Music City reunion for Auburn's Elijah McAllister, Donovan Kaufman

AUBURN, Ala. – Elijah McAllister hosted Donovan Kaufman on his official visit to Vanderbilt in 2019. Nearly four years later, Kaufman returned the favor, hosting McAllister when Elijah visited the Plains earlier this year.

“It’s a full-circle moment,” Kaufman said of Saturday’s SEC clash between Auburn and Vandy. “I still get to see his pops and all his family before every game. It’s fun.”

“I’ve known him for a long time and we’ve grown to become best friends,” McAllister said. “We’re really close and I’m thankful to call him one of my best friends on the team.”

SEC network analyst Derek Mason, a former Vanderbilt head coach and Auburn defensive coordinator, recruited McAllister and Kaufman to Nashville before re-recruiting Kaufman to join the Tigers in 2021.

“Extremely intelligent guys who I felt embodied what playing football at a high level looked like,” Mason said. “Elijah is special in every way, on the field and off. To me, DK is like Tyrann Mathieu, a young man with a huge thirst for football.”

A junior safety, Kaufman played one season at Vanderbilt in 2020 before transferring to the Plains, where he’s been a three-year starter in the secondary.

“It holds something special in my heart,” said Kaufman of his affinity for Nashville, which he visits in February each year to celebrate his birthday with friends. “I try to find something new to do every time. There’s a lot of nature there. I’m from New Orleans, we don’t have hills, so to see that is fun.”

McAllister, a senior jack linebacker, spent five seasons at Vanderbilt, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees before arriving in Auburn this year.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity here,” McAllister said. 

In his first season on the Plains, Auburn teammates elected McAllister as a team captain, an honor he twice received at Vanderbilt.

“My leadership style is predicated off connectivity,” he said. “I want to be a connector who knows my teammates for who they are inside and outside the locker room and uplift their spirits and elevate them so they can play their best. Showing up every day and investing in my teammates.”

Kaufman prefers Auburn’s small-town feel over the big Music City.

“You can lock in more at Auburn,” Kaufman said. “Auburn is more family oriented. You can feel it.”

McAllister, too, appreciates his welcome into the Auburn family.

“The family atmosphere, the love, the tradition,” he said. “That’s been my favorite part, the love we have for each other. I feel the love and the energy back in this program, which the fans deserve. I’m glad they are able to have that joy.”

Kaufman ranks fourth with 28 tackles for Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, whose system Kaufman picked up quickly.

“It’s a good thing for me because I’ve learned so many different systems,” said Kaufman, who has added 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. “It’s going to help me when I get to the next level.”

McAllister has recorded 17 tackles and a sack for the Tigers.

“We have a ton of confidence in who we are,” McAllister said. “We can finish the season strong so Auburn can have something to build for next year.”

A one-time theater major, Kaufman is completing his Auburn University degree in interdisciplinary studies with emphases on business and sports communication.

“I have an outgoing personality,” he said. “I like hands-on things. I can’t really sit behind a desk. I have to be moving around.”

Raised in church, McAllister created his All Four One and One For All Foundation with a mission to develop youth academically, athletically and spiritually. With the holidays approaching, Elijah is planning a shopping spree for children he’s connected with through his foundation.

“I want to be able to give kids the opportunity who don’t have that family feel because it’s tough not to have it,” McAllister said.

“I know I didn’t get here by myself. If I can use this platform to continue to give back and influence people to make the world a better place, I’m going to do that. I had people sacrifice for me and I want to do that for the next generation.”

While pursuing his doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Auburn University, McAllister hopes to use a professional football playing career as a springboard to becoming an NFL general manager, then return to academia to be an author and professor of human development.

“Leading guys and selecting the right players to build a culture and win a ring,” he said. “A lot of my future is going to be predicated off impacting people in a positive way.”

An outdoors enthusiast and aspiring mechanic with a passion for automobiles, Kaufman sees himself one day owning an auto repair shop and ultimately a car dealership.

They’ve been on both sides of a series that is all square at 21-21-1. Leading up to Saturday’s 3 p.m. kickoff, McAllister and Kaufman are observing radio silence with the Commodores. There will be time to reconnect afterward.

“Those are some of the best friends I’ve had in my life,” McAllister said of his former teammates. “It will be amazing to go back and appreciate what it looks like on the other side in the orange and blue.”

“It’ll definitely be different,” Kaufman said. “We still know a lot of people who go to school there. To get to chop it up with them after the game, I can’t wait.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer