Auburn’s offensive line, which had to replace all five starters from last season, has shown improvement since the spring and summer, according to multiple coaches on the Tigers’ staff. The group was rebuilt largely through the transfer portal, bringing in a mix of experienced players who, while new to each other, have played significant college football.
“This will be a really big test Week 1, out the gate,” head coach Alex Golesh said. “That’s why we continue to go good on good work to make sure that those guys are ready to rock and roll.”
Auburn does not ease into the season. Baylor, while not a top-25 team or an elite defense, has the athletes to test the Tigers up front. The unit’s leadership will be crucial in what Golesh called a capable opponent.
Center Cole Best: The Clear Leader
Starting center Cole Best is the clear leader of the line and brings multiple years of experience in Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon’s offense. Best is entering his fourth year in the system and his third as the starting center, making him one of the most knowledgeable players on the offense, second only to quarterback Byrum Brown.
“They know what the deal is and they’ve got to follow the leader,” Gordon said. “That leader is Cole.”
Best has been instrumental in bringing the group together during the offseason. He said the line’s biggest strength is its growing chemistry.
“I feel like we’ve got a really, really close room — guys care about each other, we love each other,” Best said. “It’s kind of gone from every guy for himself when we first got here to playing for the guy next to you.”
The New-Look Starting Five
The official depth chart lists Jo Simmons at left tackle and Stanton Ramil at right tackle. Simmons, a transfer from James Madison, started 13 games at left tackle in 2025 and stands 6-foot-5, 330 pounds. Ramil, a junior transfer from Michigan State, is 6-foot-7 and 313 pounds.
At guard, the depth chart does not list lone starters, instead offering three options at each spot. At left guard, Deryc Plazz, Jack Leyrer, and Jacob Strand are listed; Plazz is a Miami transfer at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, while Leyrer is 6-foot-5, 314 pounds and Strand 6-foot-5, 310 pounds. At right guard, Cole Skinner, Kail Ellis, and Jacobe’ Ward are listed; Skinner is a USF transfer senior at 6-foot-5, 322 pounds, and Ellis and Ward are sophomores, both 6-foot-4, with Ellis at 315 pounds. Ellis filled in for Connor Lew last season before Lew was taken in the NFL Draft.
Coach Golesh’s early comments about the line drew attention — he initially joked the unit needed prayers before later saying they had been answered. The guard spots appear to be a rotation, but early fall camp suggested they were the weaker side of the line. Still, the experience across the group gives Auburn reason for optimism, even with the unknowns that come with so many new faces.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who have played a lot of football,” Golesh added. “They just haven’t played a lot together. Week 1 will tell us a lot.”
The Tigers open the season against Baylor, a matchup that will provide an immediate test for the rebuilt offensive line.