BREAKING: Auburn transfer S Donovan Kaufman commits to NC State

Wolfpack lands former SEC defensive back Donovan Kaufman.

Donovan Kaufman, a former Auburn safety, has committed to NC State. The

204-pound, 5-foot-10 Kaufman made the news not long after arriving at Wolfpack on official business.

 

State listed safety as a top need on the transfer portal, and Kaufman, who is

eligible for one more year, offers an experienced, capable player at the position.

 

Before moving to Auburn, where he played three seasons for the Tigers, he

started his career at Vanderbilt. In 12 games for Auburn in 2023, Kaufman had

four starts. He finished with 37 tackles, 4.5 for loss, one sack, an interception, a

pass breakup, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

He played in seven games in 2022 and totaled 39 tackles, 1.5 of which were for

loss, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble. During the 2021 season,

Kaufman participated in 12 games and recorded 33 tackles, two of which were

for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles.

 

According to 247Sports, Kaufman, a 2020 recruit from Metalrle (Louis.) Archbishop Rummel, was a three-star

prospect, the No. 50 safety in the country, and the 26th-ranked player in Louisiana.

He turned down over twenty scholarship offers, including ones from Baylor,

Boston College in Colorado, FSU, and Memphis, to enroll at Vanderbilt.

 

With senior Devan Boykin, senior Bishop Fitzgerald, and redshirt junior Sean

Brown, NC State has three of its top three safeties from the previous campaign

back. But with Brown potentially moving to linebacker, Boykin suffering an ACL

injury during bowl practice, and very little to no established depth behind the

three, Kaufman should have an opportunity to contend for big snaps.

He joins former Maryland nickel Tamarcus Cooley, former Maryland

cornerback Corey Coley Jr., and former Villanova cornerback Devon Marshall as

the Wolfpack’s 12th and 4th defensive line additions this cycle.

 

Kaufman’s recruitment efforts were spearheaded by State’s Wolfpack safeties coach Joe DeForest.

 

State, who won nine games in 2023 and at least eight in four consecutive years,

takes on Western Carolina at home on August 29, 2024, before facing SEC rival

Tennessee at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.