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USA Today
8 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn football 2025 player profile: LB Demarcus Riddick
Riddick will look to anchor the Auburn linebacker room as a sophomore in 2025. One of the few areas of question this season for the Auburn Tigers will be at linebacker. Who will anchor the unit? A worthy candidate would be sophomore Demarcus Riddick, who burst onto the scene quickly in his career. After making two total stops in his first two games, Riddick broke out against Oklahoma with six tackles and a sack in just 23 snaps played. He went on to make at least two tackles in each of the final six games, with his next top performance coming against Vanderbilt, when he made five stops. In all, Riddick created 16 pressures last season with 11 quarterback hurries and three sacks. Riddick, along with Robert Woodyard and LSU transfer Xavier Atkins, are expected to run the linebacker corps this season, which will allow younger players such as Jakaleb Faulk, DJ Barber, and Bryce Deas to develop. Here is a look at Demarcus Riddick's 2025 player profile. Demarcus Riddick's personal profile Demarcus Riddick as a recruit Demarcus Riddick's career numbers Demarcus Riddick's PFF report card The best photos of Demarcus Riddick's career 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
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn spring football preview: Linebackers
Auburn spring football preview: Linebackers The Auburn Tigers feature a young group of linebackers Spring practice is underway at Auburn, and it's time to preview another position group ahead of A-Day, which will take place on Saturday, April 12 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The next position group that we will examine in our spring breakdown series is the linebackers, which will feature many fresh faces. The linebackers are one of the Tigers youngest position groups on the roster. The team will look to lean on sophomore Demarcus Riddick and some incoming freshmen. They lost Dorian Mausi, Jalen McLeod, and Eugene Asante from the 2024 team among others with experience. Auburn did sign Xavier Atkins from LSU by way of the transfer portal. Here is a look at what the Auburn linebacker room looks like as spring practice continues on the Plains. No. 0 Robert Woodyard Jr. 2024 stats: 10 games played, 17 tackles, three tackles for loss 10 games played, 17 tackles, three tackles for loss Career stats (three seasons): 17 games played, 21 tackles, three tackles for loss Robert Woodyard Jr. is the lone veteran of the Auburn linebackers. As a junior he is the only upperclassman at the position. He did not start in 2024, but Woodyard did appear in ten games for the Tigers. With the departures from last season, he should initially factor into the starting lineup. No. 6 Demarcus Riddick 2024 stats: 12 games played, two starts, 27 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks Demarcus Riddick should be looked upon to be the leader of the group as the most on-field experience at the position. As a true freshman he was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team. His best game last season was against Oklahoma. Versus the Sooners, Riddick had six tackles and one sack. No. 9 Elijah Melendez 2025 247Sports Recruiting Rankings: Three-star linebacker, No. 50 linebacker, No. 48 player in Florida (Osceola High School/Kissimmee, Florida) Elijah Melendez is one of three true freshmen for the Tigers at linebacker. He had 75 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four interceptions his senior year in high school. No. 16 Bryce Deas 2025 247Sports Recruiting Rankings: Four-star linebacker, No. 27 linebacker nationally, No. 12 player in Maryland (St. Francis Academy/Baltimore, Maryland) Bryce Deas is another true freshman that will need to contribute to this Auburn defense due to the youth at the position. He comes from a very successful high school football program. No. 17 Xavier Atkins 2024 stats: Two games played and one tackle Xavier Atkins is Auburn's lone transfer portal addition for the group. Atkins is ranked by 247Sports as a three-star transfer portal prospect and ranked No.21 at his position. He went to Summer Creek High School in Humble, Texas and was also ranked as a three-star before signing with LSU. No. 18 J.J. Faulk 2025 247Sports Recruiting Rankings: Four-star linebacker, No. 8 linebacker nationally, No. 5 player in Alabama (Highland Home High School/Highland Home, Alabama) J.J. Faulk is the younger brother of Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk. He is a winner of the 2A Lineman of the Year award at Highland Home High School and put up big statistics his senior year. He had 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and three sacks. No. 33 D.J. Barber 2024 stats: One game played D.J. Barber played in one game in 2024 and is listed as a redshirt freshman. He is from Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama. During his senior season he collected 139 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, and one interception. 247Sports ranked Barber as a three-star prospect and the No. 31 ranked player in Alabama. No. 42 Coleman Granberry 2024 stats: Four games played and one tackle Coleman Granberry played as a walk-on in 2024 and collected just one tackle. He was selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He played his high school football career at Auburn High School under head coach Keith Etheredge where he was a team captain. No. 45 Antonio Melendez 2024 stats: No stats Antonio Melendez is the older brother of freshman linebacker Elijah Melendez. He adds depth to the linebacker roster. No. 52 William Grier McDuffie 2024 stats: No stats William Grier McDuffie is a walk-on that did not see any playing time in 2024. He played high school football at Mountain Brook High School. 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