AUBURN, Ala. – From Bo Jackson to Carnell Williams to Joe Cribbs, the list of great running backs to play at Auburn is lengthy. You can add another. Tank Bigsby.
In three seasons on the Plains, Bigsby rushed for 2,903 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. His 2,903 yards rank seventh all-time in school history. He was a dynamic player from the day he stepped foot on campus. More importantly, he loved Auburn.
Coming out of high school, Bigsby could have played college football anywhere in the country. He chose Auburn. After a tumultuous first offseason that included a coaching change, Bigsby could have entered the transfer portal and gone to the school of his choice. Once again, he chose to return to Auburn. He never never wavered.
Why? Bigsby summed it up with two simple words. "Because Auburn."
"Auburn is different," he said. "You've got to have the mentality to play here. You've got to have the mindset. You've got to be a beast. You've got to be humble. You've got to be a different player. When I look in the mirror, I see that in myself. That's why I never regret coming to Auburn. It's the best thing that ever happened to me."
Bigsby, who has always set high goals for himself, had a goal to play running back for Auburn. He accomplished that and then some, becoming one of the best to do it.
Now it's time to check another goal off the list. Play running back in the NFL. It starts next week with the NFL Draft and getting that phone call from a team.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Bigsby, who plans to watch the draft with his family. "We work so hard all our lives to get here. It means everything to me to get this opportunity, and I'm going to take advantage of it every chance I get."
When that moment does come and Bigsby hears his name called, he will be following in the footsteps of those that came before him. Williams, his position coach at Auburn, was taken fifth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He ranks second on that Auburn career rushing list with 3,831 yards.
But Williams doesn't want Bigsby to try to emulate him or anybody else.
"Coach Cadillac said all the time, 'Just be you,'" Bigsby said. '"Don't try to be somebody you're not. Just be you. Go out there and have fun. You've been doing this all your life.' I live by that because he's a legend. I listened to everything he told me since I got here.
"Whoever calls my name is going to get a guy that will bring 150 (percent) every day."
NFL Combine/Pro Day
40-yard dash: 4.45 seconds (Pro Day)
Bench press: 21
Vertical jump: 32.5"
Broad jump: 9' 11"
𝟒.𝟒𝟔𝐮💨💨💨@tank_bigsby is MOVING ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/XblHwqZFzR
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) March 21, 2023
Draft Analysis
This is one of the most complete backs in the class. He's fast and very elusive, the two key elements to succeeding at running back at any level. I wish I saw more from in in the pass game at Auburn, but we'll look back in a few years and question how/why Bigsby was picked after other backs he ultimately outperformed in the NFL.
- Chris Trapasso, CBS (@ChrisTrapasso)
Signature MomentFor a guy who made a living breaking off long runs, it's hard to pick one signature moment. In his senior year alone, Bigsby had touchdowns runs of 35-plus yards against Mercer, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Western Kentucky.
But how do you not go back to his freshman season and his breakout game at home against Arkansas? Bigsby showed flashes the week before at Georgia, but it was against Arkansas where he took over and showed fans how special he could be. The freshman rushed 146 yards on 20 carries, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He was breaking tackles, changing direction, showing his burst. It was the complete package. Bigsby also caught four passes for 16 yards and returned four kickoffs for 106 yards, tallying 268 all-purpose yards.