Anquon Fegans, Eric Winters announce return to Auburn football

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Auburn football is piecing together a quality cast of returning players.

Two more defensive players have announced their plans to return to the program for 2026. Safeties Anquon Fegans and Eric Winters revealed their plans to forgo the option to enter the transfer portal and will be a part of Auburn’s roster next season as sophomores.

The return of Fegans and Winters is key as they join a host of other 2025 players set to return to the program. Defensive linemen Malik Autry and Jourdin Crawford, as well as linebackers Elijah Melendez, Xavier Atkins, Demarcus Riddick, and Bryce Deas, have all announced they will return to Auburn after successful seasons.

Winters was as good as advertised in 2025 as a freshman. After signing with the Tigers as the No. 11 safety from the 2025 cycle and the No. 9 player from Alabama, the Enterprise High School alum logged 33 tackles with a pass deflection and a sack. He was the team’s highest-graded run defender according to Pro Football Focus with a 91.4, and was the team’s second-highest graded defender with a grade of 78.8. Winters participated in all 12 games this season and made his first official start in the Iron Bowl. In 258 snaps, Winters gave up just 80 receiving yards on seven catches, with zero touchdowns allowed.

Fegans was another quality signee from Auburn’s 2025 class. He was the fourth-highest rated signee of the class, trailing only Malik Autry, Deuce Knight, and fellow Thompson High School graduate Jared Smith. In his debut season, Fegans made 24 tackles with a pass deflection and an interception. He made a season-high five tackles in Auburn’s game with Vanderbilt and recorded an interception against Kentucky.

Auburn will aim to replace several defensive backs with transfers, especially at cornerback, as key players such as Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford are expected to transfer to other programs next season. Follow along for the latest transfer portal movement surrounding Auburn football with Auburn Wire’s transfer portal tracker.

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football: Eric Winters, Anquon Fegans announce return for 2026

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