Auburn Football’s top defensive players of 2022 according to Pro Football Focus
Auburn Football’s season came to a disappointing end on Nov. 26, when the Tigers fell to Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium, 49-27.
It was a wild season, to say the least. The Tigers opened with a 2-0 record before dropping a game to Penn State at Jordan-Hare Stadium in blowout fashion. Auburn bounced back by narrowly escaping Missouri to close the month of September out, but would go on to lose its next five games. The streak resulted in the dismissal of Bryan Harsin, who was canned following Auburn’s 41-27 loss to Arkansas at home.
The Tigers saw a resurgence following Harsin’s firing, as Cadillac Williams led Auburn to a 2-2 record over the final four games of the season as interim head coach, which included an SEC win over Texas A&M.
Now that the season has officially concluded, Auburn Wire takes a look back at the ten most impactful defensive players of the season according to Pro Football Focus data (subscription required). Here is a look at Auburn’s highest-graded defensive players, who appeared in ten or more games during the 2022 season.
For a look at Auburn’s top offensive performers from the 2022 season, click here.
J.D. Rhym
Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics
Games played: 10
Stats: 14 tackles, pass deflection
PFF Grade: 63.9
Jayson Jones
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 28 tackles, Fumble Recovery
PFF grade: 66.4
Morris Joseph
Todd Van Emst/Auburn Tigers
Games Played: 11
2022 stats: 14 total tackles
PFF grade: 67.9
Owen Pappoe
Joshua L Jones/ Online Athens
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 92 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, fumble recovery, INT
PFF grade: 69.6
Nehemiah Pritchett
Michael Chang/Getty Images
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 37 total tackles, sack, forced fumble
PFF grade: 70.2
Derick Hall
Todd Van Emst/AU Athletics
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 60 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, INT
PFF grade: 71.0
Jaylin Simpson
The Montgomery Advertiser/ Jake Crandall
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 37 total tackles, 2 INT
PFF grade: 71.0
Keionte Scott
Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 53 total tackles, sack, INT
PFF grade: 71.8
Colby Wooden
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 45 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries
PFF grade: 71.9
D.J. James
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Games Played: 12
2022 stats: 37 total tackles, INT, TD, 8 pass deflections
PFF grade: 82.4
