Nick Eason does not have any college coaching experience. After playing in the NFL, he became an intern coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2013.

The biggest change for Eason has been becoming a recruiter.

“That’s—I guess I spent the last 18 years in the NFL as a player and then as a coach. The transition, for me, has been easy,” Eason said. “I guess, I think, the biggest thing is just the recruiting piece of it. Normally in the offseason in the NFL, you’re just sitting around watching collegiate film and you’re just kind of getting ready for the Senior Bowl and getting ready for the Combine and doing reports in your office. In this world, you have an opportunity to get out, recruit and talk to high school coaches, these kids and their parents.”

Eason has embraced the change, and enjoyed it.

“I’m a people person, so I’ve embraced it. It’s kind of been easy,” Eason said about recruiting. “Being from South Georgia, I grew up in a place where they have a two-hour conversation with just a random person they’ve never seen in the grocery store where I’m from, so me picking up the phone and having a real connection with the players and their family and the coaches, that’s easy for me. I embrace that, and I’m excited to have that opportunity to be able to recruit.”

Eason played on the defensive for Clemson in the early 2000s, being a two-time team captain and earning All-ACC honors his senior season.

After his college career ended, he was selected in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.

Helping kids go through the same process he did is part of what excites him about the Auburn job.

“In the NFL, guys have millions of dollars, they have this money, these contracts, so I get the opportunity to get a kid at 17, 18 years old and watch him develop as a man. To me, that’s more self-gratifying for me,” Eason said. “I’m just excited to have an opportunity to coach collegiate ball. I think the biggest question that I’ve heard in the past, you know, is ‘can he recruit?’ I said absolutely. “I played in two Super Bowls, I’ve done a lot of things on the professional level, and one thing for me is just being real with players and being who I am and just trying to be a great leader each and every day, being the best version of myself and challenging young kids to be the best version of themselves.”

Just a few months into his tenure, he’s enjoyed that transition.

“I love my job; I love coaching defensive line here at Auburn,” Eason said. “I love the people I work with. I come into work every day with a smile on my face, and I’m excited.”

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