Just when Hugh Freeze was about to wrap up Auburn’s 2024 coaching staff, they lost a coach to the NFL.

Earlier in the week, Freeze officially announced the appointment of DJ Durkin as Auburn’s new defensive coordinator. With that change, the coaching staff was temporarily completed.

According to reports, Jeremy Garrett, Auburn’s defensive line coach, is leaving for the NFL. He is going to be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ coach.

“It’s just the technique, being consistent with the technique every play,” Marcus Harris, a former defensive lineman for Auburn, said of Garrett following the first Senior Bowl practice. “Merely the vitality and being authentic. I could just be myself with him. In the future, Coach Garrett is going to be an incredible coach.”

A big chunk of Auburn’s recent recruiting success can be attributed to Garrett. Auburn added athletes like TJ Lindsey, Amaris Williams, and Malik Blocton in the 2024 class as part of a concerted effort to get defensive lineman. In the 2025 class, Auburn has several important defensive lineman committed. In December, Auburn also added Gage Keys of Kansas and Trill Carter of Texas, two defensive linemen, via the transfer portal.

Garrett had the same position at Liberty before accepting the defensive line post at Auburn. Garrett went at Auburn with Freeze before accepting a chance to become an NFL coach. Under Garrett, Liberty’s defense line was thought to be particularly successful. 2023 saw Auburn’s defensive line do better than most predicted before the season.

Garrett was an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns for two years prior to his time at Liberty.