Auburn Football

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 225

HAND: 9 1/8"

ARM: 31 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 35.5"

BROAD: 10'6"

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POSITIVES

— Constant pre-snap communicator working to get the defense set and make checks at the line of scrimmage.

— When taking on blocks against the run, he's quick to get his hands up and is physical to get extension versus offensive linemen.

— Solid at getting off blocks overall. Has the strength to shed against tight ends and smaller offensive linemen.

— Has shown flashes of using his quickness, acceleration and agility to avoid blocks from offensive linemen without getting too far out of his gap.

— Good speed for impressive range against outside runs.

— Sure tackler overall. Wraps up and keeps his feet moving through contact when tackling in the box and knows when he can run through the ball-carrier and when to break down in open space.

— Uses his hands well in coverage, either making contact to help stay in phase when playing man or forcing reroutes in zone coverage.

— Impressive acceleration to click and close in coverage, which allows him to take deep drops and help take away intermediate throws in zone coverage while still being able to rally when the quarterback checks it down.

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NEGATIVES

— A little short and undersized for an NFL linebacker and will get pushed around by bigger guards at the next level. Doesn't have much room for growth on his frame.

— Instincts as a run defender are rough. He falls for eye candy, can take a half-second too long to key and diagnose the play and will occasionally fit into the wrong gap.

— Misses opportunities to work over the top of blocks on the front side of outside gap runs, almost blocking himself.

— Not effective when blitzing with his lack of size; offensive linemen are able to catch him and avoid giving up penetration.

— Will occasionally get caught staring in the backfield too long in zone coverage.

— Can be a little too aggressive in man coverage. When he tries to get physical, he gets beat deep if he misses or the receiver is able to avoid the contact.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 91 TOT, 3 TFL, 2 SK, 2 FF, 3 PBU, 1 INT

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NOTES

— Born September 9, 2000

— 5-star recruit in the 2019 class, No. 25 overall, No. 1 OLB, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— Made Bruce Feldman's list of exceptional athletes; 435-pound max on the bench press and 4.32-second 40-yard dash, per Auburn's staff

— Injuries: Eight missed games in 2021 (ankle)

— 41 career starts

— 2022 Honors: Team captain (fourth two-time captain in Auburn's history), Butkus Award semifinalist

— 2021 Honors: Team captain, Preseason All-SEC third team

— Named the USA Today Georgia Defensive Player of the Year in high school

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OVERALL

As a four-year starter with 41 career starts, Owen Pappoe might be the most experienced linebacker in this year's draft class. And beyond the "C" on his chest, it was pretty evident he was the leader on the Tigers defense: He was constantly making pre-snap checks and getting everyone lined up correctly. That's something NFL coaches will fall in love with.

Pappoe is also an exceptional athlete for the position. He's a smooth mover, and his speed pops off the tape both as a run defender and in coverage. That should translate well to the next level with what is being asked of the modern-day linebacker and could help him overcome some of his size deficiencies.

Listed at 6'1" and 225 pounds, the Auburn product will be a little undersized heading into the NFL. Obviously, he's not going to get any taller, and he's already fairly thick, so this might be about as big as he gets. That's going to be an issue when taking on 310-pound, or more, guards climbing up to the second level.

The other concerning part about Pappoe's game is his instincts against the run are shaky, especially for being such an experienced player. He has a habit of falling for eye candy and gets caught flat-footed too often. Post-snap, it often looks like he's thinking and then reacting rather than just reacting, as he takes a tick too long to key and diagnose what the offense is running.

That being said, an even front team looking for an off-ball outside linebacker who is a solid all-around player should have Pappoe on its radar in the middle rounds.

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GRADE: 7.1 (High-level backup/potential starter, Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 78

POSITION RANK: LB5

PRO COMPARISON: David Long Jr.

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 254

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 83"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.57

3-CONE: 7.23

SHUTTLE: 4.2

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 10'7"

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POSITIVES

— Has a good one-arm stab move where he has the strength and leg drive to collapse the pocket against offensive tackles.

— Solid rip move to win around the edge as a pass-rusher.

— Non-stop pass-rush motor, will get coverage and clean-up sacks.

