How many Auburn Tigers are on preseason watchlists?
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Auburn football will kick off the season in one week, and several of its top players have caught the attention of postseason award committees.
Ten Auburn Tigers have earned a spot across 19 preseason watchlists before the 2026 season, with several Tigers earning multiple nods. Several watchlists Auburn players are a part of include the Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the Butkus Award.
Players such as Cole Best and Jeremiah Cobb are included on watchlists that are given to the top player in their position group, and others, such as Alex McPherson, are being recognized for their off-the-field service. Quarterback Byrum Brown and linebacker Xavier Atkins lead the way with four preseason nods each.
Here is a full rundown of every Auburn Tiger to be included on a preseason award watchlist ahead of the 2026 season.
Maxwell Award
A duo of Tigers is on the preseason watchlist for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the best player in college football each season. Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown and running back Jeremiah Cobb are part of the lengthy list that also includes Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney.
Bronko Nagurski Award
The first watchlist of many for Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins is the Bronko Nagurski Award. Atkins is one of 68 defensive players and one of 21 linebackers from across the country recognized on this list. Atkins was a relative unknown last season and hopes to walk away with the top defensive award in the sport.
Rimington Award
Auburn football will have a revamped offensive line in 2026, but one player stands out among the rest. USF transfer Cole Best is one of 11 players from the SEC included on the Rimington Award watchlist, awarded to the nation's best center. Best was a two-year starter at center for the USF Bulls under Alex Golesh's watch, playing 1,518 snaps, according to PFF. He is deemed a quality pass blocker after allowing just 10 hurries and three sacks in 352 opportunities last season.
Lou Groza Award
Year in and year out, it seems that Auburn kickers find their way onto the Lou Groza Award watchlist. Alex McPherson represents Auburn on this season's list, hoping to get back to his strongest form after dealing with and recovering from a medical issue that has hindered his ability for two seasons. He appears to be on the right track after kicking a 55-yard field goal in Auburn's A-Day game in the spring.
Paul Hornung Award
The SEC has the most members on the Paul Hornung Award watchlist, with Auburn's Rayshawn Pleasant included. The Paul Hornung Award is given annually to the nation's most versatile player, with Pleasant making the cut thanks to his talents as a defensive back and kick returner. In his first season with the Tigers in 2025, Pleasant recorded 16 tackles with two interceptions. He added another score as a kick returner while averaging 24.2 yards per return.
Wuerffel Award
Since the beginning of his journey with severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, Auburn kicker Alex McPherson has been an advocate and has worked to spread awareness by sharing his testimony. Because of this, McPherson has been recognized with a spot on the Wuerffel Award watchlist for his efforts in his community and in the classroom.
Butkus Award
Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins made his case for being one of the top linebackers in the country last season by logging 60 solo tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss. His name will not go unnoticed this season after he was included on the Butkus Award watchlist. Atkins, along with 13 other SEC linebackers, is included on this year's preseason watchlist.
Biletnikoff Award
The talk surrounding Auburn QB Byrum Brown is loud this season because his top wide receiver from last season has joined him on the Plains. Keshaun Singleton hauled in 50 catches for 877 yards and eight touchdowns for the USF Bulls in 2025 and has brought his talents to Auburn. Singleton could be one of the SEC's top wide receivers this season, which is why the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the nation's top wide receiver, included Singleton on its preseason watchlist.
Davey O'Brien Award
All eyes will be on Byrum Brown this season to see just how easily he transitions from the AAC to the SEC. If it is smooth, he will be in the running for several awards this season, including the Davey O'Brien Award, which is given to the top quarterback in college football. Brown is one of 30 quarterbacks on the list, joining Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss), Sam Leavitt (LSU), and Marcel Reed (Texas A&M).
Bednarik Award
Xavier Atkins is on the watchlist for the Bednarik Award. Like the Nagurski Award, the Bednarik Award is given to the top defensive player in the nation each season. However, the Bednarik Award is voted on by the Maxwell Club. Another great honor for one of Auburn's top defensive players.
Lombardi Award
Another watchlist Xavier Atkins finds himself on is the Lombardi Award, which recognizes the top defensive lineman/linebacker in college football. Atkins is Auburn's lone representative on the list, but the SEC is represented well with 16 players.
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Byrum Brown is considered to be one of the better quarterbacks in college football, but his place on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award takes that claim up a notch. The Golden Arm Award is given to college football's top quarterback who shows strong character, perseverance, and service.
Manning Award
The name "Manning" carries heavy weight in the college football world, so finding a place on the Manning Award watchlist is a great honor for Byrum Brown. The Manning Award watchlist features 40 quarterbacks, with the winner being decided by votes from the national media, as well as the likes of Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning.
Mannelly Award
There are plenty of awards that recognize quarterbacks, linebackers, and even the best overall player in the sport. There are even awards given to those who receive little to no recognition. Auburn long snapper Hudson Powell is on the Patrick Mannelly Award watchlist, given to the nation's best long snapper. Here's to hoping both Powell and his special teams battery mate Alex McPherson come away with hardware this season.
Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Comeback Player of the Year Award watchlist features two Auburn Tigers, Champ Anthony and Chas Nimrod. Anthony has battled injuries for most of his college career and hopes to end his senior season on a high note. Nimrod missed several games last season with USF with a leg injury, but claims he is 100% healthy and is ready to make a statement with the Auburn Tigers.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: How many Auburn Tigers are on preseason watchlists?
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