Injuries plagued Auburn’s running back unit last season, forcing a a walk-on and true freshman into meaningful action late in the year.
Now, Auburn will enter 2026 with one of the deepest and most versatile rooms in the SEC.
“It feels like we went from ‘Man, what exactly are we going to here?’ to a really good room,” Auburn head coach Alex Golesh told reporters at the Senior Bowl.
The Tigers return their leading rusher, Jeremiah Cobb, who finished the season with 968 yards. Cobb is a familiar name to Golesh, who recruited him out of Mary G. Montgomery High School five years ago.
“He brings a veteran presence,” Golsesh said of Cobb. “A true Auburn man that started there and wants to finish there.”
Shortly after Cobb announced his return, Golesh and running backs coach Larry Porter struck gold in the transfer portal, landing Baylor standout Bryson Washington.
A downhill, north-and-south runner at 6-foot-0, 216 pounds, Washington totaled 1,861 yards in three seasons with the Bears, including a 1,000-yard redshirt freshman campaign – the most by a freshman in program history.
“Bryson brings two-and-a-half years of starting game experience at the Power Four level,” Golesh said. “He was hungry to go and play in an offense where he was going to run the ball. He wanted to play in the SEC. He wanted to play against the best talent in the country.
“That’s what you are looking for in general in the portal. You wanted guys who ran to an opportunity to play in the best league in the country.”
One of the many familiar faces Golesh brought with him to the Plains, Nykahi Davenport, played a significant role in the 13th-best rushing offense with 612 yards at USF last season, while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
“Nykahi is still young,” Golesh said. “As excited as we were about Nykahi, he’s still a baby. A redshirt freshman who missed his whole freshman year. Everything he did was kind of on raw talent, and he’s still got to continue to develop.”
Auburn added another proven piece in Troy transfer Tae Meadows, who rushed for 695 yards and six touchdowns last season to go along with redshirt freshmen Omar Mabson II and Alvin Henderson.
“Certainly, really excited about that room,” Golesh said.
Auburn will begin spring practice under the new regime on March 17, with A-Day set for April 18 at 2 p.m. CT. TG
