Auburn football has added 32 players since the transfer portal opened earlier this month.
Although the window for players to enter the portal closed last Friday, those who are already in it are still free to commit to new programs.
Defensively, the Tigers secured 11 commitments, including five along the defensive line. Auburn saw major losses from its 2025 roster, with its top two defensive ends, top two buck linebackers, and starting defensive tackle all departing.
With the defensive line being the unit most in need of rebuilding, here is a breakdown of what each incoming transfer brings to Auburn’s defense this fall.
Da’Shawn Womack
After receiving public praise from Auburn All-American linebacker Xavier Atkins on social media, Da’Shawn Womack’s commitment quickly became one of Auburn’s biggest wins in the transfer portal.
Womack played the 2025 season at Ole Miss, where he recorded 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks.
Before transferring to Ole Miss, he spent his first two collegiate seasons at LSU — the same program as Atkins — compiling 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Womack combines size with high-level athleticism, allowing him to pressure quarterbacks while also dropping into coverage along the edge and in the flats. His arrival gives Auburn a strong candidate to start at the buck position, filling the void left by Amaris Williams, Keyron Crawford, and Chris Murray.
Nate Johnson
Along with Womack, Nate Johnson becomes Auburn’s second defensive line addition with SEC experience, arriving from Missouri.
Johnson appeared for one season with the Tigers in Columbia, recording six tackles in a limited role. Before that, he spent two years at Appalachian State.
During his freshman year at App State, Johnson broke out with 42 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, a performance that earned him All-Sun Belt Second Team honors.
Johnson now joins a deep defensive end group that includes returning players Jared Smith, Joe Phillips, and JJ Faulk for the 2026 season. Auburn is also welcoming freshman Chris Wells, who will compete for snaps at the same position.
Walter Mathis Jr.
Walter Mathis Jr. appeared in 12 games for LSU as a true freshman, finishing the season with nine tackles.
As Auburn’s third transfer with SEC and LSU experience, Mathis brings disruptive potential to the interior of the defensive line, where his quickness allows him to penetrate gaps at a high level.
Standing 6-foot-2 and 285 pounds, Mathis is not built to serve as a full-time nose tackle. Instead, Auburn will benefit most by rotating him along the line and putting him in favorable one-on-one situations, where his impact is maximized.
Saint Farrior
Saint Farrior adds three years of collegiate experience to Auburn’s defensive front, having played two seasons at Hampton before transferring to Appalachian State for the 2025 campaign.
Last season, Farrior recorded 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and half a sack.
At 6-foot-3 and 355 pounds, Farrior possesses the size needed to compete in the SEC trenches. Working alongside defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams, he is expected to provide a powerful interior presence and help anchor the middle of Auburn’s defense.
Cody Sigler
Cody Sigler became Auburn’s first defensive line addition from the transfer portal, arriving from Arkansas State.
