Defense: C-
Defensive Line
Coming into the season, most thought this would be the strength of the team. However, they have not been as dominant as many would have hoped. Colby Wooden and Marcus Harris anchor this group and both have been solid but not routinely producing negative plays like they had last season. Jayson Jones has been hampered by an early injury that has limited his effectiveness. Morris Joseph Jr. has come in and played well in spot duty, proving to be a needed rotational depth piece. Jeffry M’Ba is still very raw and working to translate his athleticism to consistent disruption and play making ability in his limited reps.
Edge
This is another group that most had high hopes for. They have played admirably but, again, not dominant. The unit is anchored by the play of Derick Hall, who is giving his all every game and came away with the first interception of the season for the defense. He is not on pace to break the single season sack record that he hoped, but still, he has played well.
The unfortunate blow to this unit came in the form of an injury to Eku Leota. He had the look of a player ready to have a breakout season and wreck some game plans. However, with him being down, it has allowed for Marcus Bragg and Redshirt Freshman Dylan Brooks to get more playing time. Bragg has had a few good moments but Brooks looks to still be trying to figure it out.
Linebackers
The group that has struggled the most on defense is easily the linebacker core. The missed tackles and poor run fits have been pervasive. It seems like they are, as a group, not certain about what they are seeing and when they do arrive, they have not been able to consistently make the plays. It was an area of concern before the season that still has not gotten figured out.
Cornerbacks
This group has been good. They have had to step up and provide a lot of run support this year and have been solid in that duty. The pass coverage has been bolstered by the emergence of DJ James, who was a solid corner at Oregon before coming to Auburn, and JUCO transfer, Keionte Scott. Both players have been key contributors to the defense that has allowed the defense to be top 20 in the nation in yards per completion and passing TDs allowed.
Safeties
This group has been a mixed bag. While this group has not been consistently victimized in the pass game, which is great, they have not been sound, as a unit, in the run game. The play of Donovan Kaufman has been a bright spot for the team. He is all over the field and making plays at crucial points in games. However, he can be out of position and take bad angles at times. Zion Puckett has been puzzling. He has all of the physical tools to wreck a game plan but seems to be out of position often and missing tackles. In limited duty, Cayden Bridges has been decent. He does seem to be undersized in the run game, it has been tough for him to make plays against the bruising backs that play in this league but he understands where he needs to be.
Be sure to check out our bye week report card on the Auburn Offense, and Coaching & Special Teams.
