The Auburn Tigers were set to turn to edge rusher Da'Shawn Womack this year, after both Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, the Tigers' top two 2025 edge rushers, were snapped up in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Womack was arrested last month on a charge of reckless endangerment, leaving the question of his eligibility up in the air.
On Tuesday, at SEC Media Days, Alex Golesh told the press that he and the university are still awaiting a legal resolution before making a final decision on his eligibility. Womack's court date is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 9 a.m., according to an arrest report obtained by Al.com. Reckless endangerment is a class A misdemeanor in the state of Alabama.
Womack is set to be a crucial piece of the Tigers' defense in 2026, particularly after the aforementioned losses of the Tigers' top edge rushers. Womack began his career as a five-star prospect out of St. Frances Academy in Maryland, a school that is rapidly developing into a pipeline for Auburn talent, even if Womack took a few years to end up on the Plains.
Now a senior, Womack spent the first two years of his career under Brian Kelly at LSU, before transferring to Ole Miss amidst the Lane Kiffin saga of 2025. In his freshman year at LSU, Womack accounted for 15 total tackles, including seven solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Things slowed down in his sophomore season with the Tigers, as Womack only managed to put up eight total tackles, four of which were solo tackles, and just one sack. Then, he transferred to Ole Miss, where he had a career-best year of 27 tackles, 14 solo tackles, two sacks and the first forced fumble of his career.
Despite a slow start to his career, Womack was still a four-star transfer when he hit the portal after the conclusion of the 2025 season, choosing the Plains as his next-and likely final-landing spot. The good news for Womack, especially on the Plains, is that the Tigers have already turned one formerly underappreciated LSU Tiger into a defensive stud in Xavier Atkins, who was far and away the Tigers' defensive MVP last season, despite the fact that he, too, had a slow start to his career with the Tigers.
So, if Womack is ruled eligible, he could be a difference-maker all season for the Tigers. If not, the Tigers will have to change course significantly and turn to an alternative option as the season drags on.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/auburn as Alex Golesh Provides Update on Key Defensive Piece Amidst Legal Trouble .
