Auburn preseason All-SEC cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett expected to make season debut against Texas A&M

Auburn is set to get one of its top players back from an injury.

Tigers preseason All-SEC cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett is expected to make his season debut for Auburn today against Texas A&M, sources tell On3.

Pritchett, an early-round NFL draft prospect, missed Auburn’s first three games with an undisclosed injury. Pritchett and D.J. James form one of the nation’s cornerback tandems. Both passed on leaving for the NFL after last season and instead opted to return to the Tigers for one more year.

Pritchett, a third-year starter for Auburn, has 93 career tackles and two career interceptions. His expected return is even more welcome for the Tigers considering Auburn just lost standout nickel back Keionte Scott to an ankle injury that’s expected to sideline him for several weeks.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze had said in recent days that he was “hopeful” that Pritchett would be able to play against A&M.

“That would be a big plus if he can,” Freeze said.

In its first season with Freeze as their head coach, the Tigers are 3-0 after opening the season with wins over UMass, Cal and Samford. During the 14-10 win at Cal, Auburn’s defense — even without Pritchett — limited the Golden Bears to one touchdown and just 273 yards.

A&M will be far and away the Tigers’ biggest test yet though and a big measuring stick games. One of the keys for Auburn will be the Tigers’ secondary against a talented group of Texas A&M wide receivers that includes star sophomore Evan Stewart and others such as projected 2024 NFL draft picks Ainias Smith and Moose Muhammad. That makes Pritchett’s expected return even more important.

Stewart, who didn’t play during A&M’s win over UL Monroe last week, posted 19 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns in the Aggies’ first two games. During A&M’s 48-33 Week 2 loss to Miami, Stewart had 11 catches for 142 yards.

A&M QB Conner Weigman ranks third in the SEC with an average of 303 passing yards per game. He threw for 336 yards with three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) during that loss to Miami. He was 25 of 29 for 337 yards with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) against UL Monroe last week.

“He’s throwing it at a really high level right now,” Freeze said this week.

Auburn enters the matchup against the Aggies as a nine-point underdog.