On the eve of the NFL Draft, here’s where Auburn’s players are projected to be picked

The 2024 NFL Draft is set to get underway Thursday night from Detroit.

And while Auburn isn’t expected to have a representative taken in the first — or even second — round, there are a handful of Tigers who are expecting to hear their name called as the draft unfolds.

Auburn defensive backs DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett and Jaylin Simpson, as well as Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris all competed in the Reese’s Senior Bowl back in February in preparation for this week’s draft.

Those four, along with defensive lineman Justin Rogers also attended the NFL Scouting Combine in late February and early March to showcase their skillsets.

Now, on the eve of the NFL Draft, here’s a look where each of Auburn’s prospective draftees are slated to land according to complete, seven-round mock drafts from CBS Sports, ESPN, NFL.com and Pro Football Focus.

DJ James

After starting his career at Oregon, former Auburn cornerback DJ James spent two seasons on The Plains, where he tallied 75 total tackles, defended 21 passes and logged three interceptions across 24 games.

CBS Sports: Round 3, pick No. 84, Pittsburgh Steelers

ESPN: Round 4, pick No. 119, Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL: Round 6, pick No. 215, San Francisco 49ers

Pro Football Focus: Round 4, pick No. 111, Arizona Cardinals

Marcus Harris

Having started his college career at Kansas, Marcus Harris, a Montgomery native, returned to his home state in 2021 to be a part of Auburn’s defensive line. Through three seasons with the Tigers, Harris recorded 97 tackles, 23.5 tackles for a loss, 11 sacks and forced a pair of fumbles. In 2023, Harris was named an all-SEC first-teamer.

CBS Sports: Round 5, pick No. 172, Philadelphia Eagles

ESPN: Round 4, pick No. 114, Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL: Round 6, pick No. 195, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pro Football Focus: Round 6, pick No. 209, Los Angeles Rams

Nehemiah Pritchett

For the last five seasons, Nehemiah Pritchett has been a staple in Auburn’s defensive secondary as a cornerback. With 51 total games under his belt, Pritchett leaves Auburn having tallied 115 total tackles, 29 defended passes and three interceptions.

CBS Sports: Round 4, pick No. 124, San Francisco 49ers

ESPN: Round 5, pick No. 146, Tennessee Titans

NFL: Round 3, pick No. 91, Green Bay Packers

Pro Football Focus: Round 5, pick No. 159, Kansas City Chiefs

Justin Rogers

Justin Rogers was one-and-done with the Tigers after having transferred to Auburn from Kentucky ahead of the 2023 season. Rogers went on to appear along the defensive line in all 13 games last fall as he tallied 17 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack.

CBS Sports: Undrafted

ESPN: Round 6, pick No. 185, New York Jets

NFL: Undrafted

Pro Football Focus: Round 6, pick No. 211, San Francisco 49ers

Jaylin Simpson

Like Pritchett, Jaylin Simpson leaves Auburn after having played his whole career — five full seasons — for the Tigers. During his time on The Plains, Simpson managed to tally 116 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, 21 defended passes and seven interceptions from the safety spot.

CBS Sports: Round 5, pick No. 145, Denver Broncos

ESPN: Round 5, pick No. 155, Los Angeles Rams

NFL: Round 6, pick No. 178, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pro Football Focus: Round 6, pick No. 180, New England Patriots