— Against the run, he's physical at the point of attack and has pop in his hands to help gain control of the block.

— When unblocked, he uses his hands to disrupt the offensive lineman's path to the second level and squeezes down the line of scrimmage without getting too far up the field.

— Strong enough to hold ground against pullers as the force player in run fits.

— Refuses to be blocked by tight ends.

— Hustle player and takes good angles in pursuit to factor into gang tackles down the field.

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NEGATIVES

— Inconsistent get-off, he struggles to time up the snap and doesn't have the initial quickness to recover.

— Struggles with his pad level/leverage out of a two-point stance, he's more reliant on his strength which won't be good enough against NFL offensive linemen.

— Has a habit of ducking inside reach blocks to try and make the play.

— Not violent enough when shedding, will let blocker hang on to him.

— Likes to leave his feet when tackling.

— Lacks the quickness and use of hands to execute finesse moves around the edge, he struggles to change the angle on offensive tackles and clear their hands, especially on inside stick moves.

— Sub-par bend and ankle flexibility to turn tight corners at the top of the rush.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 60 TOT, 12 TFL, 7 SK, 2 FF, 1 PBU, 1 INT

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NOTES

— DOB: March 19, 2001

— A 4-Star recruit in the 2019 class, No. 148 overall, No. 8 WDE, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— Injuries: 2019 (Knee, missed 2 games)

— 31 career starts

— 2022 Honors: First-Team All-SEC (coaches), Second-Team All-SEC (AP, Phil Steele), Third-Team All-SEC (PFF), Jason Witten Man of the Year semifinalist, Auburn Defensive Player of the Year

— 2021 Honors: Second-Team All-SEC (coaches)

— Played basketball and was a state finalist at the 200 meters in track in High School

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OVERALL

Derick Hall's game is rooted in brute strength. He can win at the point of attack against the run and has an impressive one-arm stab move that can put offensive tackles on skates as a pass-rusher. That should translate to the next level. However, he doesn't show a lot of dynamic athleticism, which could be his undoing in the NFL.

There were few times when Hall was able to win with finesse around the edge as a rusher, and he lacks elite bend to take an efficient path to the quarterback. Those are two important factors to consider before drafting an edge defender. He needs to put up good testing numbers at the combine to at least show he has the potential to grow in that area.

Schematically, Hall would be best as a hand-in-the-ground defensive end for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He has the frame to fill that role at 6'3" and 256 pounds, and teams looking for a player to provide immediate run support and occasional pressure would be more than happy to take him off the board.

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GRADE: 7.2 (High-Level Backup or Potential Starter/Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 70

POSITION RANK: EDGE12

PRO COMPARISON: Rashad Weaver

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

Four-star cornerback Kayin Lee flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Auburn on Wednesday, saying he chose the Tigers to stay near his home.

"I'm close to home," Lee told On3's Chad Simmons. "I can play very early and I'm playing SEC football, which I feel like is the most competitive conference."

Lee committed to Ohio State in June but was hotly pursued by Auburn throughout his recruitment process.

New Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze retained secondary coach Zac Etheridge for his staff, which played a major part in Lee's decision. Lee said Freeze has also been hot on his trail since taking the job last month.

"He was just after me from the get-go, from the first day we met," Lee said. "He was talking to me so much. He was talking to me more than the actual players that he hasn't even met yet on the team, trying to get me to come."

Lee is the No. 209 overall player and 25th-ranked cornerback in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He played high school football at Cedar Grove in Georgia, emerging as a quick, physical cornerback who plays bigger than his 5'11", 185-pound size.

Auburn has the 19th-ranked class for the 2023 season, which should give Freeze a strong foundation for his second tenure as an SEC head coach. Lee is one of seven commits ranked 4-stars by 247Sports.

Liberty football head coach Hugh Freeze is returning to the SEC.

The Auburn Tigers announced Monday they had hired Freeze as the 31st head coach in the football program's history. ESPN's Chris Low previously reported a deal was done.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Freeze's deal will be for six years and have an average salary of $6.5 million per year.

Freeze had previously coached at Ole Miss from 2012 to 2016. He resigned prior to the 2017 season after admitting to personal misconduct.

