David Pollack names Auburn football’s Dude to Watch for 2026
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Former Georgia star David Pollack is working his way through the SEC, choosing representatives from each team to add to his 2026 Dudes to Watch list.
In other words, he’s highlighting some SEC players that may not be household names yet but have a chance to ascend into the national spotlight this upcoming season.
According to Pollack on See Ball, Get Ball, Auburn’s Dude to Watch is Jared Smith, a 6-foot-6 edge rusher entering his second year on the Plains. The former 4-star prospect sat behind NFL-bound Keldric Faulk last season but still managed to total a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery across 4 games of action.
“Jared Smith, coming off the edge,” Pollack started. “You saw some flashes a year ago, but my gosh, you saw Kedric Faulk get drafted in the NFL, he looks just like him. The dude’s 6-6, he’s 260, he’s got length. He’s next in line to be a problem off the edge.”
Auburn is looking for a fresh start under new head coach Alex Golesh, who comes to Auburn by way of South Florida. The Tigers haven’t eclipsed 6 wins since the 2019 season, and the hope is that Golesh and former Bulls QB Byrum Brown can change things in a hurry.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
