The Auburn Tigers enter their first bye week of the season with a 3-2 record after a 16-10 loss to then-No. 9 Texas A&M last Saturday at Kyle Field.
Despite an 0-2 start in SEC play, there have been some bright spots for the Tigers. A handful of freshmen and young contributors have broken through, while others stepping into expanded roles have flourished.
With that, here are Auburn’s top stock risers through five games:
LB Xavier Atkins
The LSU transfer has made his case as Auburn’s best linebacker through five games. Atkins leads the team with 29 tackles and recorded a 73-yard interception against the Aggies, setting up an Auburn touchdown.
He has finished with five or more tackles in all but one game.
Arriving on the Plains with just three tackles under his belt with the Bayou Bengals, Atkins has become a player that defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has praised as a model for what he wants in his linebacker room.
EDGE Keyron Crawford
The first of two edge rushers on this list, Crawford has taken a substantial jump in the first five games this season.
After finishing with 22 tackles a season ago, Crawford has nearly matched that total with 20 tackles this year, the third-best mark on the team.
He leads the Tigers with four sacks and has also recorded an interception.
EDGE Jared Smith
A former 5-star recruit, Smith has turned heads since preseason camp, and he’s now putting it on full display in game action.
Smith has been all over the field the last few weeks and owns the fifth-best Pro Football Focus grade among Auburn defenders. He’s posted four tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble in the Oklahoma game.
In a crowded defensive end room, head coach Hugh Freeze noted that Smith is a player who could see an expanded role if his upward trajectory continues.
S Eric Winters
With Auburn’s secondary struggles early in the season and the absence of Champ Anthony for two weeks due to injury, Winters saw an early path to playing time and has undoubtedly made the most of it.
A former 4-star recruit in the 2025 class, Winters is fifth on the team with 13 tackles. He boasts the sixth-highest overall PFF grade and has the best run defense grade among Auburn defenders with an 88.9.
RB Jeremiah Cobb
Cobb was mostly used as a utility back in his first two years on the Plains.
But the void left behind by the program’s fourth leading rusher, Jarquez Hunter, had to be filled by somebody.
Auburn came into this season with a “by-committee” approach in the backfield with Damari Alston and Cobb carrying the load. But Alston was sidelined for two weeks due to a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1, leaving room for Cobb to thrive in his newly expanded role as a primary ball carrier.
Cobb posted two consecutive 100-yard performances against Ball State and South Alabama. Entering the Tigers’ Week 5 matchup, Cobb was second in the SEC with 375 yards on the ground. However, since the start of conference play, Cobb has only received 12 carries for 89 yards.
Nonetheless, when Cobb has the ball in his hands, he has flashed the ability to eat up some yards as he averages 7.4 yards per carry. Simply put, he must be a staple in Auburn’s offensive game plan moving forward.
The Tigers have the week off before inviting No. 12 Georgia to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 11. Kick-off times and broadcast options are TBA.
