
Auburn's Rayshawn Pleasant named to Walter Camp Preseason All-American Team
One of Auburn's top transfers is being honored in the preseason. Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant was named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-American Team. Pleasant is a transfer from Tulane, where he played from 2022-24. He was listed as a three-star transfer portal prospect when he committed to Auburn on April 23.
Last season for Tulane, Pleasant played in 13 games for a team that went 9-5 overall and 7-1 in the American Athletic Conference. He had 35 tackles for the Green Wave plus one interception. That lone interception occurred against Southeast Louisiana in a 52-0 win and resulted in a 100-yard return for a touchdown. Pleasant also excelled as a kick returner. Last season he had 13 returns for 449 yards and two touchdowns.
Pleasant picked up some accolades after his productive 2024 season. He was selected as an All-American and the All-AAC Second Team. Pleasant is joining a defensive backfield that features experienced players like Kayin Lee, Jay Crawford, and Kaleb Harris. With his ability as a returner, it would be a misstep for Auburn not to use Pleasant on special teams.
Before arriving at Tulane, he was a three-star recruit out of West Monroe, Louisiana. Pleasant was recruited as an athlete and was rated the No. 57 player in Louisiana. He only played in his freshman season against Nicholls State and Florida Atlantic in two games. His best game of 2024 was against Kansas State. In the 34-27 loss, he had seven tackles in the game.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Phillip on Twitter @PJordanSEC
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


San Francisco Chronicle
16 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Top amateur golfers compete in S.F. while reaping rewards of college sports' new world
Jackson Koivun sure looked like a professional golfer as he navigated the Olympic Club's Ocean Course on Monday. Koivun's crisp, white Auburn golf shirt included a Footjoy logo. His bag promoted Titleist, his equipment sponsor. He also wore an Old Republic logo on one sleeve and another touting Betterment, a New York-based digital investment platform. That designation carries a different meaning these days, of course, in the era of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals and revenue sharing. The striking transformation of college sports stretches beyond football to reach top golfers such as Koivun, a 20-year-old who grew up in San Jose. So he and the world's other accomplished non-pros (technically) are openly displaying their corporate affiliations this week during the 125th U.S. Amateur in San Francisco – while they chase a prestigious title offering zero prize money. 'It's definitely a little weird,' Koivun said of that curious contrast, 'but it's the world we live in now.' This new world hinges on marketing and name recognition nearly as much as tournament titles. Estimates of Koivun's NIL valuation range from $1.4 million (according to Essentially Sports) to $1.55 million (Golf NIL), a byproduct of two terrific seasons at Auburn. He swept the sport's major awards last year as a freshman. Golf NIL's top 10 features largely the same standout college players who reside near the top of the world amateur ranking, including Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss and Virginia's Ben James. Also on the NIL list: Arkansas' John Daly II, son of the two-time major champion, and Florida's Luke Poulter, son of Ian Poulter, who won three events on the PGA Tour and 12 more on the European Tour. Daly II and the younger Poulter are solid college players who clearly benefit from their dads' fame (Daly II has 212,000 followers on Instagram). The same goes for Tiger Woods' son Charlie, who has an NIL valuation of $2.5 million as a rising high school junior. (Daly II and Poulter are in the field at Olympic, while Woods is not.) That's essentially a projection, though Koivun and James are among those directly benefiting now from the new landscape. 'NIL is great for us – it puts some money in our pocket, which is nice,' Koivun said. 'I'm just thankful I'm at a football school, because they bring in all the money.' Koivun lived in the Bay Area until age 17 and spent all but his senior year of high school at Mitty. Then his family moved to Chapel Hill, N.C., in part so he could be closer to Auburn. He's showing signs of becoming a PGA Tour star one day, in ways beyond his college success. Koivun has made six tour starts this year and finished in the top 11 three times, including a tie for sixth in one event and tie for fifth in another. Put another way: He's giving sponsors reason to bet on his future. James, who stands No. 2 in the world amateur ranking, played Monday's round dressed almost fully in Puma gear. (His caddie even wore a Puma golf hat.) Another key sponsor, Transcend Capital Advisors, has its logo prominently displayed on his bag. James, a senior, acknowledged how much the college golf scene has changed in his four years at Virginia. 'It's a lot different, for sure,' James said. 'I don't know whether it's good or bad. … But it's cool to see so many young college guys playing so well at the highest level.' Players such as James and Koivun hired agents in high school, a reality Koivun described as 'kind of crazy.' There's also this tangible effect of NIL: It probably plays a role in top golfers staying in school rather than bolt for the tour. (Just imagine what kind of NIL earning power Tiger Woods would have had at Stanford.) Koivun said the ability to earn money as a college golfer offers some incentive to stay. He will return to Auburn for his junior year. 'I'm just going to go (pro) whenever I'm ready,' he said. Poulter hired an agent only about two weeks ago, despite his surname and earning potential. His college career started slowly, in part because of a back injury, but he pocketed one victory and five top-10s last season at Florida, where he soon will begin his redshirt junior year. Poulter posted an even-par, opening-round 70 on the Ocean Course, putting himself in good position heading into Tuesday's play. 'I've kind of been trying to play my game and let all that happen,' Poulter said of landing NIL deals. 'So now, because I've been playing a little better, it's coming. … Sometimes, people can get too engrossed in it and their golf suffers.' Briefly: Koivun started strong, shooting 2-under 68 on the Ocean Course on Monday. … NHL referee Garrett Rank posted 2-over 72 on the Ocean. … The field will be cut from 312 players to 64 after Tuesday's round, with match play starting Wednesday on the Lake Course.


