AUBURN, Ala. – Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, David Shannon followed his older brothers Mark and John to Auburn University.
"It felt like a great fit," David said. "When I think of the Auburn family, it quite literally is my family because of my brothers."
Initially, Shannon was not part of the Auburn football team, but he decided to walk on in the fall of 2019.
"Honestly, I missed being part of a team," he said. "I missed the physical part of it, and going against someone one-on-one. When I came to Auburn, I was very skinny. I put on weight, worked out, and then decided to try out.
After his tryout, Shannon awaited a phone call that would let him know if he'd made the cut, a call he initially missed while in the middle of public speaking class.
"I found a quiet area by Haley Center after class and spoke to the walk-on coordinator," he said. "As soon as I hung up the call, I threw my hands in the air and screamed internally, 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' I had worked so hard for that moment and honestly didn't expect to get a call back."
Beginning in fifth grade through his high school career at Spain Park, Shannon played two O-line positions, guard and tackle, following in the footsteps of his father, Chuck.
"Even though my dad wasn't my coach he would always help me after practice, especially when I was younger," he said. "He was an offensive lineman and was always there for me as a person and a player."
On track to graduate in December in economics, Shannon's 3.8 GPA earned him recognition on the AD Honor Roll.
When he's not practicing, Shannon supports other Auburn programs, especially soccer.
"I've always found it entertaining," he said. "I also enjoy watching basketball and I love being in the Jungle; it is a great experience.
Shannon joined the Auburn football program one month before the Tigers defeated their instate rivals 48-45 in the Iron Bowl.
"During my time here, my most memorable moment has been the 2019 Iron Bowl," he said. "To beat Alabama in that manner in that space was truly special."
Shannon has already decided what's next after his football career ends after the season.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "Football has been an integral part of my life and being able to compete at the highest level in the SEC has been a dream come true. The amount of work I've put into this is staggering.
"I am also excited for my life after football. I plan on attending law school in the fall of 2022 and enter the judicial system in the future."
Balancing football with academics provided a challenge, he said.
"It is extremely hard. There are a lot of sacrifices," Shannon said. "It is a grind and there are a lot of things I've had to give up, but it is truly worth it.
"There are great ways to incorporate academics and athletics into your life and I challenge student-athletes to do so. Put in as much work as possible, challenge yourself, and be knowledgeable in what you need to do.
"I love football and enjoy being around my teammates and coaches. I have a great relationship with my teammates. And the new coaches and staff have been great; Coach (Will) Friend is very detail-oriented and cares about his guys. And Kendall Simmons is always a friend and always knowledgeable about life."
When the pandemic prevented Auburn from having spring practice in 2020, Shannon improvised.
"I missed my teammates when we went home for Covid," he said. "We all had to be flexible. I didn't have much equipment at home, so I had to make use with what I had, doing leg presses off the couch with my brother as the weight. I found ways to put in the work even though I didn't have much to use.
"Once we were back practicing, we had to approach every game with the same mindset, whether we had fans or not. During practice we would pump in fan noise to prepare for how the games could sound, specifically for the games against LSU and Georgia."
This upcoming season will be different in a lot of ways, with new head coach Bryan Harsin at the helm as well as the opportunity for fans to be back in full force at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"Our goal is always to win the SEC championship and that is our primary goal this year," he said. "We have a lot of big home games this season and we need to defend Jordan-Hare.
"My No. 1 personal goal is to help prepare the team to win. I'll do anything I have to do to help the team win. I'll do whatever the coaches ask me. My message to the fans this season is to keep your expectations high and hold us accountable to it."
Adam Pollard is a student worker in Auburn Athletics media relations
