A major piece of Auburn’s defensive line will be back next season after weighing whether to declare early for the NFL Draft.
Colby Wooden announced Wednesday evening on Twitter that he will return for his redshirt junior season with the Tigers. Though he was only a sophomore this season, Wooden was draft-eligible since he is three years removed from high school.
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“First off I want to thank God for all the many blessings in my life, the coaches and my family,” Wooden said, via a graphic designed for his announcement. “These past few years have been nothing short of magical; I’ll never forget how the best fans in the nation had Jordan-Hare Stadium rocking. Nothing better than feeling the electricity in the air of 90,000 and being suited up with my bruddas (sp) goin’ to war with them. I guess what I’m trying to say is... let’s run it backk (sp).”
The 6-foot-5, 278-pounder out of Lawrenceville, Ga., was a force along the defensive line for Auburn this season. He posted 8.5 tackles for loss, with a career-high five sacks and a team-best seven quarterback hurries. Wooden finished the season with 61 total tackles -- most among Auburn’s defensive linemen and a career high -- and was a key reason why the Tigers allowed just 3.51 yards per rush attempt this season, which currently ranks 21st nationally and is the program’s best mark since the 2010 national championship season.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Wooden’s return for 2022, especially considering some of the major contributors at linebacker and defensive back the team is losing this offseason. Auburn’s defense needs to replace All-America corner Roger McCreary, starting safety Smoke Monday and safety Byrdarrius Knighten in the secondary, as well as All-SEC selection/leading tackler Zakoby McClain and team captain Chandler Wooten at linebacker.
By returning for another season, Wooden will also have the opportunity to be teammates with his younger brother, Caleb Wooden, for a season in the SEC. Caleb Wooden is a three-star safety who signed with Auburn as part of its 2022 recruiting class earlier this month.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.