Cornerback D.J. James expected to return to Auburn for one more season
AUBURN — D.J. James is expected to return to Auburn for one more season, sources tell Auburn Live.
James spent three seasons at Oregon before transferring to Auburn. The cornerback will play two seasons on the Plains, taking advantage of the Covid season allowing for an extra year of eligibility as allowed by the NCAA.
James finished this past season with 30 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups – the same amount of PBUs as his previous three seasons at Oregon.
With James’ return, Auburn’s top five returning players on defense according to overall grades per Pro Football Focus would all be secondary players in James, Donovan Kaufman, Keionte Scott, Jaylin Simpson and Nehemiah Pritchett.
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James is currently considered a 4th-5th round selection.
His decision to return is an ideal example of the benefits of Name, Image, Likeness, in particular the benefits of Auburn’s main collective, On To Victory.
James’ now has the ability to return to school, improve his draft stock while getting further development from secondary coaches Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff, and he can do it all with a little less pressure on his immediate financial future because of NIL opportunities.
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Originally from Spanish Fort, Ala., D.J. James chose Oregon out of high school, where he made 70 tackles and intercepted two passes in three seasons. Despite not starting at the beginning of the season, James came on to be rated the Tigers’ best defensive player for the 2022 season, according to PFF.
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According to PFF, D.J. James was rated the 19th-best corner in the nation last season based on overall coverage grades. Of the 18 cornerbacks rated higher than James last season, only two finished with a better percentage of receptions allowed versus targets. James allowed 24 receptions in 59 targets, good for 40.7 percent on the season. And the two corners with better percentage of receptions allowed than James were the No. 1 and No. 2 overall rated corners nationally last season in Quinyon Mitchell at Toledo and Devon Witherspoon at Illinois.
James’ best game came against Western Kentucky. He allowed five receptions in 10 targets, made seven tackles, and capped it off with an interception return for a touchdown in Auburn’s second-half shutout of the Hilltoppers.
Other impressive games for James include allowing two receptions on six targets against Mississippi State, allowing one reception on five targets against LSU, and allowing only two receptions on seven targets against San Jose State.
