentially negative plays. "Our edges can bend the corner," Harsin said. "Here's the one thing - our guys know. They know, they kind of run by and razz each other a little bit."

Hall and Leota hope they can maintain that kind of production once the games actually count and once they can really let loose on opposing quarterbacks. The two proved to be a dynamic duo off the edge last season, their first playing together after Leota transferred from Northwestern, as they combined for 16 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. Hall led Auburn with nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last season while picking up second-team All-SEC honors. He hopes to break the program's single-season sack record - Nick Fairley's 11.5 during the 2010 national championship campaign - this fall. "That's the goal," Hall said. "Last year was a really good year. I went back and watched some film and could've definitely had that opportunity last year, and I definitely should've had that opportunity last year, so I'm just trying to make that step and turn pressures and missed sacks into sacks and help this team get better. So, that's the goal." - Birmingham News

(DS#5 OLB) Sr/2023

OLB Derick Hall, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/16/22 - *Tank Bigsby, Jr/2023, Auburn, 6-0, 215 (DS#8 RB) + More +

Auburn will start Year 2 of the Bryan Harsin era unranked in both major polls. A week after failing to crack the top-25 of the coaches poll, Auburn also found itself on the outside looking in of the preseason AP poll released Monday. Six SEC teams were ranked in the preseason AP poll, led by Alabama at No. 1 and defending national champion Georgia at No. 3. Texas A&M (No. 6), Arkansas (No. 19), Kentucky (No. 20) and Ole Miss (No. 21) were also ranked. Auburn was 11th among "other receiving votes," ostensibly placing the Tigers at No. 36 in the country entering the season. In all, nine SEC teams received more votes than Auburn, with Tennessee, LSU and Mississippi State ahead of Auburn among those outside the top-25. It's the second straight year that Auburn, which is coming of a 6-7 campaign in Harsin's debut season, has been unranked in the preseason AP poll. It's the first time since the 2001-02 seasons that the Tigers have been unranked in consecutive preseason polls. - Birmingham News

(DS#8 RB) Jr/2023

RB *Tank Bigsby, Auburn
News Source: Birmingham News
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08/15/22 - Nick Brahms, rSr/2023, Auburn, 6-3, 300 (DS#999 C) + More +

2022 PRESEASON WUERFFEL TROPHY (COMMUNITY SERVICE) WATCHLIST: Nick Brahms, Auburn, Sr., OL,...Brahms, who has played in 40 games in his Auburn career with 33 starts, graduated in May with a master's degree in business administration. He earned his undergraduate in 2020 in professional flight management and is training to become a certified flight instructor. Last year, in addition to being on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, Brahms was one of 30 Senior CLASS Award candidates and was a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America selection. He was also one of 13 student-athletes Auburn to receive the Academic Excellence Award by the 1A Faculty Athletics Representatives. - Auburn Football

(DS#999 C) rSr/2023

C Nick Brahms, Auburn
News Source: Auburn Football
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