CRUCIAL: Alex Golesh Needs Jared Smith to be the NEXT GREAT Auburn Edge Rusher in 2026

Locked On Auburn - Daily Podcast On Auburn Tigers Football & Basketball

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4.6 • 707 Ratings

🗓️ 26 January 2026

⏱️ 15 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Auburn Tigers raise eyebrows by placing significant faith in sophomore edge rusher Jared Smith as the transfer portal closes. Can Smith shoulder the pressure and emerge as Auburn’s defensive game-changer this season? Zac Blackerby breaks down Auburn’s revamped defensive front, spotlighting Smith’s development and the massive leap expected in his snap count and impact. The episode explores key additions like Da'Shawn Womack and Nate Johnson, and asks whether a collective pass rush can fill the shoes of departed stars. The tight end room also gets attention, with Jonathan Echols and Jake Johnson poised to lead in an offense that demands versatility. Is this sophomore core ready to define Auburn’s future?

Transcript

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0:00.0	The way the transfer portal wrapped up for the Auburn Tigers and this coaching staff puts a ton of faith and pressure on Jared Smith.
0:16.1	You are Locked on Auburn, your daily podcast on the Auburn Tigers.
0:21.2	Part of the Locked on podcast network, your daily podcast on the Auburn Tigers. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day.
0:25.8	Yes, welcome on into Locked on Auburn, your daily Auburn Tigers podcast.
0:30.3	I'm your host, Blackerbie.
0:31.4	Thank you so much for making Locked on Auburn.
0:33.6	Your first listen every single day.
0:35.6	I want to talk about a handful of these true sophomores that we've talked about a ton,
0:41.3	a ton here on the show about how they're going to be the core.
0:44.2	They're going to be the core of this 20, 2016.
0:46.8	I'm your host, Zach Black, me.
0:47.7	Thank you so much for making Lockton, Auburn.
0:48.7	Your first listen every single day.
0:52.0	I want to talk about Jonathan Eccles, the tight end, in a moment.
0:56.4	But clearly this staff has tremendous faith in Jared Smith.
1:02.9	And I think most Auburn fans have tremendous faith in Jared Smith.
1:09.4	I mean, there's just, there's a few assumed truths here.
1:15.1	One is, it's virtually impossible to make an impact as a past rusher, as a true
1:21.4	freshman consistently in the SEC.
1:24.5	You just don't see it.
1:26.3	And there's not even really that many exceptions to the rules. You just don't see it. And there's not even really that many exceptions to the
1:28.7	rules. You just don't see it. And Jared Smith, despite not being a full-time player and just
	...

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