Bryan Harsin rules out three critical Auburn players for Birmingham Bowl

Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin announced Thursday night the following players will not play in the upcoming Birmingham Bowl vs. Houston: defensive back Roger McCreary, linebacker Zakoby McClain, and right tackle Brodarious Hamm.

The news is obviously horrible news for the Tigers defense in the matchup. They’ll be facing a high-powered Houston offensive attack that put up just over 37 points per game in 2021.

McCreary, McClain, and Hamm are among the nation’s very best at their respective positions and they’ll have very bright futures in the National Football League, which is likely the reason for them deciding not to play in the bowl game.

McCreary was named a first team AP All-American. The Mobile, Alabama, native was the first Auburn player to be named a first-team All-American since Derrick Brown was named a unanimous All-American in 2019. McCreary had 14 pass breakups and two interceptions in 2021. His 14 pass breakups tied him for third in the nation.

McClain recently accepted his invite to the East-West Shrine Game in Las Vegas. So he’ll likely spend his time preparing for that game so he can shine for NFL scouts. The game will be played Feb. 3, 2022, in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

The talented linebacker has been a tackling machine the past few seasons for Auburn and did some serious damage in 2021: racking up 95 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two sacks. The Valdosta, Georgia, native posted two games this season which he tallied 10 tackles — Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He’s blessed with a non-stop motor and excellent football instincts. In 2020, he finished third in the SEC with 113 tackles.

Hamm, a 6-foot-6, 334-pound right tackle for the Tigers, announced his intentions to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft earlier on Thursday. Hamm, a former four-star recruit in the On3 Consensus, played in 26 career games for Auburn over his four years with the program. He chose Auburn over offers from Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi State, among others, in the class of 2016.

Auburn tackle Brodarious Hamm declares for the NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/yjprgtbLhl

— Tom Green (@Tomas_Verde) December 16, 2021

With the declaration, Hamm will forgo his fifth and final year of eligibility for the Tigers. He was a starter on the Tigers’ offensive line for the past two years.

Hamm has a very inspirational story as he’s battled a lot of adversity in his life. He announced earlier in the college football season that he’s been cancer free for five years.

Auburn will face No. 21 Houston in the Birmingham Bowl. The game will be played in Birmingham, Alabama on Dec. 28 at noon ET. The venue will be Protective Stadium.

On3’s Tyler Mansfield also contributed to this report.