AUBURN | Underestimate Auburn’s defensive line at your own risk.

Yes, the Tigers are losing some veterans from this past season but return a large group with plenty of talent for defensive line coach Tracy Rocker.

It starts with Colby Wooden, who is a candidate to be one of the SEC’s top defensive linemen as a third-year sophomore. He had 42 tackles last season and led the Tigers with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and tied for the team lead with 4.0 sacks.

Zykeivous Walker has a great chance to join Wooden in the lineup after starting his first-career game against Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl. The true freshman was a part of the playing rotation at defensive tackle for most of the season despite being listed at 266 pounds on the roster.

The other starter will likely come from Dre Butler, Jay Hardy, Marquis Burks or perhaps Jeremiah Wright, if the freshmen doesn’t move back to offensive line.

Butler, who joined Auburn out of junior college before last season, overcame a series of injuries to play in 10 games, starting for the first time against Northwestern. Hardy, a true freshman, was also slowed by injuries and didn’t play until the bowl game. Wright played in six games, totaling three tackles and a tackle-for-loss against the Wildcats. Burks played in five games after transferring from a junior college.

Auburn returns three other defensive ends that could push for a starting position or a spot in the playing rotation including Jaren Handy, Caleb Johnson and Daniel Foster-Allen.

Injuries limited Handy to one game this past season after playing as a backup in all 13 as a true freshman in 2019. Johnson, who could also play outside linebacker, has six tackles and a tackle-for-loss in 11 games as a backup. Foster-Allen, a true freshman, didn’t play last fall.

In addition to the nine defensive linemen scheduled to return, Auburn signed four more in the 2021 class led by Lee Hunter, the nation’s No. 11 defensive tackle. Defensive tackle Marquis Robinson, and defensive ends Ian Mathews and Tobechi Okoli could also contribute next fall. Like Wright, Mathews has the size and length to play offensive tackle if defense doesn’t work out.

POTENTIAL DEPTH CHART

** I included this not necessarily to predict where everyone will end up on the depth chart, but to show how much depth Auburn has on the defensive line and how they could still use some help at pass rusher.

DEFENSIVE END

Colby Wooden

Jaren Handy

Caleb Johnson (OLB)

Tobechi Okoli

DEFENSIVE TACKLE/NOSEGUARD

Dre Butler

Jeremiah Wright (OL)

Marquis Burks

Lee Hunter

Marquis Robinson

DEFENSIVE END/TACKLE

Zykeivous Walker

Jay Hardy

Daniel Foster-Allen

Ian Mathews (OL)

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER/STUD

Derick Hall

Romello Height