Auburn reportedly pursuing current NFL DL coach to fill same role

Auburn lost a key defensive assistant this week, as DL coach Nick Eason left the Tigers to return to Clemson, his alma mater.

Now, Bryan Harsin has reportedly set his sights on a current NFL assistant to fill Eason’s vacated role.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Arizona Cardinals DL coach Brentson Buckner is being pursued by the Tigers. He reportedly turned down Clemson last week:

After turning down an offer from Clemson last week, Cardinals’ DL coach Brentson Buckner is now being pursued by Auburn to join its staff, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2022

Auburn insider Justin Ferguson provides a breakdown of Buckner’s credentials:

Brentson Buckner:

– played in the NFL for more than a decade
– in his ninth season as an NFL DL coach and has had some really strong units
– graduated from Carver HS in Columbus https://t.co/mQCY3oF2yS

— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) January 6, 2022

Buckner has been a DL coach in the NFL since 2013. He spent 2013-17 with the Cardinals. He spent 2018 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2019 with the Oakland Raiders and has been back with the Cardinals since 2020.

Will he make the move to Auburn? We’ll find out soon enough.