USA Today
12 hours ago
- USA Today
Auburn football's FCS opponent, Mercer, earns preseason top 25 spot
Auburn football's 2025 slate will feature one of the top teams at the FCS level. The preseason FCS Poll has been released, and it features Auburn's Nov. 22 opponent, the Mercer Bears. The Bears will begin the season ranked No. 11 at the FCS level. The Bears earn high preseason recognition after winning 11 games and ending the 2024 season ranked No. 8 in the country. Mercer is ahead of several notable programs, such as Idaho, Sacramento State, and Richmond, and trails the likes of Montana State, South Dakota, and the FCS preseason No. 1 team, North Dakota State. Auburn will face the Bears near the end of the 2025 campaign, as Mercer will visit Jordan-Hare Stadium one week before the highly anticipated Iron Bowl. There is a great chance that the Bears could hold a higher ranking by the time they visit the Plains, as they will face two ranked FCS teams in No. 8 UC Davis and No. 18 Western Carolina during the regular season. Last season, Mercer began the year by winning five straight games before stumbling on the road at Samford. The Bears then went on a run where they won four of their final five regular-season games, with the lone loss coming to Alabama on Nov. 9. Mercer's season ultimately ended in the second round of the FCS playoffs with a loss to eventual national champion North Dakota State. The Tigers and Bears will square off on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will begin at 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on SEC Network+. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__


USA Today
14 hours ago
- USA Today
Contract details revealed for Auburn football's 2026 matchup with Jax State
The Auburn Tigers will welcome in-state foe Jacksonville State to Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026 for a quality nonconference matchup, and the Gamecocks will receive a massive payday in exchange for the game. Thomas Ashworth of shared Sunday that Jax State will receive $1.5 million from Auburn to play at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026. It will be the second large payday that the Gamecocks will receive in two years, as they are also set to receive $1 million this season to play their season opener at UCF. The matchup was announced last summer by Jax State, with the date being set for Sept. 26, 2026. Jax State Vice President for Athletics Greg Seitz says that he is excited for the program and for Gamecock fans to experience a game of this magnitude at Jordan-Hare Stadium. "We're very excited about the opportunity to return to the Plains and play Auburn in 2026," Seitz said in a press release. "This will be a great experience for our football program, fans, and alumni to watch the Gamecocks in Jordan-Hare Stadium." The 2026 game between the Tigers and Gamecocks will be the second all-time meeting between the two in-state programs, and the first since 2015. Auburn defeated Jax State, 27-20, in that game, but needed to survive a scare to secure the win. The Gamecocks led 10-6 at halftime and led 20-13 in the 4th quarter before Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson connected with wide receiver Melvin Ray with 0:39 remaining to tie the game at 20-20 to force overtime. Tiger running back Peyton Barber recorded the lone score of overtime by rushing four yards to the end zone, solidifying Auburn's victory. Auburn has three nonconference games scheduled for the 2026 season. The Tigers will host Baylor on Sept. 5 in a return game of a two-game series, followed by Southern Miss on Sept. 12 and the Jax State Gamecocks on Sept. 26. There is no word if the SEC will move to a nine-game format for next season. If the conference maintains its eight-game schedule, the Tigers will need to add one more non-conference opponent, which will most likely be at the FCS level. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__