Derrick Brown, No. 7 overall to the Carolina Panthers, Noah Igbinoghene, No. 30 overall to the Miami Dolphins, Marlon Davidson second round to the Atlanta Falcons, Jack Driscoll, fourth round, Daniel Thomas fifth round and Prine Tega Wanogho in the sixth round; these are the players who were drafted from the 2019 Auburn Tigers. Most everyone knew those names, and their respective destinations, but they weren’t the only Tigers to move on from the program to pursue a professional career.
These are the guys who bet on themselves, with the odds stacked against them, but belief and motivation in their corner. Here is a look at the Auburn players who have made their way on to NFL practice squads and their chances of earning game time this season.
Prince Tega Wanogho – Offensive Lineman: Wanogho was drafted by the Eagles but was among the few players released in the final rounds of cuts to solidify the active roster. The Eagles drafted him for a reason, and they picked him up immediately, signing him to the practice squad. The Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL but were riddled with injuries last season. There is premium on protecting quarterback Carson Wentz and Wanogho’s left tackles designation means he could be groomed into the franchise’s next vital blind side blocker.
Mike Horton – Offensive Lineman: Horton was signed as an undrafted free agent to the Carolina Panthers. He was then cut and signed to the practice squad. The Panthers have one of the worst offensive lines in the league in 2020. If injuries or poor play afflict the Panthers’ pass blockers, Horton could quickly have the opportunity to be called up to the 53-man roster to serve as a backup.
Arryn Siposs – Punter: Leaving the Plains early, declaring after his junior season, Siposs has been signed to the Lions practice squad. Typically, it’s a never-ending ferris wheel of rotation for punters in the NFL, meaning Siposs could get a shot with any number of teams if a starter is failing to produce or gets injured.
Javaris Davis – Defensive Back: Davis was the Tigers’ No. 2 corner last season but showed the pace required to survive as a professional defensive back. Davis has signed to the Dolphins practice squad. With all-pro caliber corners Xavier Howard and Byron Jones – and first round pick and fellow Tiger Igbinoghene – it will be hard for Davis to get a look in at South Beach.
Nick Coe – Defensive Lineman: Coe went through most of training camp with the New England Patriots, the team who had the most players opt of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 or other reasons. Coe did not play much for the Tigers in 2019 but was thought to be a dominant SEC defensive end after his 2018 season. Coe was signed to the Dolphins practice squad and with the right work ethic, undoubtedly has the potential to work his way onto a NFL roster.
Jeremiah Dinson – Safety: The Tigers leading tackler of 2019 went overlooked in the 2020 NFL draft with his defensive backfield partners Igbinoghene and Daniel Thomas harboring most of the hype. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions but failed to make a final roster after being cut by the Miami Dolphins. He recently had a tryout for the Washington Football Team, one of the few teams with open practice squad spots remaining and a severely lacking defense.
Marquell Harrell – Offensive Lineman: Harrell was cut by the Buffalo Bills and failed to be picked up for the practice squad. Former Auburn wide receiver Duke Williams was a part of the same roster cuts but did make the practice squad. The Bills are a run-first offense who will need insurance policies for protecting quarterback Josh Allen; Harrell could find himself on their practice squad – or any other team’s practice squad – before long.
