Auburn Tigers Well Represented on ESPN's Top 5 NFL Draft Prospects per Position

With 70 days until kickoff, the buzz is starting to sound louder and louder around college football, and the Auburn Tigers are looking to have a breakout season. 

The Tigers haven’t been well represented in the NFL Draft the last several years, but that should change in 2026 with several Auburn players making ESPN’s Matt Miller and Jordan Reid's list of top five NFL Draft prospects at every position in college football. 

Wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. represents Auburn’s top offensive playmaker listed. He checked in at No. 3 on Miller’s list. The Georgia Tech transfer is entering his first season on the Plains. In his previous season with the Yellow Jackets, he reeled in 56 catches for 754 yards to go along with three touchdowns. 

Although those numbers may not seem flashy, he displayed his ability to make plays downfield despite playing in a run-heavy offense. He is an architect when it comes to route running and has blazing speed. 

Next up is a big man in the trenches, Connor Lew. He came in ranked No. 1 on Jordan Reid's list of center prospects, with Florida’s Jake Slaughter coming in at No. 2. Lew and Slaughter will battle for several awards in college football this season. 

Lew only allowed one sack during his freshman campaign on 442 pass block snaps. This also included zero, yes, zero quarterback hits allowed according to PFF.com. 

Lew could be easily overlooked due to the total number of sacks given up by the Auburn offensive line, that number being 27. But that is also why head coach Hugh Freeze and company brought in the cavalry from the transfer portal. 

Keldrick Faulk also came in as the best at edge rusher position on Reid's list and was No. 3 for Miller. Faulk is coming off a breakout sophomore season where he brought down opposing quarterbacks seven times. He is also a huge disruptor in the run game, having 45 total tackles. 

The Auburn defense was the lifeline for the Tigers in 2024 due to the offense being littered with turnover problems. Faulk and company will need to continue to play at a high level if this Auburn team is going to make a deep run this season. 

These Tigers are receiving national and NFL attention long before the football season kicks off. Freeze has dedicated the previous two seasons to upgrading the talent on the Tigers’ roster, and if the recruiting rankings along with the NFL Draft rankings are any indication, he has done that. Now, it’s time for his efforts to reflect on the field.