{"id":633160,"date":"2025-12-27T18:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T18:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/633160\/"},"modified":"2025-12-27T18:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T18:10:17","slug":"auburn-football-three-defenders-with-most-to-prove-in-2026-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/633160\/","title":{"rendered":"Auburn football: Three defenders with most to prove in 2026 season"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Auburn football<\/a> begins to construct its 2026 roster, there are players who absolutely must shine for the Tigers next season.<\/p>\n

Whether pursuing professional opportunities or rebounding from slow production in 2025, Auburn has several diamond-in-the-rough players who could put their skills on display under new Auburn coach Alex Golesh. <\/p>\n

Here are three defenders who have the most to prove in the 2026 season:<\/p>\n

Kaleb Harris, Safety <\/p>\n

Auburn starting safety Kaleb Harris hit a rough patch under former safeties coach TJ Rushing last season. Despite finishing the year with 38 total tackles, a pass deflection and an interception, Harris\u2019s Pro Football Focus grade decreased from 78.0 to 66.7 between his freshman and sophomore years. <\/p>\n

Harris was a three-star recruit that finished with 48 tackles and three pass breakups as a freshman in the Tigers\u2019 secondary. In 2025, he struggled in deep coverage, as he totaled 273 yards allowed and 141 yards after catch. <\/p>\n

Now with the Tigers bringing in Tim Banks as the safeties coach in Golesh\u2019s staff. Harris could get back to his freshman form and come back stronger in his third year. <\/p>\n

\"AlabamaAlabama running back Jam Miller, right, stiff-arms Auburn safety Kaleb Harris (8) as he carries the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo\/Butch Dill)APDemarcus Riddick, LB<\/p>\n

Auburn\u2019s second year linebacker Demarcus Riddick was injured for the majority of his sophomore season. However, when healthy, he has the skillset of an established SEC linebacker. <\/p>\n

Riddick\u2019s 27 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, a pass deflection and a forced fumble in 2024 had coaches excited about his sophomore year. <\/p>\n

After starting five games in the Tigers\u2019 new defensive rotation, Riddick totaled 13 tackles, 1.0 tackle-for-loss, 1.0 sack and two pass breakups in limited action this fall.<\/p>\n

His decision to sit out in Auburn\u2019s final two games will have him ready for fall camp next season, according to defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.<\/p>\n

Rayshawn Pleasant, DB<\/p>\n

After transferring from Tulane, Rayshawn Pleasant proved how dangerous he could be in both the special teams game and at cornerback for the Tigers. <\/p>\n

Next season, Pleasant could step into a CB1 role after 2025 starters Jay Crawford and Kayin Lee entered the transfer portal. <\/p>\n

Pleasant finished this past season with 11 solo tackles, two interceptions and a pick-6 against Arkansas. He also returned a kick for a touchdown in Auburn\u2019s season-opening win over Baylor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As Auburn football begins to construct its 2026 roster, there are players who absolutely must shine for the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":633161,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2026],"tags":[406,7,4151,326,790],"class_list":{"0":"post-633160","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-crimson-tide","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-iron-bowl","11":"tag-sec","12":"tag-tigers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115792879913259970","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633160\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}