Jan. 12, 2017
Auburn Tigers in the National Football League ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Wildcard Weekend
Daren Bates (LB, Oakland Raiders)
Made a solo tackle in the Raiders' 27-14 loss to Houston. Bates finished the regular season with 12 tackles while appearing in all 16 games. A special teams captain, Bates appeared in 15 games with the Rams in 2015. The undrafted fourth-year man out of Memphis, Tenn., has compiled 37 tackles in his career.
Josh Bynes (LB, Detroit Lions)
Compiled seven total tackles in the Lions' 26-6 loss to Seattle. Bynes recorded 38 tackles for the season. Bynes was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. He played parts of three seasons with the Ravens including a win in Super Bowl XLVII. Bynes also played the 2014-15 seasons with Detroit including making 11 starts and recording 82 tackles in 2015. He has 221 tackles (141 solo) for his career. Bynes finished with 238 tackles and 16.5 TFL in his four-year Auburn career from 2007-10.
Sammie Coates (WR, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Returned a kickoff 22 yards in the Steelers' 30-12 win over Miami. Coates and the Steelers will take on Kansas City in the Divisional round. Coates finished the regular season with 21 receptions for 435 yards (average of 20.7 yards per catch) and two touchdowns this season. Coates has six catches this season of at least 40 yards, which is tied for best in the NFL. The second-year man from Leroy, Ala., appeared in six games as a rookie, and has 22 catches for 446 yards and two touchdowns in his young career. Coates became the first Auburn wide receiver drafted since 2007 when the Steelers selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Jay Prosch (FB, Houston Texans)
Carried the ball once for a 1-yard gain, and helped block for 291 yards of offense in the Texans' 27-14 win over Oakland to advance to the next round of the playoffs against the New England Patriots. Prosch had four carries for nine yards and one catch for six yards this season, while starting in 15 games. Prosch started every game at fullback for the Texans last season with six carries for 33 yards and racked up nine tackles on special teams. The Saraland, Ala. native was a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Neiko Thorpe (DB, Seattle Seahawks)
Did not record any stats in the Seahawks' 26-6 win over Detroit. Thorpe and the Seahawks will face Atlanta in the Divisional round. Thorpe had 19 tackles for the season. Last season, he appeared in 14 games with two starts and compiled 40 tackles (37 solo), 6 PBUs and an interception. A key part of Auburn's 2010 National Championship team, Thorpe has made 72 tackles in his NFL career.
Report compiled by Auburn athletics communications student assistant Matt Penland.