Looking at Auburn’s linebacker room after spring football

Auburn has seven scholarship linebackers heading into the 2023 season after Tuesday’s commitment from Larry Nixon III to the Tigers after graduating from North Texas.

Head coach Hugh Freeze and linebackers coach Josh Aldridge had witnessed several changes to the linebacker core since November when Freeze arrived on campus. Cam Riley, Robert Woodyard, Eugene Asante, and Wesley Steiner played last year. They remain on the roster after April’s A-Day game that signified the end of spring football.

Powell Gordon, Desmond Tisdol, and Kameron Brown went through spring camp but left the program for the transfer portal. Gordon hasn’t found a home yet. Tisdol is going to Florida Atlantic. Brown signed to play with UT Chattanooga.

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Auburn also had to replace Owen Pappoe, who left for the NFL Draft and got picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round. Pappoe was the team’s leading tackler and a two-time captain. Freeze told reporters that he thinks Nixon’s tackling skills displayed for the Mean Green with over 100 tackles last season would translate well in the Southeastern Conference.

“Larry Nixon is a tackling machine,” Freeze told reporters during an alumni event. “His passion, how he ran to the football, and how he’s a solid tackler. You can’t have enough of those guys. And I think he will come in and compete for a starting position -- I really do.”

Austin Keys transferred from Ole Miss before spring camp. Aldridge was effusive in his praise for Keys as a developing player.

“Austin Keys has been everything I thought he’d be,” He’s got to clean some detail stuff up. But I think we definitely did not miss on him by any means.”

DeMario Tolan joined the program before spring camp after starting 12 games for SEC West champion LSU last season as a freshman. He showed promise during practice and the A-Day scrimmage. Aldridge knows Tolan is young, but his athleticism sets him apart from other players.

“When he knows what to do from a coverage standpoint, he’s a vital piece, man,” Aldridge said. “He’s a guy who can line up in the box. He’s physical enough to line up in the box, but he’s athletic enough to where he moves like a safety out there on the perimeter.”

Keys and Steiner split several first-team reps throughout spring at MIKE linebacker. Woodyard and Riley saw most of the starting reps at WILL. Tolan saw time at both positions, and Asante can play either spot. Nixon will compete for playing time. Aldridge will have the task of helping defensive coordinator Ron Roberts determine which guys get on the field in various situations.

“I’ve always had the philosophy if you’re playing as hard as you can, you can’t play every snap. I’m trying to have about five or six guys,” Aldridge said. “You usually have about two or three that are playing about the same number of snaps in a game, 45ish, and you have a couple more that are probably playing close to 25-30ish, and you probably have that one guy playing 10-15.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.