Thamel reported Saturday that Freeze and Auburn had informally been engaged in contract discussions for "more than a week," with an offer expected to come after Saturday's Iron Bowl against No. 7 Alabama. The Tigers lost the game 49-27 to end the regular season with a 5-7 record and 2-6 conference record, ranking sixth in the SEC West.

Freeze coached Liberty to an 8-4 record this season, though the Flames ended the year with three consecutive losses. Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger added that Auburn will owe Liberty "around $3 million" as part of a buyout for hiring Freeze.

Since being hired by Liberty in December 2018, the 53-year-old led the team to a 34-15 record over four seasons and helped the Flames qualify for bowl games for the first time in program history. The Flames gone 3-0 in postseason matchups under Freeze.

During his time at Ole Miss, Freeze had coached the Rebels to a 39-25 record.

An NCAA investigation uncovered recruiting violations, most of which occurred under Freeze, while school officials found Freeze used a university cellphone to contact a number affiliated with an escort service. Following the NCAA investigation, Ole Miss had to vacate 33 wins, 27 of which were under Freeze. Sanctions also included a two-year postseason ban, a three-year probation period and scholarship reductions.

Freeze has only had one losing season in his 12 years as a college football head coach. He now will be at the helm of an Auburn program that hasn't finished higher than third in the SEC West since 2017 and has lost three consecutive bowl games.

Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze is reportedly in discussions with Auburn about filling the Tigers' head coaching vacancy after Saturday's Iron Bowl against Alabama.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the sides have been in talks about contract terms "for more than [a] week" but a formal offer isn't expected until after the regular season wraps up against the Crimson Tide.

The emergence of Freeze as the potential favorite comes as links between Auburn and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin have "significantly cooled" in recent days, per Thamel.

Freeze has guided Liberty to an 8-3 record ahead of its regular-season finale against New Mexico State on Saturday. The Flames own a 34-14 mark since he took over the program ahead of the 2019 campaign.

The 53-year-old Mississippi native has SEC experience, guiding Ole Miss to a 39-25 record across five seasons starting in 2012, and led the Arkansas State coaching staff for one year in 2011.

Freeze resigned from his role with the Rebels in 2017 after then-Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork said the university found a "troubling" pattern of calls on his school-issued cellphone, including calls to a female escort service.

"All the walls came crumbling down when what I thought was a private sin that I had struggled with, confessed to my wife to two of my friends in 2016, that I thought I was dealing with and was in my rear-view mirror, when it became public knowledge," Freeze said in 2018.

If hired, he'll be tasked with transforming Auburn back into a consistent contender. The Tigers haven't finished inside the postseason Top 25 since 2019.

Meanwhile, the Kiffin rumors have begun to fade, with his family expressing their desire to remain in Mississippi, per Thamel.

Kiffin was asked Thursday whether he expected to remain with the Rebels for 2023 and provided a simple response: "Yes, I do."

Ole Miss finished the regular season at 8-4 after a rivalry loss to Mississippi State on Thursday night.

Saturday's Iron Bowl is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS. A clearer outlook about Auburn's next head coach should come after the contest, with Freeze seemingly holding the inside track.

Despite rumors that Lane Kiffin would step down to take over at Auburn as soon as Friday, the Ole Miss head coach has maintained he isn't planning to leave.

Lane Kiffin is asked if he anticipates being Ole Miss' coach next season: "Yes, I do."

— David Eckert (@davideckert98) November 25, 2022

Kiffin also responded to the reports of his reportedly imminent departure earlier in the week:

That’s news to me Jon. 🤦‍♂️. Nice sources 🚫👿🪑🍽 https://t.co/P8rdpxEk0p

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 22, 2022

pic.twitter.com/6hdU07FOfx

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 22, 2022

No. 20 Ole Miss fell to Mississippi State on Thursday in the Egg Bowl, 24-22, dropping to 8-4 after a promising 7-0 start.

Kiffin, who has been at the helm for Ole Miss since 2020, is 23-12 during his tenure.

While the Auburn head-coaching gig carries more prestige, it doesn't sound as though Kiffin plans to leave Ole Miss any time soon. Whether that's posturing until the season ends or a legitimate stance remains to be seen.