“There are good skill players everywhere. These guys have experience. At the end of the day, go out there and play ball. We ain’t scared of nobody.”
Those were the words of Auburn wide receivers coach Kodi Burns after the first Saturday practice of fall camp, 2026.
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The Tigers put on the shoulder pads for the first time today, and the former Auburn favorite talked to reporters about his revamped position group.
This is a group that is filled with transfers that followed Head Coach Alex Golesh from the University of South Florida. One of those guys Coach Burns hopes will be a major contributor on the field against Baylor in four weeks, is Christian Neptune.
“Neptune is a guy that I trust,” Burns said. “You know what you are going to get with him. He has been consistent and it’s good for him to be confident in what he is doing. He knows what to do, he knows the system. For him to go out there and get banged up and play ball is good for him.”
Neptune has been nursing a shoulder injury since the spring. However, he has participated fully in practice since camp began, while wearing an orange non-contact jersey.
Neptune talked about how that injury has shaped him for the upcoming season.
“As an athlete you don’t want to get injured,” Neptune said. “God puts things in your life that will shape you. He put that in my life for a reason. It allowed me to not only grow physically but mentally in the game. It also allowed me to grow as a teammate.”
Neptune is joined in that wide receiver room by fellow former Bulls Jeremiah Koger, Chas Nimrod, and Kory Pettigrew.
One of the few returning receivers from Auburn’s 2025 roster is redshirt sophomore Bryce Cain. Burns feels he has the potential to be a gamebreaker this year.
“I have patience and I have belief in Bryce Cain,” Burns said. “He gives you value in the return game and special teams. He is talented. He just needs reps. He’s done a good job so far. I just need Bryce Cain to be more consistent.”
After redshirting in 2024, Cain played in all 12 games last year but only caught four balls. Auburn Undercover asked him about what it’s been like being a returning Tiger in a room full of transfers.
“I’m just trying to learn behind them,” Cain said. “Getting in the media room and getting to learn the playbook. Just studying more film. As I get down on there I know the playbook just as good as them. I’m just gonna work hard, get on that field, and play hard.”
Although this wide receiver room is full of transfers with experience in Golesh’s offense, it is nevertheless a young group, with six being underclassmen. One freshman from the 2026 signing class that could see playing time is DeShawn Spencer. Burns talked about what he brings to the team
“What he’s been able to do so far is no less than impressive,” Burns said. “It’s incredible just the mindset that he has. He’s uber detailed. The best guys I’ve been around NFL or at this level you tell them one time and they do it.”
Spencer told reporters today that he came to campus only weighing 158 pounds. He is now at 176 pounds with aspirations of getting to 180. He shared some of his regiment on putting on effective weight.
“You gotta get your carbs in. Not eating the things with sugar in it,” Burns said. “You gotta eat the healthy things. They got plans for us. If you don’t have breakfast or stuff they have plans to get you something you can eat. Our nutritionist do a phenomenal job with that.”
Burns feels his group will be battle tested because of scrimmaging against Auburn Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin’s unit. Burns added the more time his guys get on the field against that defense, the better prepared they will be, come week 1.
“Every single rep these guys get they are getting more confident,” Burns said. “A lot of guys have proven already and then you come up to the big boy leagues and they continue to do that. If you can prove it against this defense in practice, which I believe is top five, top 10 in the country I think you got something.”
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
